While there are some guests you will let into your home with open arms, such as friends and family members arriving for a dinner party, there are others you’d probably prefer to keep your distance from. For example, you likely wouldn’t be thrilled about any rodents or insects taking up residence in your kitchen or living room.
However, despite an unwilling reception, plenty of households deal with pest invasions each year. For example, a recent study found that 60% of homes in the US have cockroaches. As such, you must put plans in place now to prevent pests from entering (and staying) in your home – and here are some tips you can use to do this!
Photo by Timothy L Brock on Unsplash
Keep your home clean.
The easiest way to keep your home free from pests is to keep your space clean, tidy, and organized. This is particularly important in your kitchen, where crumbs and scraps of food can act as a magnet for pests.
After all, what is nothing but leftovers for you is an entire meal for them. This means you should stick to a tight cleaning schedule, and avoid leaving food on countertops for long periods of time.
Use natural pesticides.
There are many products available in stores that are designed to keep pests at bay, however, they often contain unnecessary amounts of harsh chemicals that could harm your own health too. As a result, if you’re going to be using pesticides, it’s better to make your own using natural ingredients.
For example, white wine vinegar is great for removing ants from your home because it destroys the chemical trail they leave behind when walking (the kind that encourages other ants to follow them).
Know when to call in pest control.
Whenever pests do find their way into your home, it’s important that you don’t wait around. If you’ve spotted one insect/bug/roach, there will likely be more, and the longer you ignore the issue, the more time you are giving them to multiply.
As a result, you must reach out to pest control as soon as you are aware of the issue. This gives you the best chances of dealing with the pests quickly, so you can enjoy your home once again.
Declutter your home.
Clutter within your home is more than just an annoyance, it can also act as a safe haven for pests. This is because it can provide them with the shelter they need to go undetected, while also creating a dark, warm environment for them to thrive in.
As a result, you should use this as an opportunity to declutter your home. Remember, there is a place for everything – so you should ensure that everything is in its place. Decluttering also gives you the chance to clean out some of your old belongings that you no longer need or use.
This could be a good money-making opportunity, as you can sell these items (if they are in good condition). You can also reduce clutter in the home by making sure you have plenty of storage options throughout the home.