Nobody likes to spend their summer in a home infested with flies, mosquitos, ants and other kinds of pests. Here is how to make your place bug-free this year.
Clean the Kitchen to Repel Insects
A clean kitchen doesn’t always mean it’s bug-free, but limiting their food supplies certainly discourages ants and cockroaches. Empty the garbage cans regularly, wipe down the counters, keep food in airtight containers, and don’t leave the sink full of dirty dishes. Another way to banish ants in your home is to sprinkle some ground coffee near the doorways. Coffee’s high content of nitrogen repels bugs, so they won’t crawl across it and get into your house. If you need a hand keeping your home clean you can rely on our domestic cleaning specialists.
Make sure to change the water in the inflatable pool regularly to prevent them from becoming mosquitos breeding ground.
Get Rid of Stagnant Water
Water that doesn’t flow is the perfect breeding terrain for mosquitoes. That is why you should always empty buckets and watering cans in your garden. Toys like inflatable swimming pools should be emptied after it rains. You should also consider installing air pumps to decorative ponds to avoid water from becoming stagnant and turning into a mosquito-infested pool.
Check also: 5 Tips for a Stress-Free Summer
Long grass is a great habitat for various pests.
Keep the Grass Short
You should either learn how to mow like a pro or hire a professional to keep your lawn in perfect shape. It is very important to keep the grass surrounding your home short. If you don’t, be ready to deal with ticks, fleas, and ants this summer. All these insects love to hide in tall grass and weeds.
Make sure no shrubs and trees are in contact with your home’s walls.
Trim the Trees and Bushes in the Garden
If you’ve got bushes and tree branches touching your home, you are simply letting a bridge for all kinds of pests to crawl right into your house. Ants, spiders, mice, and squirrels, can use the shrubs to get inside your living space. Trim all branches touching the walls of your house, leaving at least a foot between the plants and your home. Once you’ve finished raking the leaves and trimming the branches, make sure to get rid of them. Everything you leave close to your home provides food and shelter for various insects. If you want to compost the leaves and trims, do it at a distance from the house.
Read also: 10 Essential Fall Cleaning Tasks Part 1
Make sure no shrubs and trees are in contact with your home’s walls.
Store the Firewood Properly
Some of the most dangerous pests for your home – termites and carpenter ants – feed on firewood or use it as shelter. That is why it is a good idea to keep the chopped wood off the ground and covered. These measures will keep the insects away from the firewood. Also, try to burn the oldest wood first, and bring in only as much wood as you need to make sure your home is pest-free.
Check also: 10 Essential Fall Cleaning Tasks Part 2
Cracks in the walls could become a gateway for various pests.
Seal Your Home
Summer is an excellent time for small renovations. Use the warm weather to seal cracks and holes because bugs use them to enter your home. Start by inspecting the house carefully. Caulk around window and door frames and install mesh screens. Fill in the gaps around dryer vents and plumbing pipes, seal holes and cracks in walls and baseboards. All these steps will block the pests’ way to your home.
Read also: How to Prepare Your Home Before Going to Vacation Part 1
Songbirds feed on insects and larvae so you can invite them in your garden to limit the unwanted pests.
Garden Tricks to Repel Unwanted Bugs
Bugs avoid gardens that have strong-smelling plants like rosemary, lemongrass, mint, and geranium. Planting flowers that attract songbirds is also a good idea because songbirds feed on bugs. You can also encourage cardinals, sparrows, robins and tits to flock to your home with birdhouses and suet cakes.
