Did you know one of the best ways to prevent pest infestations in the Bay Area is by cleaning? Pests like to hide out in the corners of your home where you might easily pass them by without noticing they’re there. Cleaning can help clear the pests out of those areas before they turn into a problem.
The Bay Area experiences a lot of pest problems. You’re definitely not the only one struggling to keep pests out of your home. But you can get an edge over your house pests by giving your home good, regular cleaning. If you’re looking to get rid of or prevent pests in your home, start with these cleaning tips to reclaim your home.
Clean Out Storage Areas
Storage areas are a favorite hangout for pests, and it’s no surprise why. We humans shove a bunch of boxes and supplies into a closet or room, then we forget about it. It gathers dust until we happen to need to get something out of storage, at which point we find that our storage has become a hotel for pests.
No one wants to discover that in their house. Honestly, if it gets to that point you should call Bay Area pest control services to clear out the pest problem for you. But you can do some things now to prevent that pest hotel situation in the first place by taking some time to clean your storage areas regularly. Here are some tips for giving your storage areas a good cleaning:
- Set up a schedule. You don’t have to deep clean your storage every week, but do deep clean it regularly.
- Move boxes around. Even if you put them back in the same place, moving the boxes in and out will help you find pests hiding behind them.
- Wipe down shelves. Whether you dust or use a wet cloth, wiping down shelves will help you get rid of cobwebs, feces, and dead insects.
- Do light cleaning often. Again, you don’t need to deep clean every week, but going into your storage areas and doing a bit of light cleaning will keep pests from wanting to set up camp long-term in your storage closet.
- Use scents that pests don’t like. For example, spiders don’t like the smells of citrus or peppermint. So if you have a lemon-scented cleaner, you could use it in storage areas to minimize the spider population.
Clean Up Your Food Supply
Food is a big attractor for pests. They love having easy access to a ton of food will bring the pests in hordes. So one thing you can do to prevent pests is to make sure your food is securely stored and organized.
Even if you don’t have a lot of food stored in your home, the food you do have can attract pests. And pests attract more pests, which then end up contaminating your food supply. To keep your food safe to eat and your family healthy, take these steps to clean up your food supply:
- Clean off the shelves. If you’ve had food sitting on your shelves for a while, pull it all off and clean the shelves with a rag to get rid of any pests that might be trying to live around your food.
- Organize your food in airtight containers. If the pests can’t smell your food, they won’t come looking for it. And if a pest does come across these containers, it won’t be able to get into the food.
- Get rid of expired or rotten food. If food is getting old, it more likely that it will attract pests. Rotten produce, in particular, will attract a lot of pests. So keep your food updated.
- Sweep up crumbs. Yep, even these little morsels can attract unwanted pests. Clean floors mean fewer pests.
- Don’t leave trash sitting out. Trash is full of old, rotten food that pests love to get their teeth in. So don’t leave it sitting out in the kitchen or on your steps outside. Instead, put it in a bin outside of your home to keep pests out.
If you do decide to call Bay Area pest control for help, organizing your food is still a good idea. Doing so will keep your food safe from any pest control chemicals that could potentially get in your food and harm your family.
Go Out of Your Way to Vacuum Regularly
This probably seems like an obvious thing to do, but like was mentioned before, clean floors mean fewer pests. But vacuums can do a lot more than clean your floors, so here are some ways to clean with the vacuum and keep pests at bay:
- Vacuum up insects. When you come across an insect in your home, go ahead and vacuum it up. It’s the fastest way to get rid of it and prevent more insects from showing up.
- Vacuum along baseboards and entryways. You never know where pests could be hiding, and these areas will be highly frequented by pests.
- Clean ceiling edges and corners with the vacuum hose. This is a great way to pull down cobwebs and spiders since a lot of house spiders like to hang out in these kinds of corners.
- Vacuum out your car. It’s entirely possible that you have crumbs or clutter that attracts pests. So vacuum your car regularly as well so you don’t have to worry about unwanted creatures while you drive.
Keep Your Home Dry
Standing water is another thing that attracts pests. You’re especially likely to see pests such as cockroaches hanging out in wet or damp places in your home. In fact, if you start seeing a lot of cockroaches around, check for water in your home and call Bay Area pest control. They’ll be able to help you locate problems that are attracting the cockroaches. To keep your home dry so it doesn’t attract pests that enjoy wet environments, try these tips:
- Soak up spills right away. Not only is this a safety issue, but it will keep pests from deciding that the spill is their new water source.
- Check for and repair leaks around sinks, bathtubs, and hoses. A leak will not only attract pests, but it can also cause water damage to your home. Get ahead of it and watch for potential issues.
- If you find mold or water damage in your home, repair it as quickly as possible. That kind of moisture in your home will attract a lot of pests that you don’t want.
