Bugs and insects can turn a cozy home into a nightmare. Homeowners that don’t react on time will need to spend a lot of money to get their old property back.

The moment you notice pests swarming around your house, don’t waste your time. Take proper action to eradicate the pests from your property and enjoy its comfort. Apply the steps mentioned below, or work with a pest control company near you to get your property back in order and get rid of pests. The following steps will help you achieve that goal.

1) Handle the garbage properly

Bugs of all sorts like garbage. Organic waste allures them with its smell and colors. Non-organic waste arouses their curiosity. Either way, you need to handle garbage properly to prevent bugs from entering your property.

For starters, use trash cans with lids and trash bags with handles. You can buy scented trash cans that both repel bugs and reduce the odor. Wash the trash can regularly to fight trash can odors. Keep the trash in a separate room or yard shed, if possible.

Finally, don’t throw away fruit, veggies and grains that you don’t consume on time, but add them to compost. You can use this compost to fertilize the ground around the plants in your yard.
Also, take good care of compost and keep it in order. If not treated properly, compost can help bugs spawn and spread.

2) Keep the gutters clean

Clogged gutters are a fertile area for the development of bugs and insects; from there, they can easily get into your home. That’s why you should clean the gutters regularly (at least once a month). After heavy rains and storms, clean all the gutters, both vertically and horizontally. Remove twigs, leaves, and dirt from the gutter to let the rainwater freely flow into the ground.

Sometimes heavy rains, showers and storms completely clog the gutters. This is especially the case in homes with a lot of trees and greenery. If your gutters are already a bit under the weather, think about replacing the gutters to ensure roof damage.

3) Remove the ponds and water tanks

Keeping a property bug-free is more difficult if there’s a lot of standing water around the house. Ponds and badly maintained reservoirs give birth to mosquitoes and other insects. Even if you have installed mosquito screens on your windows and doors, they won’t protect your balconies and patio from this invasion.

You can prevent this outcome by removing ponds and properly sealing water tanks. Filling the ponds with stones or turning them into flower beds is one option. The other one is leveling the yard so that there are no holes where rains can cause ponds.

If you use a water tank to collect rainwater, for your plants or for any other use, keep them open only during rainfalls. When the rain stops, close the lid and keep it that way until new rain.

4) Clean the beds and mattresses

Mites and bed bugs like to hide in dark places. In that light, mattress and bed areas are perfect for those pests. Therefore, maintain the hygiene of all beds and mattresses in your home. Lift the mattresses to wipe the dust under the beds and make sure there are no bugs underneath.

Clean the mattresses with tepid water and special shampoo, and leave them in the fresh air to dry. Vacuum all carpets in your home regularly.

If you notice bed bugs despite all these actions, don’t waste your time trying to eradicate them – call a bed bug extermination service. You’ll nip the problem in the bud and prevent bed bugs from spreading around your home.

5) Prune the trees and bushes

Insects like to live on, in, and under trees. They feed on greens and leaves. Also, they can easily enter the house via branches and leaves hanging near or over the house. Therefore, you need to prune the trees and bushes regularly. On the one hand, you’ll reduce the risk of pests getting into your home. On the other hand, the entire house and yard will look nicer.

While you’re grooming the greenery around your home, check out the area under the roof. Birds, hornets, and wasps like to build their nests there. If you spot a birds nest don’t remove it, because most birds are only temporarily here. They raise their babies and fly away.

However, hornets and wasps can become a real nuisance. If you notice these, react on time and get rid of wasp nests to prevent them from spreading around your property.

6) Inspect the basement

Most basements are dark and damp places. As such, they’re a perfect breeding area for pests. That’s why you should redo the basement to reduce dampness and make it less attractive to insects. While you’re inspecting the basement, check out the basement windows and door frames. Seal all the parts that leak air or water.

Also, fill all the holes in the walls, especially in the corners. That’s where rodents usually come from.
Finally, in order to prevent the basement bugs, handle the crack repair around the basement, this will help insects from spreading around the basement. The more basement improvements you do, the fewer insects will come to live in it.

7) Declutter the property

Critters like clutter, because they can easily hide in old furniture, feed on wood, and live happily ever after hidden behind a mess. So, a decluttered property keeps pests and other unwanted creatures away.
Homeowners should inspect all the rooms in the house to prevent and remove pests from their properties. This includes sheds and any other rooms and spaces outside the home.

If you have a family, work together with other family members to remove the clutter. Make a list of things that you can throw away, and take them out of your home. If you have any old furniture or similar larger items, call the relevant communal service to remove those things.

Put all other things in plastic boxes, label them, and arrange them around your home, garage, or any other space where you can keep them.

If you regularly clean and properly maintain your home, you’ll significantly reduce the risk of expiring pest issues. But even if you notice insects in and around your property, don’t fall into despair and approach pest control professionals.