Spring cleaning tips to prevent pests
Spring cleaning is an age-old tradition. Long ago, it was necessary to rid homes of soot and grime that accumulated over winter – just think of all the wood and coal burning required back then to keep a home warm. Plus all the sooty candles and oil-burning lamps needed to light homes before electricity.
Thanks to modern heating and electrical systems, homes today typically don’t get that level of dirty, but they still benefit from deep cleaning. Spring cleaning in the modern sense is more about embracing a sense of renewal and making order out of chaos. It’s good for the soul and also your home.
And it’s an excellent time for close inspection, to find and remedy issues that could lead to larger problems later on, including pest infestations.
Pay attention to key areas of your home
The experts at Pest HQ, Ontario’s leading source of do-it-yourself pest control products, advise paying special attention to the following areas while performing spring cleaning:
Cupboard interiors
Clean out cupboards to prevent pantry moth outbreaks and ant infestations. Vacuum up crumbs and wipe down interior cabinet walls and floors with soapy water or disinfectant to remove sticky substances and potentially pantry moth pupae. Use sealed containers with tight-fitting lids to store dry goods (e.g., flours, rice, cocoa powder, nuts) and pet food.
>>What to do when you’ve had panty moths in the past or want to prevent them
Put a panty month trap in the cupboard. Traps use pheromones to attract moths, which are then snared on the sticky surface. Check traps regularly. If you see moths stuck in the trap, you know moths are present and the traps are working. Get tips for getting rid of moths in the house.
>>What to do if you see signs of ant activity
Ants are incredibly smart at finding sources of food. One customer recently told Pest HQ how she followed an ant trail coming out of an electrical outlet near the kitchen counter, up the wall and into a high corner cabinet. She found the ants inside a jar of honey! They had squeezed under the lid, which was screwed on but not 100% tight.
If you see signs of ant activity, use an ant bait in the cupboard. Baits recommended by Pest HQ contain slow-acting natural pesticides. This lets worker ants carry the bait back to the nest and share it, thus killing the colony. Learn how to use ant traps and ant baits.
Moisture and water leaks
Carpenter ants and termites (a serious problem in some parts of Ontario) are attracted to wet wood. Even if the wet wood is located two storeys high or near the roofline, these pests will find it.
Common areas of homes with moisture issues or water leaks include under kitchen and bathroom sinks, tubs/showers, attics, basements, windowsills, soffits and near downspouts and gutters.
Finding and fixing moisture and water leaks protects the integrity of your home and keeps carpenter ants and termites at bay.
>>When you’re worried about carpenter ants or have seen signs of them
Carpenter ants are one of the most destructive pests in Canada. It’s important to act quickly if you suspect they are present. Signs of activity include unexplained sawdust, strange holes in wood, or seeing the actual ants, which are most active at night. Getting rid of them requires a comprehensive, multi-step regimen, say Pest HQ experts. Learn how to get rid of carpenter ants.
Suspect termite activity? Contact a licensed pest management professional.
Missing caulk and gaps
While washing windows or even power washing the exterior of your home, look for areas that are missing caulk or where the caulk is pulling away.
Pay close attention to where utility lines – electrical, air conditioning, cable, natural gas, etc. -- enter the home. Gaps around these lines allow ants, rodents, stink bugs and other pests to enter the home. Mice can squeeze through a gap the size of a dime.
>>What to do when you see missing caulk or gaps
Remove old caulk and replace it with new caulk designed for exterior use. You need the caulk to stay resilient in extreme weather conditions. That said, rodents easily can chew through builder-grade caulk. If you suspect rodent activity near your home or want to prevent rodents from potentially getting indoors, seal the gaps and cracks with a rodent-proof material containing metal fibers. They cannot chew through these materials.
Structural decay and vegetation issues
Walk the exterior perimeter of your home and look for rotting wood, crumbling brick, new cracks or holes, missing soffits. Homes degrade over time due to weather and age. Any weakness in the structure is an opportunity for insects, rodents and wildlife to enter the home. Don’t overlook old garage door sweeps that are missing corner pieces. This is a common way that rodents get inside.
Likewise, asses the exterior for piles of leaf litter, overgrown grass and shrub and tree branches touching the house. These serve as pest highways into your home.
>>What to do if you see structural or vegetation issues
Make needed repairs to the home using materials designed to exclude, or keep out, rodents and wildlife. These include compounds containing metal fiber and metal mesh. Discover professional-grade exclusion materials. Trim back branches and shrubs so branches are not touching the house. Remove leaf debris piled against the foundation.
Be prepared to prevent pests this spring
Order traps, baits and exclusion materials online from Pest HQ. Items ship fast or can be picked up at our headquarters: 7 Meridian Rd, Etobicoke, Ontario, Monday – Friday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.
Want to know more about protecting your home from pests? Our experts are here to help. Contact Pest HQ.
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