This spring and summer, keep your home free of insects and other pests. Don’t let a pest problem fester when you have these quick fixes on hand.
25 Tips for Preventing Pests from Entering Your Home and Yard
Are you tired of dealing with pests in your home and yard? If so, you’re not alone. Pests can be a major nuisance, and they can also cause damage to your property. Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to help keep them away. In this blog post, we’ll share some tips on how to keep pests out of your home and yard.
Seal Any and All Gaps
Be on the lookout for tiny, unsealed cracks where electrical lines and pipes enter the house when you’re inspecting for pest entry points. Caulk or expanding foam insulation can seal these pest entry points.
Fresh Herbs
Fed up with the mosquitoes spoiling your backyard barbecue? Fresh rosemary or sage thrown on the coals will repel mosquitoes. See if any of these alternative mosquito-repellent recipes works better for your outdoor space.
Repair Torn Screens
Inquisitive summertime pests can be kept at bay with the help of screens for windows, mosquito nets, and other similar barriers, but only if they are effective in keeping out the pests entirely.
Alternative Food Sources
The more compassionate among you can save your garden with a humane pest control method: just give the pests something else to eat. In order to keep animals from eating your plants, you could install bird feeders at the far end of your home. The feeders will attract almost all of the animals in your yard.
Although, this method does have some drawbacks. It works better with smaller animals because it needs a constant supply of food. Wildlife will inevitably find its way into your garden due to their insatiable curiosity and propensity for foraging.
White Vinegar to Deter Ants
By leaving a trail, ants help their fellow colony members locate food sources. The natural solution consists of two cups of water, one-fourth cup of white vinegar, and ten drops of eucalyptus or peppermint oil. You can use this to wash away pests‘ trails and rid the house of them
Maintain Weatherstripping
If the weatherstripping around your windows is worn, replacing it will stop drafts, and you should keep your windows closed (unless they have screens).
Spiders Don’t Like Onions
Even if it is just an old wives’ tale, give it a try! Cut up some onions and place them in a dish of water to deter spiders. Put the bowl near the entrances to your home to keep spiders out.
Wire Cloches for the Garden
To provide shelter for a plant, you can use a cloche, which is a bell-shaped covering. The wired versions are widely available, cheap, and simple to find. By simply placing them over your plant pots, you can prevent animals from eating your tender new leaves. If you have just one or two particularly delicate plants in your garden or pots, this is a great way to safeguard them. You can improvise crude tube cloches out of whatever chicken wire you happen to have lying around. Though, they won’t be as attractive or as simple to repurpose afterward.
Plug Holes with Copper Mesh
Discover an entry point that pests can use to invade your home. Drive a screwdriver into the opening and stuff in a lot of copper mesh, leaving about a half an inch for the expanding foam sealant. Complete the job by using foam to seal any remaining openings. As a result, permanently preventing unwanted pests from entering the home.
Remove Fruit Flies Naturally
If you have a fruit fly problem, get a small bowl and fill it with apple cider vinegar. Put a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl and make holes in it about the size of pencil leads. The vinegar smell draws in fruit flies and they can‘t leave the trap.
Baffles
You may be familiar with baffles, which are the cone- or cylinder-shaped items that can be fastened to poles to keep squirrels from climbing them and getting to bird feeders or fenced gardens. If you place your planters on or close to a post or pole, baffles will keep squirrels away from your plants.
Simple Spider Solution
The use of a humidifier to keep the basement at around 40% humidity and regular sweeping of cobwebs should be sufficient to keep spiders at bay. You should brush the basement window sills regularly to prevent spiders from coming in.
Eliminate Ant Trails
In other words, if you spot one ant, there are probably more nearby. This is due to the fact that ants communicate with one another by leaving a scented trail. Sweeping or mopping the floor won‘t remove the smell. Spray a mixture of one part vinegar to three parts water on ant-infested areas. Ants from outside your home’s perimeter that have come inside in search of food won’t be able to get inside again. Ants that find their way indoors aren’t always looking to set up shop.
If they have already made a nest inside a house, it can be difficult to eradicate. Even with the help of vinegar and water. You need to use ant bait to eradicate them.
Another Use for Coffee Grounds
There’s more value in those coffee grounds than just brewing a pot of joe. If you think pests are entering your home through any of the cracks or crevices in the exterior, try spreading used coffee grounds there. It’s been observed that many animals avoid the grounds because of the unpleasant odors.
Coffee grounds are another option for keeping pests out of your garden.
Check Your Crawl Spaces
Explore your basement and/or crawlspace with a flashlight and safety gear on. Large, obvious nests made of shredded material are a sure sign of rodent activity. Look for ant trails or cockroaches trying to find a safe haven.
Close Off Pet Food
To prevent mice from accessing pet food, keep it sealed in a metal trash can with a tight-fitting lid. You can also use sealed plastic containers.
Bananas Deter Aphids
Is your garden being overrun by aphids? Bury a banana peel in the soil near plant stems to attract beneficial insects. Not only will this keep the pests away, but it will also enrich the soil.
If you want to get rid of weeds in your garden, try the following methods.
Don’t Let Pests in Through the Dryer Vent
Make sure the damper isn’t stuck open or missing from the dryer vent. It’s also important to secure the vent to the wall to prevent pests from entering.
Trim Plants Against Your House
After killing the ants that have infested your home and yard, take precautions to prevent them from returning. If bushes, shrubs and trees brush your siding or roof, ants will have an easy path to get inside. If you want to keep ants from building nests in your siding, leave a 3-6 inch buffer zone around it.
Cornmeal Deters Ants
Have you noticed some ants? Sprinkle a small amount of cornmeal in areas where you have spotted ants. Ants love cornmeal and will transport it back to the colony even though they can’t digest it. This is a safe option for pet-owning households, even though results may take a few days.
Do You Have Bed Bugs
When people go on vacation, bed bugs can hitch rides on their clothes. After returning from someone else’s place or having overnight guests, you should check for bed bugs. Keep in mind that bedbugs aren’t limited to just sleeping surfaces.
Get Rid of Dust Mites
Essential oils can create a spray that will deter dust mites. Oils like clove, eucalyptus, lavender, and peppermint can keep mosquitoes away when combined with water and sprayed around the room. Spritz your upholstery and linens with the spray and let them dry naturally.
Check Seasonal Clothing for Pests
Do you plan to unpack seasonal bedding and clothing from storage? Before storing or wearing anything, give it a good wash and dry to eliminate any potential insect eggs.
Guard Your Chimney
Protect your home from animals and birds by making sure your chimney is properly capped and screened. They can cause structural damage and also introduce even more pests into your home.
Keep Ladybugs at Bay
You can use cloves or clove oil to repel ladybugs from heavily infested areas of your home. Ladybugs will quickly leave if they detect a strong odor. The cloves can be swept up or vacuumed.
Professional Pest Control From On Demand Pest Control
Having pest control issues is always a concern in South Florida. The only approach to ensure long-term pest control in a location with a hot and humid climate all year is to establish a preventative treatment plan.
Whether or not your home is currently infested with pests, On Demand Pest Control has the expertise and equipment to keep your family safe from future infestations. We are a devoted local firm that is ready to assist you in keeping those pesky bugs and critters out of your house or place of business.
The first step in our pet-friendly treatments is an inspection of your entire home by a trained exterminator. This is followed by the application of a preventative treatment on the outside of your property.
In addition, we provide maintenance care on a quarterly or bimonthly basis. Commercial clients, such as restaurants or HOAs, typically benefit more from monthly treatments than do residential ones.
Finally, if you want to avoid a full-blown pest infestation, calling in the experts at On Demand Pest Control is your best bet. Would you like to find out how much it would cost to have a pest treatment for your South Florida home or business? On Demand Pest Control offers free estimates, so call today!
