Pest-Proofing Your Home: How to Achieve Effective Results
Ants, mice, spiders, and other pests often torment households. They chew through window screens, get into the pantry, and make living simply annoying. While contacting contractors qualified through area.us to exterminate them is a great idea, not everyone wants to use chemicals to keep pests out of their home. Thankfully, there are ways to prevent it in the first place and stay bug- and rodent-free effectively.
Start by Inspecting Your Home
Most often, homeowners don’t even notice pests until they start ruining the home. It is critical to inspect your premises every once in a while. If mice or bugs are already spotted inside, take a look at your house inside and outside to find out how they are getting inside. Issues like these could be entrance points for pests:
- cracks or holes in the foundation;
- gaps in windows and doors;
- crevices in pipes;
- torn screens;
- open vents.
Leaving food unattended in the kitchen and ignoring water leaks can attract unwanted guests as well. So, take notice of all weak points and prepare to get rid of them.
Close Any Gaps
Once you find all gaps, these should be immediately sealed. There are two ways you can seal unwanted crevices on windows and doors — by caulking and by using weather stripping. In case your exterior doors are not closing properly, install sweeps to close any fissures.
Vents shouldn’t be open — purchase durable mesh covers for them. Cracks in the foundation can be filled with foam sealant to prevent pests. This step is more effective than trying to get rid of mice and bugs that have already infiltrated your home.
Keep Your Home Clean and Dry
As we have already mentioned, water and food attract pests. So, if rodents and bugs are constantly getting into your house, try keeping the inside and outside clean and dry. While it might not be a failproof method, it will still make your house unattractive to pests.
Wipe down counters and tables after every meal, and clean up after your pets. Sweep your floors every day to prevent crumbs and food waste accumulation. Take out the trash regularly. Keep your food in sealed containers instead of original packaging. Fix any leaks you find during inspections.
Repel Pests With Natural Ingredients
Hiring a professional team of subcontractors certified by services like Area is a great idea for pest control. But you can also try repelling them yourself with non-toxic ingredients first. For example, natural oils like peppermint can minimize mouse, spider, and ant invasions. A few drops at the entrance points could scare them off. Mix water and vinegar, and use this 50/50 solution to get rid of ants. Citrus peels could be used to repel cockroaches and spiders.
Pest-Free Forever
Keeping your house pest-free is possible. Make sure you inspect your home for signs of infiltration every season, and call a crew of exterminators when needed. Close up any gaps and holes where rodents and bugs can crawl in. Lastly, try mild natural ingredients to repel pests before using harsh chemicals.