They’re called pests for a reason, but ants, spiders, roaches, silverfish, and mice can be more than pest-y.
They can wreak havoc in a home in myriad ways, so it would be a mistake to judge them by their size alone. It’s also risky to underestimate their numbers. You might consider yourself lucky that you saw only one mouse scurry across the floor as you turned on a light. But one mouse—or another household pest—almost always means that more are on the way, if they’re not hiding already. All pests propagate quickly and are equally quick at finding steady sources of food and water.
Like many homeowners, you might wish to turn to home remedies to prevent and get rid of pests. If so:
- Think of “remedies” in terms of strategies rather than concoctions you mix from a list of unusual ingredients.
- Recognize that these remedies are usually stopgap measures, at best.
- The only sure-fire way to get rid of pests is to turn to New England’s most reputable pest management company.
Consider What Pests Can Do
Besides annoy and upset you, especially if they scratch and claw late at night, household pests can:
- Infiltrate and ruin food
- Spread viruses and disease (mice can spread diseases and cockroaches can trigger allergies and intensify asthma symptoms, especially among children)
- Chew on clothing, bedding, and drapes as well as wires and electrical cords
- Gnaw at and eat through wood
- Block pipes and water lines
Create a Hostile Environment
Whether you’re dealing with pests or want to get ahead of the threat, the best tactic is to create a hostile environment for them. Remember that pests are drawn to more than shelter; they need food and water, too. Three steps should stop them in their tracks:
- Keep a tidy house by keeping your counters and floors free of food crumbs, mopping your floors at least once a week, and keeping your garbage can covered.
- Reduce clutter—and eliminate potential hiding places—by keeping stacks of paper to a minimum, recycling empty cardboard boxes, and avoiding stacking blankets and clothes in piles.
- Eliminate moisture by wiping sinks dry every night, fixing leaky faucets and “sweaty” pipes, and sealing doors and windows.
Try Your Best to Get Rid of Pests
Whether you’ve seen a pest or have found traces of one—such as droppings or webs—some proactive tactics might solve the problem:
- Focus on openings to your home, such as pipes, TV and cable wires, outlets, and vents. A determined pest needs only the tiniest of openings to secure a passageway to your home. Seal these entry points with caulk, copper mesh, foam, or hardware cloth.
- Mice are widely thought to be repelled by the smell of peppermint oil, so saturate some cotton balls with the oil and place them near doors and windows.
- Ants are thought to run in the opposite direction of garlic and paprika. Rather than dirty your carpets, try sprinkling some on paper towels and then spreading the towels where they might have the greatest effect.
Try not to despair if the pests win a few rounds in your battle. It’s a temporary situation—until you call Bain Pest Control Service. Watch the pests, not you, wave the white flag of surrender as we permanently get rid of pests in your home—and guarantee the results.