How to keep bugs out of the house

Bugs appreciate a lovely home for the same reasons that you do. They're looking for food, water, and shelter. They'll move in if your home covers these needs. Ants, cockroaches, earwigs, flies, house centipedes, silverfish, and spiders are all frequent household pests. Fleas and ticks in the house are also a common problem for pet owners. 

As in many other things in life, when it comes to keeping the house free of insects and pests, it is better to be safe than sorry. Each of the following pests can appear at various times throughout the year, and some are more problematic than others.

Common Household Bugs to Watch Out For

Ants

Ants are scavengers and survivors who know what they're doing. They're known for locating even the tiniest scraps of food that haven't been properly stored. This makes them one of the most vexing household pests.

Cockroaches

The cockroach is arguably the most reviled and feared household bug of all time. The name alone conjures up visions of filth. Cockroaches may find their way into even the cleanest of homes.

Flies

If there's one thing that can ruin a pleasant evening spent indoors, it's when flies appear. They're obnoxious, disruptive, and disease-carrying.

Silverfish

If you see a slender, silvery insect with three long antennae-like tails in your home at night, it is most likely silverfish. These slender bugs prefer damp environments and feed on the starch in paper and book bindings.

Spiders

Spiders are excellent garden friends because they eat insects that can harm plants. They're not welcome inside, despite their usefulness outside.

Guide to identify insects in your house 

Tips to keep insects away from your home

There's no reason to share your home with bugs you don't want. Here are six easy steps to keep your home free of pests: 

1. Keep an eye out for warning indications?

To prevent insects from infiltrating your home, keep an eye out for warning indications and problem regions. For example, if you see a single cockroach or ant in your home, you should consider hiring a pest control company to make sure you don’t have an infestation on your hands and put preventive measures in place.  

Preventive measures for different pests

2. Secure the outside of your home?

When it comes to pest infestations, it is generally recommended to work from the outside in. After all, the insects came from the outside. Bugs can easily enter your home from a multitude of places whether it be through windows, pipes, vents, roof shingles or vents. To prevent them from coming in you should therefore repair or close any access point. This can mean installing mosquito nets, filling minor cracks, sealing gaps or repairing a plumbing issue. 

3. Keep your house clean ?

Bugs are attracted to standing water and food sources so it’s important that you regularly clean your home. You should vacuum your space regularly, remove hanging cobwebs, seal your food in containers and avoid clutter. Since pests generally breed in dirty, neglected, damp, and dark spaces, the area under the bed, the refrigerator, and other hard-to-reach places should be kept clean. You should also make sure to take out the trash regularly. 

4. Find out where the bugs are coming from?

It’s important not to lower your guard and look for the area where insects are infiltrating your home. If there are ants or other insects, the first thing to do is investigate where they come from so follow them until you find the starting point. Once you find the entry point or what is attracting them, seal the access point or remove any food source. Keep your guard up for the next few days to make sure that there are no more insects coming from that area.

5. Stay dry?

Insects LOVE standing water and humid places. Wet places serve as a breeding ground as well as a water source so make sure to inspect your home to make sure you have no plumbing issues (leaking pipes, damp walls, leaky faucets, etc.). There should be no standing water in the house as mosquitoes breed there.

If you don’t have any leakage but some areas of your home such as the basement or attic are particularly humid, consider using a dehumidifier. 

6. Hire a pest control company?

A pest infestation is a major issue that can affect the structural integrity of your house as well as you and your family’s health. The best thing you can do to get rid of insects quickly and effectively in your house is to get in touch with a pest control company such as VExtermination. We offer a variety of packages aimed at providing you with peace of mind. 

What is pest management and how does it work?

 
What natural repellents can I use?

Vinegar

Vinegar is a natural ant repellent. In a spray bottle, combine half apple cider vinegar (although regular vinegar works just as well) and half water to repel those pests. This mixture can be sprayed around the perimeter of your home or even inside where there are food sources.

Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is another effective ant repellent. When sprayed in areas where ants are known to congregate, such as around where crumbs linger, they stay away.

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil not only repels ants, but it also repels spiders. Peppermint repels aphids, beetles, caterpillars, fleas, flies, lice, mice, and moths, among other pests.

There are three ways to use this oil effectively: soak cotton balls in it and hide them where insects congregate, apply the oil directly to the damaged regions, or dilute it with water and spray the perimeter of the places you want to protect. If you're diluting the oil, combine 10 drops of peppermint essential oil with 16 oz. water in a spray container.

Aromatic plants

Herbs are good allies against mosquitoes and ants. You just have to place rosemary, basil, thyme, mint and lavender seeds in the windows of the house to kill the flies. Lavender flowers will scare away moths, flies, fleas, and mosquitoes whereas laurel contains a substance called cineole, which kills insects and cockroaches.

Spices 

Spices are very useful for eliminating insects. Ants hate the smell of cloves, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, etc. You can put these spices near the wall or in front of the anthill to eliminate them.

Best way to prevent a pest infestation at home 

Need help to put control measures in place to prevent pest infestations? 

Regular pest control is essential to keep undesirable pests out of your home or office. Even if you have the cleanest house on the planet, bugs can find their way in. The best approach to ensure your house is pest-free is to have professional inspections done on a regular basis. 

VExtermination's packages are designed to give you peace of mind all year long. We offer residential, commercial and agricultural pest control services. Feel free to contact us if you would like additional information or if you want to receive a quote!