How to Keep Your Home Pest- Free

Summer days are often spent on the water, enjoying warm
weather, barbeques, and sunsets. While summertime does bring sunny days filled
with opportunities to make memories, it can also bring some less-than-desirable
house guests. Continue reading to learn more about keeping your home pest-free this season!

Ants

You might be wondering why we notice ants entering our homes
in the summer and not in the winter. Ants are inactive during
the cold
months, so they spend the entire spring and summer preparing for the
next hard winter. Therefore, they are constantly in search of food, which is
the reason they find their way into your home.

Ants are extremely small creatures, which means it may be hard
to pinpoint the exact spot from where they are entering. If you do happen to notice
a small opening or area where there are many ants present, it’s best to seal
off this point of entry. The most helpful tip to keep ants away from your house
is to keep counters, sinks, and floors as clean as possible and free of any
crumbs or water. Some people believe that coffee
grounds or cinnamon powder around corners and edges of floors/walls
helps to keep ants away. If you are starting to see a persistent issue with
ants, it might be time to purchase ant traps. Be sure to keep these traps in
areas that are not accessible to your children or your pets as most ant traps contain
toxins that can be harmful to our health.

Rodents

It is a common myth that rodents only attempt to enter your
house during the winter months to stay warm: however they are just
as likely to break in during warmer months. During the summer, they aren’t
looking for warmth or shelter, rather food and water.  Mice will also be attracted to any bits of
food that might be laying around the home, so it’s important to keep your
counters and floors as crumb-free as possible. You might also consider putting
food from your cabinets in air-tight containers.

Be sure to install door
sweeps on all exterior doors and to repair any
damaged window screens or glass. Mice will force themselves through the tiniest
hole if it means finding dinner. You’ll want to seal any cracks in the exterior
of your home using a combination of both steel wool and caulk.

If you suspect a pest infestation in your home, it’s best to
contact a licensed pest professional to inspect and treat the problem as soon
as possible. Mice can cause major damage to your home and could even cause a fire if they were to chew through your electrical
wiring.

Ticks
& Fleas

While most people think fleas and ticks are only a pest to your pets, they are
also harmful to humans, so prevention is key. Fleas and ticks tend to live in
long, grassy areas and fields, so you’ll want to keep any parts of your lawn
that are close to your home freshly
mowed. Trim back any bushes or high trees that may allow wild
animals to set up camp near your home, as they will attract even more ticks and
fleas.

Inside the home, make sure to vacuum carpets and rugs often as
they are a potential home for fleas and ticks to live. A flea and tick collar can
be a good barrier against these parasites for your pet, but they are not 100%
effective. You should still be checking both yourself and your pets for ticks
before coming inside. Pro-tip: consider rolling a lint roller over your
pets’ fur and your clothes before entering your home and then change your outer
layer to best prevent fleas and ticks from entering.

We know that keeping your home and family safe is of the
utmost importance. For more summer
related content and safety
tips,
check out the link below!