Maintaining a clean environment makes it less inviting to pests. It also reduces the amount of germs that can accumulate in the home or on food.
Keeping up with routine tasks like making the bed, cleaning the kitchen, and promptly sweeping and vacuuming helps prevent pest infestations. Other preventative measures include sealing cracks and holes, storing food in airtight containers, and using traps. Read on to learn more about proper Pest Control Boise.
Seal Cracks and Holes
Pests don’t just damage your home; they can also bring germs and health risks into your living spaces. That’s why it’s essential to prevent pests from entering your house in the first place. While spray pesticides can offer a quick fix, permanent solutions to prevent pests from entering your home involve identifying and sealing cracks and holes where pests might enter and then addressing them.
Microscopic pests, such as cockroaches and ants, can squeeze through gaps that are barely visible to the human eye. A good rule of thumb is that if you can slip a pencil into a hole, a mouse or young roach can fit through it as well.
Look for cracks around doors and windows and on the foundation of your home, and seal these with caulk. Install door sweeps at the bottom of exterior doors, repair holes in window and door screens, and replace worn weather stripping. Also check for areas where water may collect, such as in puddles in the garden or by air conditioning and heating vents, and ensure these areas are properly caulked and sealed.
Keep in mind that many pests are not only searching for food; they’re also looking for moisture. If you suspect you have a problem with damp areas in your home, such as basements or laundry rooms, make sure these are cleaned and dehumidified regularly.
Also consider eliminating overhanging tree branches and shrubs, which can provide hiding places for raccoons, squirrels, mice, and other critters that can crawl into your home. If you have a chimney or roof vent, be sure these are properly screened and that they’re not blocked by leaves or debris.
Clean Up Food Scraps
When food is not properly stored and disposed of in retail or hospitality settings, it can attract pests like rodents, ants, and beetles. These pests can carry bacterial and viral pathogens that cause illness and even death in humans, as well as contaminate foods with their droppings.
The best way to prevent this is to store food in sealed containers, especially when it’s not being used, and to dispose of scraps in a garbage or compost container. Food scraps can include plate scraps, leftover food that has gone bad, and any other type of kitchen waste. It’s also important to clean up any litter that could attract and house pests, such as paper wrappers, cans, glass and plastic bottles, food boxes, and more.
Standing water is another big problem in many locations and can be dangerous, both indoors and out. It’s a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which can spread diseases and other problems, as well as a place where some insects lay their eggs, including disease-carrying flies and beetles. In addition to preventing pests, it’s important to clear away any clogged gutters or drains that can trap water.
Keep Your Pets Indoors
Rodents are wild animals that do things that can make people sick, such as tularemia, salmonellosis, leptospirosis, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM). The droppings and urine of rodents also create holes in your house that allow water to enter and cause damage. The dried feces of mice and rats can irritate asthma and allergies. They also can leave traces of feces in food.
The best way to prevent pests is through a combination of preventive measures. Seal cracks and gaps, and use caulk to fill small crevices. Keep debris, clutter, and garbage out of crawl spaces, basements, and attics. Install door sweeps on outside doors and keep screens on chimneys and vent openings in good shape. Clutter also provides places for pests to hide, so clear away stacks of papers and boxes.
Other preventive steps include using Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This approach emphasizes treating only pests that are observed and identified, rather than spraying the entire house or yard. It includes scouting and monitoring for pests, including rodents, cockroaches, ants, fleas, and mosquitoes. In addition to identifying problem areas, IPM strategies include cleaning, sealing entry points, and using baits to control infestations.
Maintaining a pest-free home is essential to the health and safety of family members and pets. Insects and rodents can contaminate food and damage homes, and long-term exposure to pesticides can harm people and pets, especially young children and the elderly. To help prevent pests, follow the tips above and contact your local pest control company for help when necessary. For more information, see our guide for building residents, which offers tips on pest maintenance, reporting pest problems to building managers and supervisors, and safely handling and using pesticides.
Keep Your Pets Out of Your Home
Pests like rodents, cockroaches, mosquitoes, and earwigs can be carriers of diseases. Rodents can spread Hantavirus, cockroaches trigger allergies and asthma, and mosquitoes spread Zika virus and West Nile Virus. The best way to prevent these pests is to be proactive with pest control and avoid bringing them into your home.
Rodents, termites, carpenter ants, and wood-destroying bees and wasps can cause costly damage to your home’s structure. These pests can also ruin your clothing, books, and furniture. Pest prevention is key to protecting your belongings and keeping your house looking good.
Most pests are attracted to food and crumbs, so it’s important to store all your food in sealed containers wipe down countertops, and vacuum the carpeting regularly. Despite your efforts, even the cleanest homes sometimes get invaded by pests. This is because the garage, sheds, or outbuildings might have trash, spilled pet food, or rotting produce that attracts pests.
While most homeowners take care to keep their homes clean, many neglect other areas, such as the garage or outbuildings. This can lead to pest infestations in these areas, especially since they might be closer to your house than your backyard.
Make sure to scout these areas for signs of pests regularly – check out the garage, sheds, and other outbuildings for nests or gnaw marks in the siding, insulation, or woodwork; look for rodent droppings, scat, or tracks; and monitor the vegetation around your building for unusual growth patterns. A pest maintenance plan should also include monitoring for weeds and other plants, which might indicate the presence of pathogens that could be harmful to humans or pets. A regular scouting and monitoring routine can help you spot problems before they become severe, minimizing the amount of pesticides needed for effective and safe pest management.
Keep Your Home Clean
Pests can be more than just an annoyance, they can cause property damage and even health problems. Pests like mice and cockroaches can contaminate food and everyday items, and their droppings and discarded body parts can trigger asthma and allergies in many people. Moreover, some pests bite or sting (real or perceived), like spiders, wood wasps, and yellow jackets. Others stain, tarnish or discolor, like carpet beetles and bed bugs, or suck blood (like ticks, fleas, and cluster flies), causing serious health concerns.
The best way to prevent a pest infestation is to keep the house clean and clear of clutter. This makes it harder for rodents and bugs to hide and reduces the number of places where they can breed and feed. It’s also easier to get rid of a pest problem once it starts if you catch it early.
Regular cleaning routines can include sweeping and vacuuming, sanitizing high-traffic areas like counters and kitchen islands, disinfecting door handles, television remotes, and light switches, wiping down appliances, and regular dusting of walls, ceilings, and furniture. Using disinfectant wipes is simple and convenient, and helps kill germs that can spread to other surfaces.
Practicing good hygiene is essential for keeping pests away, and is especially helpful after a pest control treatment. In addition, residents need to report building maintenance issues to their apartment management and building staff.