With the warmer weather, we start to see more pesky bugs. No one wants spiders crawling around in their home or a swarm of flies buzzing around their food. Here are ten tips on how to get rid of pests this spring and summer.
Step 1: Practice prevention
The most important step in getting rid of pests is to practice prevention. This means making sure you keep your home or business as clean as possible and removing any food that’s been left out. We will go into further detail with the following steps on how to fully prevent pest infestations.
Step 2: Make your food off-limits
Pests come into your home to scavenge for food, so you need to make your food off-limits to pests. You can do this by sealing all opened food in airtight containers, placing opened food in the fridge where pest can’t go, and frequently going through your pantry to make sure everything is closed up tight. Ants in particular are a pesky spring pest that love everything sugary, so make sure to transfer your sugar from the bag it comes in to an airtight container and don’t let your kids take sugary food to their bedrooms!
Step 3: Keep your pet’s food and water away from pests
So, you’ve done a great job sealing up all food, but there’s still a trail of ants. What else could they possibly want? Well, something I see every spring is trails of ants headed straight towards dog and cat food bowls. Despite sugar being their favorite food, they will take what they can get. If this is an issue for you, then it is best to put your pet’s food away in between meals and take the food source away from the ants.
Step 4: Don’t leave out dirty dishes
If you are having pest problems, it is very important to never leave dishes out in the sink overnight or dirty dishes in the dishwasher for days on end. You’ll want to make sure all those dishes are washed and put away at night so that when the morning comes around, bugs won’t have anything to feed on.
Step 5: Clean up any spills or messes as soon as possible
Getting rid of pests begins with making sure you don’t give them a reason to come back. If you have any food or drink spills, make sure to clean them up right away.
Step 6: Keep doors and windows shut
One of the easiest ways to keep bugs out is by keeping doors and windows shut. This is especially true for when the summer rolls around and the bugs will really try to get inside. Keeping your home closed off from bugs can be a quick and easy way to get rid of them.
Step 7: Use screens to keep bugs out of your home
If you like to keep doors and windows open for the spring breeze, then it is important to have screens installed. If you want to get a little more creative, you can use wire mesh or bug guards instead of traditional screens. These are especially good if you have a door with a large window on it. There are a lot of DIY methods for screen installations out there. Otherwise, you can call a local door and window company to help you out.
Step 8: Seal any gaps where insects can enter your home
A crucial step in keeping ground breeding insects out of your home is to seal any gaps where they can enter. You should check for gaps in your door sweeps, windowpanes, exterior faucets, and any other opening around the outside of your home. Then, check around your house for any cracks or holes where water might be seeping through and create an entrance point for insects. Lastly, replace any old door sweeps and caulk around gaps along the exterior.
Step 9: Regularly clean your trash cans
Flying insects like fruit flies and houseflies are a nuisance that love trash cans. It is important to make sure everything you put in your exterior trash can is sealed in a plastic bag. If you notice after trash day that something has leaked in the bottom of your trash can, make sure to power wash it out immediately. If left uncared for it can accumulate maggots (fly larvae) and you do not want that.
Step 10: Hire a professional
If all else fails, sometimes it’s best to hire a professional. The Bug Man specializes in control of all insects and arachnids, so that we can help you with more than just one type of pest. We will complete a thorough inspection of your home to find all the places where bugs might be living and offer the right solution for your pest problem.
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