It doesn’t matter where you reside, pests can invade your home. The worst thing about them is that they don’t come alone. They bring a lot of infections and disorders with them. Moreover, they also cause property damage and decrease its resale value. Therefore, it’s essential to keep them away from your home. From DIY approaches to seeking advice from pest control experts, you can adopt different strategies to pest-proof your home. However, many homeowners hesitate to take proactive steps due to their perceived cost. In this post, we will tell you how to pest-proof your home on a budget.
Effective Tips to Pest Proof Your Home Without Breaking the Bank
Seal Entry Points
Pests often enter your home through small cracks, gaps, and openings. These entry points may seem insignificant, but they invite insects, rodents, and other pests. You should take your time to identify and seal these points to keep pests at bay.
You have to check doors, windows, and sewerage pipes to look for damage that can lead to the entrance of pests. Once you find them, the next step is to seal them. You can use different approaches to carry this job, such as:
Caulking Cracks: This involves the use of silicone or acrylic caulk to fill in small cracks and gaps in walls and doorways. Silicone caulk is effective for areas exposed to moisture.
Foam Sealants: You can use them for larger gaps around pipes or vents. Expanding foam sealants can provide a durable and flexible barrier. Make sure the foam is pest-resistant for added effectiveness.
Mesh Screens: You can cover vents, chimneys, and larger openings with fine wire mesh. You can also use screen material to prevent larger insects from entering.
Keep Your Space Clean and clutter-free
Clutter attracts pests as it serves as a hiding spot and habitat for them. Therefore, you should declutter your space. You can use organisers to keep everything in place. For instance, large boxes can be used to keep laundry. Similarly, store bedding and other accessories separately.
Apart from removing clutter, you need to pay special attention to cleanliness as well. The kitchen is the primary target of pests in your home. Here, they can find enough food throughout the year. Therefore, you should clean your kitchen regularly.
Make sure all food containers are airtight so they don’t attract pests. Similarly, clean worktops after working to ensure no food particles are left behind. Practising all these things will keep pests at bay.
Control Moisture
Pests like cockroaches and silverfish grow rapidly in moist environments. Apart from that, wasps and flies also attract to moist places. In areas like Surrey, where moisture content is high, pests can be a challenging problem. Surrey BC pest control experts suggest controlling indoor moisture to keep pests at bay.
You should check for leaks and fix them to mitigate the risk of moisture build-up. You can also use a dehumidifier to control humidity. It is a low-cost yet super-effective approach to keep these creepy creatures away from your home.
Use Natural Repellents
It is an effective, eco-friendly, and cost-effective way to keep pests out of your home. Using them helps you avoid harsh chemicals that may pose risks to your family, pets, or the environment. Some most effective natural repellents you can use are:
Essential Oils: They are powerful natural deterrents for insects and other pests. For instance, peppermint oil can repel ants. Similarly, lavender oil keeps moths, fleas, and mosquitoes at bay.
Vinegar Solutions: White vinegar is a versatile household item that can be used as a natural pest repellent. You can use vinegar with a few drops of dish soap in a small bowl to trap flies.
Herbs and Spices: They are an affordable way to repel pests. You can use bay leaves to get rid of cockroaches and weevils. Meanwhile, cinnamon can repel ants. Its strong smell overpowers its sense of direction.
Citrus Peels: You can place peels in corners and windows to mitigate the risk of pest invasion. They are primarily helpful against spiders and other small insects.
Set Up DIY Traps and Baits
This approach will help you control rodents, especially mice. You can set up some DIY traps to keep the whole process affordable. You can use peanut butter or cheese as bait for homemade mouse traps. You can also use glue traps for insects and rodents.
Monitor and React Immediately
Regularly monitor your space to notice the presence of pests in your home. Whenever you feel they have invaded your home, react immediately to control infestation early. You can contact a reliable company, such as Total Pest Control Ltd Surrey BC to get rid of them.
Professionals will use appropriate tools to remove all pests from your home. Moreover, they destroy their colonies to ensure lasting results. Above all, they recommend different preventive measures to mitigate the risk of future infestations.
Bottom Line
Pest-proofing your home is no longer a challenge as all you need to do is to adopt the aforementioned strategies. Make sure you react immediately to the presence of pests in your home as controlling them early is more affordable.
