No one wants to share their living space with pests like cockroaches, mice, bugs, houseflies and others. The mere idea of bugs creeping and crawling the walls or floor is a big No for many, not to mention the health hazard that the vermin poses. However, there are times when infestations happen, and they become close to impossible to control. They say that the best way to deal with the problem is to prevent it before it becomes a crisis. There are some DIY measures you can take to avoid having to share your home with pests, and even if your home is already infested, the hacks will help you restore hygiene indoors.
Preventing pest infestations
Three main factors encourage pests to get into a place and make it their home:
1. The availability of food: when you have a lot of leftover food lying around, rodents and cockroaches will have something to feed on, which means that they will keep coming back for more. It is important to make sure that all waste food is disposed of properly and the garbage bins emptied.
2. Hiding places: Pests such as bedbugs and mice like having places where they can hide and come out at night to feed. Keep your house clean and free of clutter to prevent pests.
3. Poor hygiene: Pests are attracted to filth. When the house has overflowing garbage bins, dirty utensils, and dirty laundry, pests start getting in. Raising your hygiene standards will eliminate most of the pests.
Sometimes, when the pests have already found their way into the home, it becomes a little difficult to deal with them. The elimination methods depend on the pests you are fighting. For instance, when you have a mice infestation, your home is at risk of diseases spread through the droppings and urine. The animals also chew through electrical wires increasing the risk of electrocution, and can also damage stored clothes.
Poison bought at DIY stores can help you eliminate rats and mice, but you have to know how to look for them after the poison works because dead pests in the home can make the place unlivable due to bad odor. Bedbugs and cockroaches can be eliminated using pesticides. Alternatively, you can use heat to remove bugs by washing bedding with water that is over 60 degrees.
Getting an exterminator
One of the best pest control measures in the home is getting the services of a reliable exterminator. These are people who have been dealing with household pests for a long time, and therefore they understand the conditions that lead to infestation. They also know the best ways to eliminate the pests. You can call them in for an inspection for prevention and also help you exterminate the pests when the home has been affected. When you hire exterminators, they will know the safe methods to use for extermination without putting your family’s health and safety in jeopardy. Most will also have maintenance contracts where they come back and check whether the problem has been eliminated completely.