Consumer Affairs’s latest pest control survey showed that homeowners worry about ants more than other types of pests.
But worrying about the wrong pests is one of the biggest common pest control mistakes. Ants are harmless relative to other pests like termites, mosquitos, ticks, bed bugs, and rodents.
There are lots of other common pest control mistakes that homeowners make. And they often don’t realize they’re making them! Learn the top ones by reading this list so you can steer clear.
1. Not Dealing With the Issue Straight Away
You might notice small tears in the food packaging in your kitchen cupboards. You might also notice some brown spots that look like droppings or damage from pests. But even if you do have pests, it’s only a small bit of mess and it won’t harm anyone, right?
Wrong! One of the worst and most common pest control mistakes is to pretend that pests aren’t a problem when they are. Pests can contaminate your food and bite you which can make you very ill.
If you’re not sure whether you have pests or not, find out ASAP by calling a local pest control service.
2. Living a Messy Lifestyle
You don’t have to be living in squalor to encourage pests. If you keep an open box of cookies on your kitchen counter or overfill your trash can with takeout, you are still inviting pests into your house.
Invest in kitchen storage boxes so all your food is in airtight containers. Remove trash from your home as often as possible to keep pests outside. Wipe down your surfaces and remove any mold because pests like moisture too.
3. Ignoring Your Home Exterior
This resource (https://reliabletsolutions.com/pest-control/organic-pest-control-gardening/) explains that not looking after the outside of your home can attract pests too.
In particular, rodents love to nest in messy sheds, piles of leaves, and bushes close to houses. And they can enter your crawl space and attic via cracks and holes. Cut off the pests at the source by fixing those holes, trimming your bushes, and raking your leaves.
4. Using the Wrong Deterrents and Baits
You’ve heard scratching noises at night so you assume you have mice. From films and TV, you know that the best thing to do is to leave traps with cheese to catch them.
But in reality, mouse traps are inhumane as the mice will have a slow and painful death. Plus, are you sure you have mice if you haven’t seen them or their droppings for yourself?
It’s important to use the right pest control equipment if you want to remove them. And using any old pest control treatment spray around your house if you think you have creepy crawlies will only work if you are 100% of the pest.
5. Giving Up
This is one of the most common pest control mistakes and almost as bad as doing nothing in the first place. Call a pest service that will guarantee the removal of your pests so you won’t need to live with the pests for very long.
Avoid These Common Pest Control Mistakes
Having pests in your home can be very stressful. But now you know the common pest control mistakes to avoid, you will be more effective at removing them.
When you’re a homeowner, you need to know how to care for and protect your home against unexpected events. Browse our lifestyle articles for tons more tips and tricks for your home!