Cockroaches
Cockroaches are downright dirty and incredibly difficult to get rid of. German, Oriental, and American cockroaches will spread bacteria and cause damage to your home.
These tips can help prevent a cockroach infestation:
- Ensure that all windows and doors have weather-stripping.
- Clean and vacuum your home on a regular basis.
- Make sure that your basement stays as dry as possible.
- Check all deliveries before bringing packages into your home.
- Occasionally take a look around the exterior of your home for signs of cockroaches.
Mosquitoes
Nobody wants to be slapping mosquitoes all summer while they are trying to spend time outside. Along with the itchy bumps, they can also transmit diseases, so you definitely want to keep mosquitoes away from your home.
Here are some tips to keep mosquitoes away:
- Keep furniture and buckets stored in a way that they won’t collect water.
- Fill in holes that could hold standing water.
- Keep your lawn cut short.
- Clean up any brush, debris, or stumps that are on your property.
Ants
Ants are small and can fit through incredibly tiny openings to get into your house…and they almost always bring a few thousand friends along with them. The most common ants are sugar ants, Argentine ants, and painful fire ants.
Use these tips to keep your kitchen free of ants:
- Clean out empty cans before throwing them in the trash or recycling.
- Make sure any entry points like doors and windows have weather-stripping.
- Don’t allow branches and vegetation to grow too close to your house.
spiders
Spiders rarely do more harm than giving us a scare, but they are still not something that we want in our homes. Long-bodied cellar spiders and American house spiders are generally harmless, but a brown recluse or black widow will be venomous and can pose a threat to people and pets.
These tips will help avoid having spiders in the house:
- Remove spider webs as soon as you see them.
- Make sure to use screens in windows and doors that are left open.
- Regularly check your weather-stripping and screens to keep them in good condition.
- Move rock piles, branches, and other debris away from your house.
Bed Bugs
“Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite” may be a cute phrase but it carries a lot of truth—you definitely don’t want any bites from bed bugs. The itchy bite marks can become infected if scratched too much. Bed bugs can also spread throughout your home.
Follow these tips to sleep peacefully, without any bed bug bites:
- Clean, vacuum, and wash your sheets on a regular basis.
- Wash your clothes when you come home from a vacation.
- Wash new clothes as soon as possible.
- Try not to buy pre-owned furniture or beds.
Rodents
Rodents are not only dirty but can also be destructive. Roof rats, Norway rats, and house mice will reproduce very quickly and spread disease, ruin food, and chew through wires and clothes.
Here are some tips to prevent an infestation of rodents:
- Don’t leave windows and doors open.
- Clean, sweep, and vacuum your home often.
- Don’t allow trash to pile up.
- Don’t leave open food containers out.
Wasps/Hornets
Hornets and wasps deliver an incredibly painful sting that could even be deadly for someone who is allergic to them. It is very important to keep these pests away from your home. If you find a nest you should immediately contact a specialist to remove it and take measures to prevent them from returning.
Ticks
Ticks are sneaky and can carry life-changing diseases that affect people and pets. Keeping them away from your home is the best way to prevent a tick bite.
These tips will help keep ticks away from your home and family:
- Check for ticks on yourself, your kids, and pets after being outside.
- Mow your grass often to keep it short.
- Use tick prevention methods for pets.
- Clean up brush and vegetation outside and clean and vacuum inside.
Termites and carpenter ants
Termites and carpenter ants can wreak havoc on your home. Each year there is billions of dollars-worth of damage caused by these pests.
If you see any signs of an infestation, contact a specialist right away to stop any damage as early as possible.
