Keeping Pests Out Of Your Home: 10 Pest Control Tips From Walker Management

 

We’re not talking about your noisy neighbor or your annoying uncle Fred.  These are tips to keep those pesky pests and insects out of your home.  You know all the pests you love to hate like roaches, ants, spiders, crickets, scorpions and mice.   Here are 10 great tips to help prevent pests from ever entering your home:

• Keep the floors clean: wipe up any spills immediately using soap and water not just a rag. Clean the entire flooring at least once a week and the kitchen floor at least twice a week.

• Take out the trash: every day, do not leave trash in your home overnight. This includes all trash cans not just in the kitchen.

• Keep fruit in the refrigerator: especially when ripe.

• Keep the sink clean: wash dishes daily. If you cannot clean the dishes, then at least fill the sink with soap and water.

• Keep a tight lid on things: make sure all food and beverage containers kept outside of the refrigerator are tightly sealed. Keep bags of cereal, seeds and grains in a sealed container.

• Keep things dry: make sure the bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms are dry.  Fix leaks immediately and wipe up any spills or splashes at once.

• Keep pets clean: brushing, bathing and using flea and tick protection on your animals, especially indoor/outdoor pets.

• Seal up the house: use caulk to seal up any cracks on baseboards, cabinets, pipes, ducts, and fittings inside the home. Check outside and caulk all door frames, window frames, roof joints and any visible cracks on the exterior surface.

• Keep the outside of the home free and clear: do not stack wood next to the home and do not leave piles of leaves laying around the yard.  Keep any plants cut back so pests cannot climb up and access your house. Keep gutters free of leaves and other debris that may harbor insects.

• Watch what you bring into the home: many people unknowingly bring in insects or insect eggs when buying fruits and vegetables. Boxes or bags used to bring home these items can many times harbor pests or eggs. Once in your home, they multiply and can cause infestations. German roaches are especially prone to be brought in this way.