If you have been a homeowner for years or just a few weeks, there is a good chance that you have come face to face with a pest of one kind or another. Knowing that the Best Pest Control Company in Orillia is here to help. Continue reading to learn what to do if you find your home has been invaded by pests.
Try a do-it-yourself spray. If you can’t afford to have a professional service come out to spray your home for pest prevention, try any of the number of pest control sprays available at local hardware and box stores. Most come in easy-to-use bottles with trigger spray nozzles that allow you to spray around the foundation and windows of your home, both inside and out.
You should regularly inspect the plumbing of your home and make sure you do not leave any traces of water, for instance under the pots you use for your plants or on your kitchen counter. Humidity can lead to a fungus infestation and leaks will provide pest with the water needed to survive.
Keep your garage, basement or any other work area clean if you do projects at home. Make sure that wood scraps and dusts are regularly swept up, collected and disposed of. Termites are not very big, so they do not need big pieces of wood to come in and start munching.
Do not assume that pests are completely gone just because you have not seen any. If your exterminator wants to come back for a follow-up, you should follow their advice. There is a good chance that there is still a small population in your home that could have come from eggs, so listen to the professional and stick to the follow-up appointment.
Check to see if your windows or screens are cracked or ripped as insects can easily penetrate any inconsistencies in your infrastructure. If you see that a seal has been broken, make sure that you fix this or get it replaced immediately so that it does not become an issue in the future.
Do you have ants in your home? Eliminate them with borax and sugar. While the smell of sugar will attract them, the borax will kill them. A cup of borax and a cup of sugar will do it. Place holes in that lid, then sprinkle it along your foundation and baseboards.
Stink bugs are persistent pests, so focus on your outdoor area to help eradicate the problem. Keep your bushes trimmed and make sure that firewood is stored well away from your home. Thirty feet from the dwelling is appropriate, if you have the space. In addition, the firewood needs to be kept just off the ground (about six inches).
Be sure to close up any openings by which rodents could enter your home. This is especially important before winter, when rodents will be looking for a warm spot to take shelter. Look for cracks and holes of all sizes around the windows, vents and foundation of your home. Some small rodents need less than a quarter inch to squeeze into your home.
Make sure your home’s roof and water sills are draining properly. Standing water can lead to pests. If you’ve got puddles forming that just won’t go away, look to the root cause and fix it. Sometimes it’s as easy as cleaning out a gutter. Otherwise, you may get more unwanted visitors than you bargained for.
If you have ants, look for boric acid. Boric acid, sometimes listed as orthoboric acid, is the most effective pesticide for ants. In addition, many of the baits containing this are safe for use around pets and children, although you should always carefully read all safety labels to be sure.
Avoid using pesticides that you can purchase in a grocery store. These are usually extremely potent to humans, but do little to get rid of the pest problem. They also require a lot of preparation and clean-up. If you choose to use chemicals to rid your home of pests you will likely find more success using a professional.
Is your home being invaded by mice or rats? You need to look at your home’s exterior for small openings that animals can squeeze through. Cover these openings with scouring pads or use poison in these areas. Mustard oil or other odor-rich repellants can often be useful.
If you have children, explain to them the rules around the house for eating. Make sure that you designate only one area of the home for eating to help reduce any infestations that you may have. If all members of the house are responsible for what they do, you will have less of a pest problem.
Avoid furniture from unknown sources. Furniture, especially upholstered furniture, can harbor pests. To keep them out of your home, avoid furniture from resale shops, trading websites, or the side of the road. If you bring an infested piece of furniture into your home, it can spread to all of your own furniture as well.
If you have many mosquitoes in your yard, and possibly even infiltrating your home, try to eliminate any standing water. If there is a high population of mosquitoes on your property, they are breeding somewhere, and they can only breed in standing water. Dump anything that collects rainwater, dump kid pools and do whatever you can to eliminate breeding grounds.
Keep garbage away from your house. You obviously have to throw out your household trash every day, but make sure that you keep the cans as far from your house as you can. Don’t forget to cover the trash cans as well. Animals will smell the garbage, and try to get into the house if they can.
You now have information that you can use for the rest of your life. There will always be a chance of pests in your home, but now that you know how to get rid of them, things are going to be better. Write them down or print them out so you have them on hand for the next time you find a pest in your home.