You’ve tried everything you can think of to keep the insects, mice, and pests out of your home. When you noticed their presence, you cleaned the house from top to bottom, sprayed the perimeter of your home, and even set a few traps to catch those that might be lingering. Yet, every time you turn around, there’s evidence that these unwanted visitors are still in your living space.

You know it’s unhealthy and uncomfortable to have pests in your house, but getting them out is a pain in the neck. Hiring a pest control expert like Saela is a great way to get pests out of the house. However, there are preventative measures you need to take to keep them out. The question is, what are you doing wrong? Below are a few possible answers. 

Too Much Clutter

When you think of cleaning your house to get rid of pests, you think about getting rid of food, garbage, and debris. While these are great starting points, it’s often not enough to keep these tiny intruders at bay. Insects and mice take shelter in the junk. So, if you have a lot of boxes, paper, old clothing, and other items stored in your home, these serve as places for pests to hide.

Get rid of the clutter in your home. Go from room to room, eliminating things that you don’t need. Pay close attention to items in boxes or low-traffic areas of the house, as this is where pests are likely to take shelter. Discard anything useless and either donate or sell the rest of these belongings. If you live in a smaller residence, you may want to consider putting some things in storage.

Cracks and Holes

Mice and insects don’t need much space to gain access to a home or apartment. They can enter through the tiniest holes and cracks. So, when you try things like placing traps, spraying, and even using insect bombs, they will leave temporarily but quickly return. If you want them out of your living space for good, you must seal up their entry points.

Complete a whole-house assessment to discover any cracks and holes. Use caulk or other sealing agents to block these access points. If the problem persists, you may need to hire a professional like a pest control contractor. They’re trained to identify entry points that you may have overlooked.

Water leaks are not something that you can ignore, as they can lead to severe damage to your home. A wall crack or small water leak can cause several issues like foundation cracks, mold in the wall, and musty odor. And worst of all – water damage could cause pest problems.

Attics, Basements, and Crawl Spaces

Believe it or not, bugs and mice don’t want to come in contact with you just as much as you don’t want to see them. They prefer to operate when there’s minimal activity and reside in spaces where you are less likely to visit. That means your attic, basement, or crawl space are vulnerable places in the home.

If you check these areas, you’re likely to find significant evidence of pests like feces, damaged electrical wiring, and even nests in the insulation. As cleaning these areas is risky for your health, it’s best to hire a professional to complete basement, crawl space, or attic clean out services for you. They will not only get rid of debris, feces, and eggs but can assess the area to determine whether there’s a need for electrical, HVAC, plumbing, foundation, or roofing repairs.

Landscaping

An unkempt lawn can easily attract pests to your home. High grass, giant puddles of water, crops from gardens, and other lures cause bugs and mice to your property. Trees and shrubs that aren’t maintained can also make it easy for them to enter the home through second-story windows and entry points.

Maintaining a clean front and backyard is essential to keep the pests away. Ensure that you regularly cut the grass, trim the trees, clean up garbage, and harvest crops to minimize their attraction. If yard work isn’t your cup of tea, hire a landscaping company to take care of these tasks for you on a bi-weekly or monthly basis

No one wants to live with pests, but unfortunately, it happens all the time. If you’ve tried basic practices like cleaning your house, using defensive sprays, and laying traps with little to no results, it’s time to consider other approaches. Try removing clutter, filling cracks and holes, cleaning your attic, basement, crawl spaces, and maintaining your front and back lawn. If that doesn’t work, contact a pest control expert to assist you in resolving the matter more efficiently.

partnered post • cc-licensed image by Rennett Stowe