How to Protect Your Home Against Unwanted Intruders
Your home is your haven. So, you understandably don’t want any uninvited guests rolling up and making themselves at home – especially without you knowing. That’s right, we’re talking about all kinds of little critters. From bugs and insects to birds and animals, your home shouldn’t be under constant attack from mother nature. When it comes to wildlife, there’s a fine line to balance. You want a home that attracts butterflies and bumble bees, but you don’t want to be avoiding wasp nests or putting up with raccoons in your garbage cans every day. So, what can you do to avoid any issues? How can you keep your property safe?
Keep it clean
This should go without saying, but having lots of leftover food and scraps on plates lying around is the quickest way to attract nasty insects and bugs, not to mention certain birds and animals. Tidy up food leftovers as soon as you’re finished with it all, ensuring that any fresh food or food that isn’t packaged is kept in air-tight, sealed containers. Try to keep food in cupboards off the floor, and make sure your fridge and freezer both close tightly and securely.
Pay attention to the state of the rest of your home too. Invest in a powerful vacuum cleaner, and go around the house at least once a week, ensuring you get into every nook and cranny. You should try to deep clean your curtains and couch coverings every few months too.
Stay hygienic
Not only should you keep your home clean, but make sure it’s hygienic. Wipe surfaces with antibacterial spray or wipes every time you use them, to stop insects like ants getting hold a of a smell. Use disinfectant when you clean, paying attention to using it on the floor as well. A sticky floor covered in crumbs is perfect for getting the attention of ants and rats.
Likewise, keep your trash covered up. Empty indoor bins regularly, and make sure they have an air-tight lid, to stop any stray smells or food getting out. With your garbage cans outside, keep them away from your home, and with animal-proof lids on top, so you don’t need to clear up any raccoon-caused destruction.
Seal up any gaps
If you’ve got any gaps or cracks in your walls, floorboards or around your windows, you need to get them covered up. They’re the perfect open invitation to bugs, so blocking these cracks is vital to having a pest-free home. You should act fast when you see any gaps in your walls or windows, and find suitable filler to seal them up. It might be worth putting down bug poison when you do, in case any had already found their way in. Check around the outside walls of your property too, just in case any small holes have appeared on the outside.
Invest in good net curtains
During the hot summer months, you don’t want to be forced into keeping your windows closed, so you should invest in tough net curtains. This way, you can keep the windows open, without worrying about any insects getting in. It’s perfect for giving you a cool breeze, without the threat of getting bitten all night. Choose nets specifically designed to keep bugs out, and make sure you measure your windows exactly, so you don’t end up with badly fitted curtains that don’t keep the insects out. Plus, not only are net curtains perfect for keeping bugs out, but they’ll give you much higher privacy levels, if you live in a built-up area.
Put up fly screens
Likewise, if you don’t already have fly screens or doors up, invest in some. This way, you can come and go and keep the doors open, without worrying about any small intruders getting in. They aren’t hard to find or install, and they’ll make a big difference when you’re desperate for a cool breeze in the summer. Plus, like net curtains, they give you slightly more privacy too – especially if you have glass doors.
Get on top of any infestations fast
If you do suspect some sort of infestation, whether it’s ants, wasps or raccoons, get in touch with a local pest removal company as fast as you can. The quicker you can deal with the problem, the less of an issue it’s going to be. Depending on where you are in the country, try to find a local service, such as Go-Forth Pest Control of Charlotte. By doing this, you’ll be more likely to be seen quicker, and they’ll understand the local wildlife and environment.
Fix your fencing
If you live in a rural area, you probably encounter a few issues with deer. As beautiful and graceful as they are, they can bring a number of diseases with them, not to mention harmful ticks that can make your pets unwell. To deter them from getting onto your property, put up solid, stable fencing. Deer are good at getting weak fencing down, so you need to a proper job and invest in decent post and rail fences.
Treat your pets
Your pets are one of the biggest sources of pest infestations: just one flea incident with your pet can result in months of washing, vacuuming and cleaning. Finding fleas on your pets isn’t just hard work for you, but it’s horrible for them too. Stay on top of this by regularly de-fleaing your pets, and applying monthly preventative medication.
Likewise, check your pets when they come in from a long walk or after they’ve been exploring the undergrowth, as you never know what they might have picked up along the way!
Check for any leaks or standing water
Insects love standing water: it’s why you get so many more mosquito bites when you’re out near lakes, rivers or bogs. So, if you’re worried about a leak, get on top of it as fast as you can. If you leave it too long, you’ll be creating a perfect bug-friendly environment.
Keep your garden under control
To attract wildlife, you need some semblance of wild in your back yard – but it’s vital that not all of it is out of control. Leave a section for wild flowers, butterflies and bumble bees, but make sure that the greenery near your home is pushed back and controlled. You don’t want to encourage anything too close to your home!
