House pests can be a burden. Pests such as mosquitoes, mice, bugs, and cockroaches are a constant nag, and getting rid of them professionally is the best way to ensure they stay gone. Residential pests extermination and removal around Washington DC use eco-friendly treatment options that keep pests out of homes in the long run. So if pests are overrunning your home and giving you sleepless nights, this is the article for you. Read to learn how to get rid of household pests.
The following are four common household pests and how to get rid of them.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are pesky pests that can be hard to get rid of. They carry diseases like cholera, dysentery, and plague. The following are ways to get rid of them:
- Clean your house. Cockroaches are attracted to dirty floors and surfaces, so clean all around your home. Ensure you don’t leave food scraps sitting around when you’re done eating, or throw away your garbage regularly. The fewer things to eat in your house, the less likely they will stick around.
- Seal off entry points into your home. It includes ensuring the doors close tightly, sealing any holes in the walls with caulk or plaster, and caulking all cracks near sinks or drains (where they like to hide out).
- Use Insecticides like Advion cockroach bait. But if you’d prefer an all-natural treatment, you can apply a mixture of sugar and boric acid to regions where they are prone to appear.
- Use traps strategically! Cockroaches like dark places where they can hide from predators—so put traps in those areas instead.
Mice
If you notice a mouse in your home, it’s essential to take immediate action. Luckily, there are several ways to get rid of mice. Here are tips:
Seal your house. Mice will enter your house through any opening they can find. Ensure all the holes around your doors, windows, and other openings have been shut with caulk or metal mesh.
Use traps. Traps are effective because they allow you to catch the mouse without harming it. Traps should be placed near where the mouse has been seen so you don’t have to hunt for it.
Make your house less attractive. Here are tips:
- Mice like grains and seeds; keep all food products in airtight containers or cabinets where mice will not be able to reach.
- Maintain a distance of one foot from your home and any brush or wood piles.
- Always pick up your dog’s waste.
- Buy some airtight containers to store dry products in the pantry.
- Empty any pools of water, such as bird baths.
Mosquitoes
Hiring a Pest Control Operator is the best way to get rid of mosquitoes effectively. Spraying is a common way to combat mosquitoes during outdoor events like parties and barbecues. Insect-repelling mosquito misting machines can provide permanent coverage.
Here are mosquito preventive measures:
- Use citronella candles or incense.
- Try a mosquito-repelling plant. The herb catnip (Nepeta cataria) is known for repelling mosquitoes and other pests. Plant them near doorways and patios where mosquitoes tend to hang out. You could also try marigolds or lavender plants.
- Seal cracks in your home with caulking or weather stripping.
- Remove standing water: Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, so if you have any water containers around your home, get rid of them! Even small puddles can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes. If you don’t want to throw away containers that contain water, drain them every few days and replace them with fresh water.
- Remove debris: Mosquitoes like to hang out in areas with a lot of vegetation, so keeping your yard free of piles of leaves and branches is essential. It will help to keep your yard more mosquito-free during warmer months when they’re most active.
- Use EPA-approved repellents: Many options are available today to help repel mosquitoes without harmful chemicals or DEET (like citronella). Use a natural repellant like lemon oil or lavender oil, which has been proven effective in studies conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Stink Bugs
The best stink bug management method is ensuring they can’t get inside. Start by inspecting the outside and inside of your house for potential entry points (cracks and crevices). A high-quality caulking material should seal off any potential access sites, such as utility pipes, windows, and siding. Here is how to prevent stink bugs:
- Screens on windows and doors will help keep stink bugs out of your house.
- Close your blinds after the sun sets because that’s when stink bugs are most active.
- Declutter your home; clutter attracts stink bugs and other pests, and put away things that aren’t being used regularly.
- If you’re still having trouble getting rid of these pesky critters, it might be time to call an exterminator!
An effective way of controlling pests is by ensuring you’ve correctly identified the pest. It will allow you to determine what type of techniques to apply and, thus, how best to eliminate the problem.
