How To Prevent Unwanted Pests from Getting Into Your House

Throughout the year, you may find yourself the host to a few unwanted guests. Not only may these intruders be a complete nuisance, but they may disgust you and take away the good feelings you have about your home. By taking these simple precautions, you’re home can remain a pest-free abode.

1. Sealing Doors, Windows and Other Access Points

Pests such as ants and flies usually make their way into homes through cracks around windows, doors and plumbing pipes. Locating these access points by looking for cracks in the caulk and sealant around these popular entry sites may give you a clue as to how the unwanted guests are making their way indoors.

To keep these pests from entering, stripping the old caulk from your windows and doors and resealing the joints should limit any access that the insects have to your home.

2. Be Careful with Food

Most pests are motivated to get into your home by the smell of food. One of the easiest ways to remove the temptation is to store food properly in sealed containers. Placing baking items such as sugar, flour and other popular insect attractants in resealable containers will keep the pests out and your fresh. After any use, making sure that cans and jars are wiped down and clean before being put back into the pantry or refrigerator will also reduce any activities from pests.

Overly ripe fresh fruits and vegetables act like a calling card for pests. By purchasing only what the household can consume within a few days and ridding the kitchen of any produce that has gone bad immediately will keep your kitchen insect free.

3. Check for Hitchhikers

Just like most people, certain pests often enjoy a change of scenery. If you visit a hotel room or home that has a bedbug infestation, you may find your very own bedbug joyriding on packed clothing and in your suitcases. To be safe, it is best to immediately wash any clothing in hot water and inspect suitcases for any signs of bugs and eggs.

Cardboard boxes, paper grocery bags or other containers that once stored food brought in from outside may contain cockroaches or their eggs. Since roaches are nocturnal, you may not notice your new guests until after the lights have been turned off. It is best if these containers are not brought indoors at all or are inspected for signs of roaches and their eggs before entering your home.

4. Call an Exterminator

There are many commercial products available for killing any pests that make their way into your home. However, your local pest control in Oakland will not only be able to best assist you in ridding your home of any current unwanted house guests, but will know how to keep them from ever stepping foot into your domain. The removalist Point Cook may come in handy if you need to shift or clean your home.