Pests can be a huge problem for homeowners. Whether inside or outside the house, they can take over our lives and make things much harder for us than it needs to be. Critters such as flies and mosquitoes, ticks, mice, wasps and termites can burrow their way into our gardens and homes and cause everyone discomfort as well as harm in some cases.
Today we wanted to talk about the simple things you can do in the house and garden to keep critters at bay and keep your family safe and happy. Before calling Pest Control, try these steps and hopefully it will fix the issue for you.
Clean the Gutters
The first job you need to ensure you carry out is cleaning the gutters. Your gutters are there to divert water away from the brickwork of your house, however, if you do not keep them clean they will become blocked by leaves and debris and instead form small pools of water. The issue with pools of water in your gutters is what they attract, with mosquitos often using this moist environment to lay their eggs. If you want to avoid these little biters in your garden in the summer, clean out the gutters!
Cover Your Food
If you don’t want to end up with an infestation of tiny mites or flies, you need to seal every food item you have WELL. Even the smallest gap can attract mites and these little creatures can multiply in the blink of an eye until your whole kitchen is covered. Invest in some airtight jars and containers for things such as flour, oats, and cereal and this will keep your dry goods safe from bugs.
Seal Up Holes
One sure fire way to stop pests being able to enter your home is to seal up any possible holes. If you have small gaps in your plaster walls or between floorboards you need to consider sealing these up to prevent annoying pests from getting to you. It will make a massive difference and it will ensure that you don’t have a house overrun with small animals like ants.
Keep Wood Away
If you have a traditional log fire in your house and you love to light it up during the evenings, make sure not to store the wood right next to the house. Wood is the favourite spot for many small critters and by storing a pile of wood next to the house you will encourage animals and insects to come and make their nest.
Hang Up Herbs
Wasps are perhaps one of the more dangerous household pests you can encounter and if they decide to nest in your walls or roof it is hard to get rid of them without getting stung. However, a great way to deter wasps from making a home with you is to hang up small bouquets of herbs outside your windows and in spots you think they might go. Wasps cannot stand the strong scent of herbs such as rosemary and basil and they won’t want to build a nest near them. You’ll keep them away as well as make the outside of your house smell great!