When someone mentions pest control, it usually means that either someone's home or garden is infested with unwanted insects or animals that needs to be eliminated. Nobody likes pests or what they do to our homes or gardens, but they’re actually very common. If you think your home has an infestation, here are some tips you can do to drive them out, get rid of them, and prevent your home from being infested again.
Common Pests
Some of the more common pests that invade someone’s home are ants, fleas, bed bugs, cockroaches, and termites. It’s not difficult to know if you’ve got a pest infestation in your home. There are signs that can tell you if you have any unwanted "guests". These are:
- Hearing any scratching noises in the walls, floors, and ceiling;
- Seeing holes on the walls and the floor, and gnawed on sheets, boxes, paper, and wiring;
- Holes can also be seen on wooden furniture and floors;
- And insect wings that have been shed.
What to do?
If you think you have an infestation, call your local pest control service to assess the condition of your home. You must also remember that you should also take some steps to make sure that these pests won’t come back. Here is what you should do.
For bed bugs and fleas
You should wash all of your bed sheets, blankets, comforters, pillow cases, towels, curtains, carpets, or any cloth and furniture that you think they can nest in. Vacuum clean everything, and continue to vacuum after the infestation has been treated at least once every few days or weeks. If your pets have fleas, take them to the veterinarian or the groomers at once and have them treated. To avoid catching them again, use anti-flea shampoos when bathing your pets and comb them and drop the fleas into a cup of soapy water.
For rats and mice
More often than not, you’ll hear the rats and mice first before you see them. They come out during the night and hide during the day. You’ll know you have them when you see their droppings and when you see your belongings gnawed on. The best way to get rid of them is to call an expert or a local pest control service. You can also plug up holes where you think they’re going through or set up rat traps. Fly traps can also catch smaller mice.
For termites
Termites have a nest, so it’s important that you locate it. The best way to get rid of them is to call a pest control service. Usually their nests are underground and the experts will have to use chemicals to drive them out and kill them.
The best way to prevent any kind of infestation from invading your home is to clean. Clean your house out thoroughly on the weekends and vacuum regularly. Taking your trash out makes all the difference too, since nothing will live in it. Your pets should also be always groomed. Your bedding and curtains should be washed and replaced every month, and clean your carpets. And of course, seal off any cracks and holes in your house since this can serve as entry points for pests.
Just follow these tips and you’ll be able to prevent any future problems and infestations.
About the Author:
Jeric is a freelance writer that features food, lifestyle, travel, DIY subjects, and nature. He is an adventurer, taking on the world and everything it has to offer, may it be the good and the bad. He also has a weird love for reggae and sharks.
