Regardless of your diligence when it comes to keeping your home and yard clean, there is a good chance you still find some bugs within your house. A recent survey done by the National Pest Management Association revealed that about 37% of Americans had spotted a rodent in their house in the past 12 months. While it might seem weird that rats and mice will invade your living space, there are some measures you can take to keep them out.
Before you contact a local pest control expert, it is recommended to eliminate stuff that could be bringing pests in your home. Start with the following:
- Poorly-maintained drains
Dirty, clogged drains are perfect breeding areas for flies and could be attracting different types of filthy pests into your home. According to a report released by Terminix, flies feed and breed in slow-moving or clogged drains. They also serve as shelter and provide moisture. All these are the essentials for a pests’ survival.
- Stacks of firewood
Having firewood isn’t bad. But if you don’t keep your firewood outside of your house, there’s a good chance these splintery stacks are attracting and harboring creepy crawlers right into your living space. Experts recommend keeping these pieces of wood away from your house. If you choose to keep them in your yard, be sure the entire area is dry and less attractive to pests.
- Clutter in your basement and the attic
As the old adage goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. This is exactly the case when it comes to pest infestations. It is your perpetual trash and clutter that becomes treasure troves for cockroaches, rodents, and other types of pests. One effective way of keeping these creatures away is by a regular attic cleaning and keeping the basement free of trash.. This limits hiding spaces for insects. After all, you don’t want pests getting into your heirlooms.
- Stashed items to be recycled
The importance of recycling cannot be underestimated. However, cockroaches and flies love settling in the sticky ooze that tends to accumulate at the bottom of all recycling bins. An effective way to prevent these creepy crawlies from find their way into these bins is to keep the entire area clean. It’s also recommended to acquire bins with covers as this adds a layer of protection from insects and rodents.
- Piles of paper
Those stacks of old newspapers and other neglected papers could be a breeding ground for pests. Sort out the paperwork, and if there are important documents, consider filing them or keeping them in cabinets. The rest of the useless papers, old books, and letters should be disposed of. Experts believe that there are countless types of pests that feed on cellulose. Cockroaches and silverfish are perfect examples of such pests.
You must have noticed that some of the things you’re keeping in your home could be attracting pests. Getting rid of these items and exercising cleanliness could go a long way in making sure that your house is free from pests.