Spring Clean the Pests Away!

As the gloom of winter fades many people begin to plan for their annual spring cleaning

marathon. Spring cleaning has many benefits such as decreasing stress, reducing clutter and  improving your overall mental and physical health. Additionally, a spring clean is the best time to check for signs of pests in your home and take preventative measures to ensure your home is not attracting any unwanted guests.

How to Prevent Pests in your Home

While you are spring cleaning, it is important to make sure your home is as attractive to pests as possible. Here are a few steps to add to your cleaning routine that will help keep pests out of your home:

• Thoroughly Clean Areas Where Pests are Common.

Kitchens can be one of the most attractive areas in your home for pests due to the availability of food and warm hiding spaces. When spring cleaning your kitchen it is important to clean areas where crumbs or spills are common. Clean under large appliances like your refrigerator and oven. Food often gets stuck in these hard to clean areas making it an ideal place for pests.

Spring is also the perfect time to clean out your cabinets and throw away expired or unwanted food. Pests such as rodents, cockroaches and ants are known to invade cluttered cabinets and get into food. Ensure open food products are stored in airtight containers and keep an eye out for any holes or cracks where pests could enter when organizing and cleaning the inside of your cabinets.

Bathrooms are another area where pests are common. They are often attracted to easily available sources of water and are able to enter your home through drains or windows. While cleaning window sills and cabinets, check for holes around your windows and leaking pipes or faucets. Some pests will enter through drain pipes, pouring bleach down your drain will help deter any pests from entering.

• Reduce Clutter

Many pests such as spiders, rodents or ants will use clutter as a place to hide or build their nests. Other pests, like cockroaches, are known to eat paper and other materials that often make up clutter around your home. Reducing clutter within your home not only makes your house look cleaner and decreases stress but it will also make your home less hospitable to a variety of pests. 

In addition to reducing clutter within your home, also clean any clutter around the outside of your home. Some pests will be attracted to piles of leaves or other piles of organic matter you may have in your yard. Other pests, like mosquitos, are attracted to standing water that can form in places like buckets, tarps and kids toys. Emptying and tidying any areas with standing water will help keep mosquitoes from swarming your yard in the summer.

• Inspect the Exterior of Your Home

Pests often enter a home through even the smallest holes or cracks in the exterior therefore it is important to examine your foundation and walls for any possible entrance points before vegetation begins to grow in the spring and possibly hide any defects. If you find any holes or cracks, make sure to seal them with caulk or sealant.

During the fall and winter gutters can easily be clogged with leaves and organic matter. This debris can cause standing water which is a perfect breeding ground for pests like mosquitos and easy water sources for many other pests. Cleaning your gutters in spring will not only ensure they are effectively collecting water from your roof but also will keep pests away.

Call a Professional Pest Control Service

Spring is the best time of the year to do preventative pest maintenance to ensure pests do not become a larger problem in the spring or summer. If you are concerned about pests in your home, our team can help keep you cleaner and free of springtime bugs and rodents. With our help, we can create a plan to keep your home pest free all year long!