Pest Management-- Keeping Your House Free of Bugs

It's the bane of any homeowner not lucky enough to live in just the right climate. Unfortunately, bugs live just about everywhere, and they always seem to prefer the indoors to the outdoors when possible. Of course, many homeowners do everything they can to roll out the welcome mat for these six and eight legged creatures. If you're tired of dealing with a bug problem, you need some effective pest management strategies. While these tips aren't guaranteed to keep every single ant out of your home, when combined with a good bug control company, you can get pretty close to a bug-free house.

Clean Your Floors

This is the first place bugs are going to look for food when they enter your house. If they find it, they are likely to tell their friends and family about the bounty. This doesn't have to be food in the form of a dropped piece of ham or a Cheerio underneath the dining room table. It could be something as simple as a pool of Kool-Aid you didn't clean up thoroughly enough. One of the most effective pest management strategies you can put into practice is to make extra certain that your floors are clean.

Don't Keep Trash Around

If you're accustomed to letting trash accumulate until the can gets full enough to take out, you might want to revise your system. It can seem wasteful to bag up a trashcan that's only half full, but it's worth it when discussing pest management. Bugs don't make a distinction between food on the floor, in the cabinets, or in the trash. It's all fair game for them, and a simple lid isn't always going to be enough to keep them out. Any trash in your house that might hold food should be removed every night.

Keep Bugs Out

You can save yourself a lot of trouble by keeping bugs out to begin with. This can be done by making sure there aren't small cracks and gaps they can get through. Take a walk around your house and look for these potential entrances. Get a tube of caulk and apply it to any baseboards or doorframes where the critters can get into the home. With an unlimited supply of caulk and an unlimited amount of time, you still wouldn't be able to seal off every possible entry point. But don't let that discourage you. Just getting the obvious ones will go a long way when it comes to pest management.