Summer is the season for backyard barbecues, baseball, and bonfires. But it’s also the season for bugs trying to get into your house! This year has been a record year for mosquitos in the lower mainland so we’ve been keeping screens and doors closed. In the past, I’ve deal with ants marching into my kitchen looking for food (and even finding the honey bottle on the top shelf!). Whatever the bug, it’s annoying!
Keep pests out of your house this summer by following these helpful tips!
Seal Doors and Windows
Poorly sealed doors and windows can provide an entryway for many pests. An infestation can be a severe problem in older houses, especially ones that feature warped doors and cracks, so make sure you seal up your home tight!
Our condo was a ground-level unit on a cement pad. It was built fifty years ago, so over that time, the cement had cracked, literally giving the ants a highway into our home. They’d appear in the middle of the kitchen or the living room via these cracks. When we replaced the flooring in the condo, we also worked hard to seal all those cracks in the flooring. It made a huge difference with the ant problem the following summer.
Ensure that the screens on your doors and windows are intact and effective. If not, it might be a sign to replace your windows and doors with new seals. This will keep out pests and help with your monthly heating and cooling costs.
Pro-Tip: Use screen sizes of at least 200 holes per square inch to ensure that pests and bugs can’t enter.
Clean Out the Attic
Many attics are breeding grounds for pests since they’re dark, messy, and warm in the summer. If it’s been a while since you last decluttered your storage, now’s a great time to clean your attic.
Go through your attic and clean away anything that might attract pests while looking for cracks or openings where they could enter. Cleaning and sealing up the attic is one of the best strategies for keeping pests out of your house this summer.
Dispose of Trash Properly
We’re all aware that waste attracts bugs, so it’s vital to dispose of your trash quickly and correctly. Disposing of trash adequately also means ensuring the lids on your trash cans are tight to prevent infestation.
It’s also essential to keep the outdoors of your home clean and waste-free. Keep your yard, deck, and patio clean and free of leaves, grass clippings, and standing water—all of which attract pests. Windmill City residents are often advised by their pest control services in Batavia, IL to keep their yards well maintained to prevent pests from entering the house. For instance, by trimming bushes and trees away from the house so that branches don’t touch the walls or roof (which pests could use as an entryway).
Pro-Tip: Rinse and clean your trash cans every couple of weeks to keep bugs from congregating and spreading within.
Store Dry Food in Containers
Many homeowners hate to go into the pantry to grab a snack only to find bugs covering their boxes of crackers or cereal. It can happen to practically any home, but you can take measures to prevent and avoid infestation by utilizing dry food containers.
Placing your cereal, crackers, and other dry goods into sealable, protected containers will ensure that bugs can’t get at them, and the scent of the food won’t attract them.
Utilize Natural Repellants
You can always use bug repellant, but natural alternatives can be just as effective, if not more so. Some plants produce fragrances and oils that deter pests. Plant these around your home to help keep the bugs away.
Some plants that act as natural repellants include:
- Lemongrass
- Mint
- Rosemary
- Geraniums
I also used essential oils to help deter pests. For example, peppermint essential oil deters spiders. If the ants are getting into your home, you need to cover up their scent trail to prevent them from continuing to come. Essential oils are great at doing this—simply spray a mix of water and essential oils along the path the ants took to get into your home.
No Responses Yet