Even though the new year has just begun, it’s only a matter of time before Spring arrives and pests start waking from their slumber. While many Oklahomans may have made it their resolution to improve their activity levels or lose weight, we wanted to propose a more straightforward idea, and it’s much easier to stick to! This year, we encourage you to make it your goal to keep your home pest-free. To help you get started, here are Emtec Pest Control’s top five Winter pest control tips to get ahead of the coming increase in pests.
1. Store Holiday Decorations Properly
Many Oklahomans are shuffling decorations out of their attic or a storage unit between Halloween and Christmas. While putting them up for a holiday may seem like the easier part, it can be a challenge to store them properly when relaxing after a busy holiday season. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when packing them up to minimize the chances of an infestation.
When preparing your decorations for storage, make sure you avoid using cardboard boxes and, instead, opt for plastic containers that have a sealing lid. This is particularly important when storing a faux Christmas tree. Instead of putting it back in the original box it came in, look for an alternative storage option that can keep pests from making it their new home throughout the year.
2. Focus on Decluttering Your Home
After receiving new gifts and losing valuable cleaning time that you would have otherwise had, it’s no secret that many homes can get a little cluttered during the holiday season. Keeping your home clean is one of the most critical steps in limiting the chances of a pest infestation because clutter can attract various unwanted pests, including cockroaches, spiders, rodents, and many more.
Now that the holidays are over, take some time to enjoy the warmth of your home while you tidy up. While cleaning out the interior of your home is critical, don’t neglect your attic, garage, or closets. Even a small amount of clutter in these could be a bastion for pests to take root then expand their numbers throughout the rest of the house.
3. Refresh Your Trash Cans
While most homeowners will ensure that food and water pests have access to is limited indoors, they might neglect their trashcans. During the holidays, many of us will be baking and cooking more than usual – leading to the generation of waste that could attract pests. This makes it even more essential to ensure both your indoor and outdoor trashcans are clean.
Take the time to clean your indoor trash can with soapy water to remove spills or other residual waste that may be left behind. Even a tiny amount of liquid or food could supply an entire colony of ants with enough food to keep returning to forage. Once the indoor trashcans are clean, consider doing the same for any outdoor receptacles to limit access for rodents, possums, raccoons, and other outdoor pests.
4. Develop a Cleaning Routine
In addition to a new year’s resolution to keep your home pest-free, why not create a new cleaning routine that could further expand your defenses? Even just implementing simple processes, like clearing out dirty dishes at night, can drastically impact the overall cleanliness of a home. Even better, it also reduces the risk of pest infestations occurring.
We get it, life can be challenging, and most people don’t want to come home from a long day of work to clean. But we also promise that you will be more comfortable and feel better simply by being in a clean home. Segment your cleaning efforts each day to a different part of the process and keep more demanding jobs scheduled to empty weekends to ensure a spotless home that remains pest-free.
5. Complete Needed Home Maintenance
During the colder months, most homes will shift and develop gaps that give pests entry indoors. Not only can this make your HVAC system work harder to compensate for the heat being lost, but it can also signal to pests that greener pastures are available beyond those thresholds. Wouldn’t you explore the warmth further if you were living outside?
Take the time to examine the exterior of your home and seal any cracks that may give pests access indoors. While outside, it’s also a good idea to tidy up your yard and remove leaf piles that could provide a safe haven for pests. This can help eliminate any flea eggs or other unwanted pests that could be hiding out until warmer weather arrives.
At Emtec Pest Control, we are committed to safe and responsible pest control. We understand that your family’s safety is your number one priority, so we make it our priority, too.
If you have any other questions about any of these pests or pest control for your home or business, contact your Oklahoma pest control experts at Emtec Pest Control by calling us or by filling out our online contact form.