With the frigid Wisconsin weather keeping you trapped inside, now is a perfect time to take some simple precautions to ensure that your home will be pest free in 2014. Here are eight helpful home improvement tips to start the year off right:
Toss Away the Clutter: Don’t wait until spring to clean out your home. Start getting rid of unnecessary boxes and clothes as these extra piles can attract mice, cockroaches and other pests during the cold winter months.
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Tidy Up the Kitchen: Be sure to clean, sweep and scrub behind and under stoves, refrigerators and other kitchen appliances. Removing crumbs and other food residue from the home will help you avoid attracting hungry pests and rodents.
Check the Outside: Just as you stay inside during the cold winter months, mice and other pests are looking for refuge from the winter winds as well. On a mild day, double check that you have sealed all the cracks and crevices outside your home and fix any broken screens that could serve as an entry point for unwanted pests.
Cut the Branches Back: When trimming your trees, pay special attention to branches and bushes that are located close to your home. Cut down any branches that rodents could use as bridge onto your rooftop. Piles of wood can be a warm and cozy nesting spot for small rodents and bugs. Keep all tree branches, and any other wood, at least 20 feet away from your home and at least five feet off of the ground to help avoid infestations.
Clean Up: Dusting, sweeping and vacuuming on a regular basis will help to rid your home of spider webs, spider egg sacs and carpet beetles that may have been brought indoors.
Use Plastic Containers: Holiday decorations and clothes can provide a warm nesting spot for unwanted pests and critters. When packing these items away, always use tightly sealed plastic containers rather than cardboard boxes.
Organize the Pantry: Storing already opened food in your pantry can attract the wrong kind of crowd. Get rid of any opened products that you don’t plan to use and store the items you wish to keep in tightly sealed plastic containers.
Inspect for Signs: Check your wires, screens and insulation for gnaw marks as these could be signs of an infestation in your home. If you see animal droppings, hear sounds of scurrying in the walls or suspect that you have an infestation of any kind, call a pest control service provider right away.
Follow these eight easy tips to help keep your home pest free in 2014. As you can see, it’s all about the little things. They really do make a big difference.
Do you have any tips to share? I welcome your comments and feedback!
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