Do you get a line of ants or a swarm of mosquitoes in your house? Almost every household in the GTA will eventually struggle with pests such as ants, spiders, stinging insects, bats and rodents. But instead of waiting to go on a defense against them, incorporate these easy pest control tips as part of your everyday life to keep pests out of your home!
Thoroughly inspect the outside of you home, including windows, doors, attic vents and all your screens. If you find any cracks or crevices, seal them with silicone-based caulk. Also, repair any rips or tears for both exterior and interior immediately. For large gaps, steel wool is a good option because the roughness of the steel fibers can deter pests from your house. Replace window stripping if you find any gaps that can fit insects. All in all, the first step of defense is to make it difficult for pests to find an entry to your home.
Most pests enter your home for the food you store indoor or around your house. Your place can become an ideal feeding site for those insects if you leave an open access to food. For example, overly ripe fruits on the counter attract fruit flies and ants. The best solution is to seal food in containers and dispose garbage regularly into sealed garbage bins.
The residue from spills and food crumbs is a treasure to insects such as ants and cockroaches. Make your home less attractive to those insects by cleaning counters and sweeping the floors regularly to remove crumbs.
Store dry pet food in a sealed bag or in a container instead of paper bags. Clean your pets’ bowls and wipe up any spills.
If you have carpets in your house, vacuum them at least once a week to reduce the chances of getting insects like ticks and bed bugs. The cleaner your carpets are, the less chance pests will stay and breed.
Stacking logs around the fireplaces may look pretty and has become quite popular for interior design. However, as a natural material, wood can play host to different kinds of insects such as carpenter ants, wood roaches, wood-boring beetles etc. To protect your house from insects’ invasion, you should store firewood at least 20 feet away from the house, and only bring the logs in right before burning them.
Check for areas that get moist easily, such as under sinks, tubs, damp basements and laundry rooms. Sink and floor drains often accumulate gunk and debris which provide ideal breeding sites for insects. Repair leakage in pipes, and use a dehumidifier in basement if needed.
Keep the grass cut low and make sure tree branches, shrubbery, and other vegetation are properly trimmed away from your house.
Standing water is a breeding site for insects like mosquitoes. Regularly clean out leaves and other debris from the gutters to prevent standing water, and walk around your property to visually check.
If you still have pests in your house, please call Mr. Raccoon for professional pest control services! Our licensed exterminators have helped thousands of homeowners in the GTA to resolve their pest problems!