Ah, the warm summer sun, a gentle breeze, and the smell of hot croissants on the picnic blanket in front of you. Life is good!
Well, it was… right up until your peaceful picnic is overrun by ants, your children are carried away by a swarm of bees, and you have a dozen wasps buzzing about in your beer.
We look forward to our summers so much and we really don’t want them ruined by unwelcome guests. Thankfully, keeping pests away is fairly simple when you know how.
We’ve compiled a list of simple strategies so that you can enjoy those blissful summers at home.
7 Easy Steps to Keeping Pests Away
There’s no way we’ll ever be totally pest-free, we know that. But we can do our best to make our home a safe haven for our families.
1. Put food away
Cleaning up after ourselves, especially in the kitchen, will eliminate food sources and make your home less interesting for pests. That means keeping food either in the fridge or in sealed containers and making sure counters are kept clean.
2. Seal up cracks
Rodents, ants, and roaches can get into your home via the smallest entrance. Make it your mission to remove all points of entry for the little critters. Seal up any gaps in walls, floors, ceilings, or windows that would grant pests access. This may take a while, but it’s a key preventative measure in your battle of the bugs.
3. Remove potential homes
Besides not letting pests in, it’s also a good idea to make your home as inhospitable as possible. That means removing anything that could create a cosy home for a critter. For example, lofts are the perfect home for rodents, birds, and a host of insects being warm and dry and mostly undisturbed. Clutter – both indoors and outdoors – tends to serve as a welcome mat for pests so keep it to a minimum.
4. Fix leaks
The only thing that bugs love more than food and a comfy place to call home is water. So, if you have leaks (inside or outside) then you’ll find that these little wet spots will attract a cockroaches, centipedes, and earwigs. Most pests will require some form of moisture, so it’s a good idea to fix leaks and caulk any damp areas where you can.
5. Keep the garden tidy
Overhanging bushes and trees, as well as creepers and vines around the home provide the perfect highway into your house. This goes for all pests – from insects to squirrels, birds, and rodents. Keeping the bushes close to your house trimmed and making sure there is no overhanging branches is just one more step to keeping pests away.
6. Rubbish bins
While we prefer to keep rubbish bins away from the house, we still need to make sure that the area around the containers is kept as clean as we can manage. Waste areas provide great hiding places and food sources so are bound to attract critters.
Indoor bins should also be kept closed and the area sanitised regularly.
7. Regular cleaning
Those tiny indoor pests such as fleas are best managed by a regular and thorough cleaning schedule. A good vacuum of carpeted areas helps to remove all the hidden generations – just be sure to clean out the vacuum filter properly after use. Vacuuming behind sofas and other hard-to-reach places, as well as frequent cleaning of curtains and drapes, goes a long way towards getting rid of the likes of carpet moths too.
Looking Forward to Summer?
The warmer weather and gentle rains are just as exciting for pests as they are for us. However, if we’re smart and practice these simple methods of keeping pests away, then we can enjoy our space in the sun without incident.
However, if things have gotten out of hand and you need a little help getting your space pest-free then you may need to call in the pros.
Warren and his team have been battling bugs and ridding residents of rodents for years, and they know what it’s all about. Call us on 07972 189648 for advice or a quote on getting and staying pest-free.