We usually pay more for our homes than any other asset. Added to that is the regular cost of maintaining our properties. Things get old, need repairing or have to be replaced. There’s lots of things we have to think about, and most of them cost money to address.
Unwanted pests can be an issue too, especially when an infestation gets out of hand. It can be both inconvenient and distressing to deal with, and may even pose a threat to our health. Fortunately there are practical steps we can take to prevent infestations. We will now look at six of these together.
-
Seek Professional Help
Some pest issues can be resolved easily, especially if you act early enough. A person may simply need to clean up some food fragments or use a vacuum cleaner thoroughly.
If it is something like an ant infestation or woodworms threatening the wooden structure of a home, third party help may well be needed. In some instances the best course of action is to request a building inspection. According to the professionals at asbir.com.au/ any costs incurred could be worth it, compared to leaving it to become a bigger issue. These days, many people pay qualified professionals for a pest report before they buy or build a house. If someone is going to sell or rent a property, they may need the same service.
-
Keep Your Rooms Clean
If there are crumbs or spills on kitchen worktops or floors, they can act like magnets to rodents, cockroaches, flour moths or ants. Store all your food in airtight plastic containers rather than paper bags that can become cracked and opened.
It is understandable that a bathroom will become damp after use. Having said that, it’s important to use an extractor fan or open a window to let the steam out. Also, dry off vulnerable areas with a towel or cloth. Failure to do so can result in a cockroach infestation, for which you will need to seek Cockroach Control services to eradicate the problem.
The fridge is the best place for fruit and vegetables to be stored, especially if they have become ripe. Flies love to congregate around ripe bananas! It’s advisable to deal with grease build ups inside cookers, and on cooker hoods. Regularly empty the bins too.
-
Keep Your Rooms Dry
Bugs such as cockroaches love damp areas, and silverfish breed in these conditions.
It is understandable that a bathroom will become damp after use. Having said that, it’s important to use an extractor fan or open a window to let the steam out. Also dry off vulnerable areas with a towel or cloth.
-
Fill Up The Access Points
Slugs aren’t bony creatures – they can get in through small spaces. There’s nothing worse than finding they have entered the home at night, leaving a silver trail across the carpet. Cockroaches can get through small gaps too.
Areas to consider are faulty plumbing or roof leaks. There may be vulnerabilities in the window frames if they have become cracked. If there are gaps in between tiles, pests may be able to enter here. Use a poly-filler or regrout the tiles. Search the home for gaps by pipes and wires. Also check vents and other openings within the home.
-
Religiously Maintain Your Pets
A flea collar on a cat will keep bugs at bay. There are also pipettes that can apply liquid to the back of a cat’s neck (where it can’t lick it off). This may eliminate fleas for between one and three months. If something goes wrong and the cat has flea issues, there are sprays that can be used on their bodies, or tablets they can swallow. Shops also offer sprays to remove fleas from carpets, furniture and rooms.
Pet birds need special maintenance, and dogs need regular brushing routines. Pet bedding should be washed every fortnight, and rooms should regularly be thoroughly vacuumed. This includes the edges of carpets where pests may hide.
Cats and dogs can sometimes have problems with ticks. If this occurs, the entire body will need to be removed from the animal. Seek veterinary help if required.
-
Check For Bed Bugs
If someone goes on holiday, they could be present in the bed – whether it’s in a hostel or five star hotel. People can potentially bring them home if they get into their cases or on their clothes.
It’s important to check for tiny dots of blood on your bed sheets, as they are a tell tale sign. Also look at the base boards and bedroom furniture. Vacuum cleaners can be effective here, providing they have powerful enough suction.
As we have learned, there are different strategies for different pests. Prevention is better than cure, but if a problem arises, deal with it swiftly and ask for professional help where needed.
