Spring Cleaning for Pest Defense
Well Tri-County Pest Control fans, the clock change is right around the corner—yes, Daylight Savings Time begins this weekend! While it is always a little sad to miss an hour of sleep, the changing of the clocks is certainly the harbinger of springtime, something that we could all use a little of right now. Before you rejoice in the changing of the season, you may want to knock out that spring cleaning early, especially since it will surely help to keep all of the pests at bay. Keep on reading to see how the simple job at spring cleaning can be great for pest defense!
If your goal is to declutter a room, then there are a few precautions you should use beforehand and during the cleaning process to make sure that you don’t encounter any nasty pests, and to make sure that you can keep them out in the future. For starters, know that if you are planning to tackle the garage or basement, that there is always the chance that you may run into a spider or rodent, since they love the dark, damp places that these locations often are. Be sure to keep your eyes posted for the brown recluse spider, as this one can inflict some pain (and may require medical attention) should you be the unlucky recipient of a bite. However, once you start cleaning, any critters in the area should scurry away, so you’ll be fine. Just be sure to store anything that you are putting away in plastic bins with lids—as opposed to cardboard boxes—since they serve as a more unfavorable environment for pests to invade.
While tackling the interior of your home, make sure that you are aware at the state of the screens on your windows, and the quality of the weather stripping on your exterior doors. Undoubtedly, both a weak window screen and degrading weather stripping serve as an easy way for pests to get inside your home, since they can just wiggle their way in through the cracks. Ideally, you should be replacing your weather stripping once it wears down or at least once a year—whatever comes sooner. Thankfully, it is pretty simple, and you can do it yourself.
Finally, take this time to declutter your laundry room, and to take any clothes or garments that may be lying on the floor and either wash them, store them, or throw them in a hamper with a lid. Remember how we said that pests love damp environments? Some critters like fruit flies and silverfish may find your laundry room pretty habitable, especially if you or the kids have the habit of leaving damp towels or a drying rack in there. For best results, clean out the clothes, and make it your springtime resolution to reduce the amount of piles that you have in there at once. It’ll help in the long run.
The spring cleaning bug is right around the corner—can’t you feel it? Be sure that this spring, you use it to your advantage, and create a state where you won’t have to worry about ants, spiders, flies, and every other critter under the sun!
For more pest defense tips, be sure to check back to our blog every Monday or give us a call!
