Pest control is important in ensuring your family and your home’s safety. A pest infestation can be scary and disgusting, not to mention dangerous.
Here’s how you can deal with a pest infestation in your home.
Identify the pest
If you have a pest infestation, the first step to controlling it is to identify the type of bug that’s invaded your house. There are many different kinds of pests, and many different methods to deal with each one.
Most pests such as rats, cockroaches, mosquitoes, and ants should be easy enough to identify. However, if you’re not sure what kind they are, we suggest taking a photo of your invader and searching it up on the internet or some other pest identification website.
Protect yourself, your family, and your belongings
Once you have identified the pest, you want to first make sure your family and belongings are safe. Make sure they aren’t in contact with the bugs, and if you plan to use pesticides you may want to get them out of the house for some time.
You also want to make sure your pets are out of the crossfire. Some bugs are harmful to your pets, so in case they come in contact you may have to get them checked out by a veterinarian.
You will want to make sure your food and other edible items are safe as well. Depending on the level of infestation, you may have to get rid of some of them to avoid possible toxicity or poison to your family.
Find the source
As with any problem, finding the root cause of the issue is important in ensuring the infestation doesn’t happen again. You want to know where they came in, how they were able to enter, and then seal off their entry points so you know they can’t return.
For some bugs, this is easy because they leave trails that you can follow. Ants for instance, often leave a visible trail you can follow to their nest.
For other bugs, it may be a bit tricky. A few things you may look for are cracks or openings and holes in your walls or ceilings.
You can also check for unsealed food, rotting fruit, standing water, or nests and webs. If your house has plants or a garden, you can check to see if they have branches or leaves touching your house because that may be how the bugs were able to enter your home.
Remove the pests
The next step in your pest infestation crusade is to eliminate the problem. You can do this by using a pesticide or other alternatives.
In this step, you want to be really careful and make sure you follow the proper instructions on your chosen pesticide. You also want to make sure the chemical you’re using is safe for your home and your family.
If possible, you want to use eco-friendly options as they are less harsh and dangerous than the usual chemicals found in pesticides.
If necessary, you can hire professionals to deal with your pest infestation. Some bugs are more trouble than they’re worth and cannot be dealt with with DIY options.
Start prevention
Once your pest infestation is dealt with, you cannot be complacent. We suggest you start taking active steps to prevent them from coming back.
You can do this by making sure they have no openings. Fill up holes, clear up your food and hazardous waste, make sure your plants and branches aren’t touching your house, and eliminate standing water.
You also want to keep your kitchen and bathroom clean as these are the places where pests thrive more often.
—
All in all, prevention is better than cure when it comes to pest control. Always be mindful of your waste to ensure your family and your house aren’t invaded by bugs and pests.
If you need help with waste disposal, you can check out the best hazardous waste disposals in Edmonton.
