If you’re living in an old home or moving into one, one of your concerns might be house pests. They range from harmless insects to disease-causing or appliance damage-causing critters. These pests share a common trait: they’re all disgusting. As such, you should eliminate them before they do any harm or give your guests a rude welcome. Here are ways to get rid of pests and keep them away for good.
Mice
Don’t let the hit Disney animated film Ratatouille fool you. These critters are not in your home to help you create a delicious five-course meal. They’re there to eat it unannounced. Signs of a rat infestation include small droppings in shaded areas like behind your stove or your basement, gnawed food packages, and squeaking and scurrying at night.
Prevent rat infestations by inspecting your home for any gaps. These pests can wiggle through damaged drains rotting holes in rotted walls, and more. Seal these gaps the best way you can. Rats are masters at hiding until no one’s around, too. Leave them with little to no place to conceal themselves by decluttering your home. If you’re too busy to do this over the weekend, hire a home-cleaning service to help you out. And if your home is already riddled with mice, you have no choice but to call an exterminator to get rid of these pests as humanely as possible.
Cockroaches
It seems like there’s no escaping cockroaches. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, over 63% of homes in the U.S. have cockroach allergens. Even if you haven’t seen one lurking in your home. Chances are, they’ve been there.
Apart from the visible sign of a roach scurrying about in your home, there are many ways to spot a possible cockroach infestation. Not only do they drop their feces, but they also leave eggs. These are characterized as bean-shaped, purple, or white pods.
Prevent roaches from getting into your home by patching up any cracks around your home’s premises and covering any holes in your vents and pipes. Check your grocery and mall items as well to ensure you’re not carrying these little buggers and their eggs home.
If they’re already in your home, store-bought traps from your local grocery store should do the trick. Just set them up, and roaches will come crawling (and dying) inside of them. These traps can fill up over time, so make sure to replace them with new ones regularly. Make sure to look for roach eggs in hidden parts of your home as well and dispose of them as soon as possible.
Ticks
If you have fur babies, one of your biggest pest worries would have to be ticked. Their bites can carry dangerous diseases like Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Prevent them from infesting your home by giving your anti-tick medicine. It’s best to get a vet prescription for this to find the best brand for your pet. Apply them to your fur baby according to the prescription.
Another way to keep ticks away is to keep your lawn clean. Get rid of excess leaves and debris. Mow your lawn to around two inches of grass height. Mulch your trees and shrubs. This way, ticks don’t have anywhere to hide around your outdoor space and make their way indoors.
If your pet already has ticks, you can remove them yourself. Grab a small jar, and fill it with rubbing alcohol. Comb your pet’s hair to find the ticks. Remove the ticks by using tweezers. Pull them out slowly and submerge them in the alcohol to kill them. Rinse and repeat. Once done, give your fur baby a bath to clean the tick bites. Send the ones you caught to the vet to see if they might have transmitted any diseases to you or your pet.
Household pests are a pain to deal with, especially if they’re as elusive as these three. As with all things horrible in life, prevention is always better than the cure. Make sure they don’t have a chance of getting into your home. On the off chance that these pests do enter your house, these suggestions will help you get rid of them before they create an infestation.