It might seem like a clean home would minimize the likelihood of running into unwanted creatures. However, these invaders can appear in our homes regardless. According to the pest extermination experts at www.malumltd.co.uk in Hampshire, pests are more than a nuisance—they can spread disease, damage property, and even start fires by chewing through electrical wires.
Luckily, there is a solution for these uninvited guests. If your home has been invaded by pests, here are five easy steps to get rid of these critters—and to prevent them from infesting your home again.
Step 1: Know the Problem at Hand
The first step to getting rid of unwanted creatures is to figure out what problem you are dealing with. The most common pests to frequent people’s homes are:
- Wasps
- Bees
- Moles
- Squirrels
- Mice
- Rats
- Birds
- Bed Bugs
- Fleas
- Ants
- Cockroaches
- Termites
The solution you’ll need for a pest-free home will depend on what creatures are coming in. Species is important, too – for example, fire ants require different extermination methods than carpenter ants.
Step 2: Develop an Action Plan
For every intruder, there are a preventative measure and solutions. Once you have identified the critter, your next step is to develop an action plan.
- Ants and Cockroaches: For insects like ants and cockroaches, you will want to check your baseboards, doorways, and other small areas where they may be getting in. These are the areas you’ll want to treat.
- Bedbugs and Fleas: For bedbugs and fleas, your first step is to clean every imaginable item, especially in areas that have been affected. This includes washing sheets, clothes, curtains, furniture if you can, as well as rugs, carpets, and more. If you have pets, you’ll need to take them to the wash, too. As everything is being washed, make sure to vacuum and steam cleaning all floors and then treat the affected areas with industry-grade insecticides.
- Squirrels, Rats, Mice, Birds, and Moles: For larger critters, you can also figure out where they’re getting in and then lay traps. You should also figure out where these critters are getting in. Smaller rodents like mice as well as rats will most likely get in through the baseboards, holes in the walls, or your basement. Squirrels and birds are more likely to end up in your attic. These can be harder to catch on your own, even with a trap, so it might be best to call in the professionals.
- Bees and Wasps: For invaders like bees and wasps, you can buy sprays over the counter. However, beware of their nests—these creatures can become furious and aggressive when they realize their home is under attack. If the infestation is too severe, you are better off calling a professional.
Step 3: Damage Control
Setting up traps and laying down poisonous substances is only part of the problem. Your next step is damage control. You want to secure your home to prevent the creatures from coming in again. That means repairing any holes in baseboards or roofs, sealing cracks in walls or around windowsills, and stopping up any gaps under doors.
Step 4: Get Cleaning
As mentioned earlier, pests aren’t just gross and unwanted in your home—they can carry diseases as well. As such, once you have sorted out the actual infestation itself, it’s time to get cleaning.
You want to make sure that you thoroughly clean all areas where residents of the home frequent often. A full and deep clean is the only way to eradicate these pests from your property. As such, don’t forget about lofts, attics, sheds, garages, and other areas that are less likely to be cleaned and therefore more inviting to pests.
Step 5: Plan for Prevention
The key to lasting prevention is consistency. If you don’t want unwanted guests in your home, stick to a plan. When it comes to home treatments, maintaining an impenetrable barrier in troubled areas is the key to avoiding infestations.
There are a few everyday tasks that aid in pest aversion. The most notable and simple of these tips includes keeping your kitchen clean, making quarterly checks of your home, and maintaining a regulated inspection schedule.
The Takeaway
With these five easy steps, pests will be a problem of the past. No matter where you live or what kind of home you have, unwanted invaders are an entirely avoidable issue when you know where to start.