As we move through spring and look forward to summer with its heat, school vacation, and family trips, people in the southwest are spending more time indoors enjoying their air conditioning units. These hot weekends are the perfect time to tackle your deep cleaning to do lists! As you work on cleaning your home or apartment, make sure that you take some time to consider the favorite spots of common pests who may also be trying to get into your home. Here’s a handy guide from your Phoenix pest control company with some specific suggestions on how to clean room by room to help keep rodents, ants, cockroaches, termites, and other pests away from your home.
The heart of your home, the kitchen, is one of the top hot spots that Chandler pest control technicians are called to address. This includes cockroaches and ants in particular, because the kitchen provides effortless access to the food and water sources that these pests need to thrive. Ants will often march in a line, searching for crumbs, dinner leftovers, sticky spills on the floor, and overripe fruits sitting out on the counter. Cockroaches are attracted especially to piles of dirty dishes, leftovers that aren’t put away, and old takeout containers that have been forgotten. However, even if you make a regular effort to keep your kitchen clean, there are still some things you can do to make it even less attractive to these pests.
First, you’ll want to remove all of the items from your pantry and cabinets. Carefully sort through each food item you pull out, throwing away anything that is expired, spices that have become stale, and any open food items that have been unfinished and unused for a long time. Baking ingredients, such as flour and sugar, are especially attractive to pantry pests such as beetles, Indian meal moths, and ants. Your next step is to carefully wipe down the inside of your cabinets. Remove old shelf paper and install new shelf paper if needed. Take this time to reorganize your pantry ingredients for easy access later! Once your food items are put away, pull your appliances out from the wall and vacuum behind them. You might be surprised at how many crumbs and spills you find hiding behind your stove and fridge. Finally, scrub down the countertops and floors with a sponge and oil-dissolving cleaner, such as dishwashing liquid. You’ll love having such a clean kitchen and no worries about Arizona pest control.
The next room to tackle is the bathroom. Phoenix pest services usually find that pests such as cockroaches and silverfish love bathrooms because they are attracted to the moisture commonly found in those areas of the house. The best way to prevent infestations in the bathroom is to eliminate extra sources of water, because these types of pests can only survive without water for a week. Try washing the shower curtain and liner and wiping out the medicine cabinet. Get a flashlight so that you can check under the sink, around the tub, and around the toilet for any leaky faucets that might be providing just enough water to keep pests alive.
Pests such as rodents and spiders make themselves at home in basements. They love the dark corners, coolness, and clutter commonly found in basements. As you clean, take some time to go through your things, organize, and eliminate clutter. It’s best to store items in plastic bins with secure lids rather than cardboard boxes, whenever possible. You’ll also want to take a careful look around and seal any cracks, crevices, or gaps where pests could enter your home. Mice can fit through an opening as small as a dime, and spiders can squeeze through a paper thin crack. If you’re unsure about this step, contact a Glendale pest control company for guidance.
Once everything inside your home is sparkling clean and carefully sealed, take some time to look around the perimeter of your home. On the roof, you’ll want to have any damaged roof shingles and fascia repaired if needed, since some insects are attracted to rotting wood. Clean out clogged gutters and downspouts, eliminate tree branches that are near or touching your roof, and keep your yard clear of rotted tree stumps and trimmed branches. Keep wood mulch at least 15 feet from your foundation. All of these tasks may seem like a pain, but they are actually among the most common reasons that Mesa affordable termite control is called to eliminate a termite infestation. Finally, check for any ripped window screens, replace weather stripping around doors, and repair any loose mortar around your foundation or windows.
If you need an inspection or pest eradication, call Varsity Termite and Pest Control. Our technicians have advanced training and make it their goal to treat your home with care and respect. We mainly use natural and organic based products so you can feel confident in the products that are being applied around your home and also know that your home will be pest-free! We proudly service the greater Phoenix area and can rid your home of a wide variety of pests. Contact us today for a free pest inspection!
Published By:
Varsity Termite and Pest Control – Gary Dobert
6056 E Baseline Rd #122
Mesa, AZ85206
Office: 602-757-8252
Email: https://staging.varsitytermiteandpestcontrol.com/