14 Common Mistakes That Attract Pests To Your Home
There are many things you could be doing to keep nasty pests out of your home. Read our guide to find the mistakes you might be making that attract pests.
11/06/2021
Pests are no fun for anyone. Those nasty creepy crawlies can start making colonies right away when they enter your home, and once they get in it’s less likely you’re going to be able to control or get rid of them with ease. Most people only realize there are pests in their home way after the fact, when the damage has already been done. At this point your only option is to call pest control to deal with any infestation issues. However, your life could be made a whole lot easier if you worked to keep pests out before they got in rather than dealing with them once they’re already a problem.
Here are some of the most common household pests:
• Cockroaches
• Flies
• Fleas
• Mites
• Rats and mice
• Mosquitoes
• Bed bugs
• Ants
• Beetles
• Termites
• Centipedes
• Moths
• Spiders
• Silverfish
It's very unlikely that pests appear in your home for no reason. Usually, most home owners make some very common mistakes that actually attract pests into their homes. Let's have a look over some of the most common mistakes and how you can work around them to stop attracting creepy crawlies or rodents into your home.
1. Too much clutter
Clutter might not contain food or rubbish but it still can attract pests. It might be a pile of old magazines or a few cardboard boxes lying here and there in your home, but clutter makes the perfect environment for many pests. Rats and other rodents like to create nests in cluttered and dark spaces and little insects such as spiders and cockroaches are well-known for taking shelter in clutter.
Areas of clutter in your house could actually become potential blind spots for signs of pests and can eventually become homes for them. Keep in mind that if you find one pest there are usually more hidden somewhere. Every winter roughly 21 million homes are invaded by rodents and they just love taking shelter in hidey holes and in amongst clutter. (1)
The only way to avoid this is to clean up any clutter and store things that you don’t need in sealed plastic bags or boxes. Anything that you don’t use that can be discarded should be. Maintaining a clean home is your best bet in keeping these pests outside.
2. Not taking the trash out
If pests can become a problem due to clutter, you can pretty much bet that any rubbish that isn’t taken out regularly can attract nasty pests. Any rubbish kept in your home is a direct line to invite insects, bugs and rodents into your home. Along with taking out the trash on a regular basis, it’s also crucial to clean your trash bins every few weeks to get rid of any rubbish residue that can still appeal to pests.
If you have a trash chute at home, you can also make sure it’s fastened securely to avoid bugs, especially cockroaches from coming into your home. A pest control service or professional can help with ensuring your home as well.
3. Not cleaning appliances
Any appliance, from stoves to toasters, ovens
or microwaves can commonly attract pets to your
kitchen. This is because they usually house food
particles left over after they’ve been used.
Seeing as your kitchen is where you clean dishes
and prepare and cook your food, any pests that
make it there pose numerous health risks for you
and your family. This is because pests can
spread harmful bacteria – cockroaches are said
to carry salmonella, E. Histolytica and even the
polio virus. These can be spread through contact
made on kitchen surfaces as well as their urine
or droppings which can contaminate food. (2)
Cleaning your appliances as well as your kitchen
floor and surfaces is so important to keeping
pests out of your home.
4. Not repairing leaks
Leaks can create structural damage and issues with mould in your home, but they can also attract many pests into your home. Creatures such as rats and cockroaches are known to love being in damp areas. On the other hand, stagnant water is a place where mosquitoes like to lay their eggs. Water-damaged wood can become the perfect place for insects that love wood, like termites, to infest.
It’s also important to remember that a lot of pests can actually survive on just water and nothing else for weeks and weeks. If your house has water leaks in any area where a lot of moisture has accumulated, then you should prioritize getting those leaks fixed to stop issues and damage to your home, and to ensure you’re not providing the conditions and food sources pests are looking for.
If you’re worried that your home’s structure might be damaged, or that a pest infestation has occurred – whether termites, carpenter ants or others – you should engage in proper monitoring and seek early methods of intervention.
5. Not covering cracks, gaps or holes
Pests can enter your home through cracks, holes and gaps in the walls. These can be spaces under doors, holes where pipes, wires or drains pass through and more. Small bugs and insects can very easily enter your home through these small openings. Cracks or holes in the wall can also provide places for insects to hide.
To keep these pests out permanently, you’re going to want to fill any holes and seal any cracks in and around your home. You can apply some proofing too to stop any entry by these pests.
6. Not repairing broken screens
Other than cracks in walls or doorways, other possible ways of entry for bugs shouldn’t be ignored. Broken vents and screens can have tiny holes so small that you might not even notice them straight away. But small insects can still get through. The small of food and garbage also passes through screens and vents and lure insects inside. The only way to ensure they don’t get in this way is to repair screens and vents when needed.
7. Not seeking early pest control services
The biggest mistake when managing pests is not seeking the proper help when necessary and acting too late. Many choose to simply wait to see what happens or jump onto DIY tricks and remedies that can compromise safety or even make matters worse. Some also believe that pest control services are only there for really severe cases or situations where you can’t identify the pests. The truth is it’s important to understand that pest management should begin as early as possible to avoid making the problem worse and cause unnecessary spread or damage to your home.
8. Your entrance mat
You should change your entrance mat every year. Many insects have what is called an exoskeleton, which makes it very easy for them to squeeze under things. These pests find the narrowest of spaces and stay there, or they can come into the house through the tiniest of holes. Your entrance mat could be the reason you’re having pest issues as bugs and insects love to make their homes under these mats and here is where they find ways into your home.
9. Rotten fruit
This problem is very common as fruit can very easily become overripe, rot and attract pests such as fruit flies. The worst thing you can do in this situation is to place this fruit into your trash bin, as leaving rotten fruit in a dark and damp place inside your home will likely make matters worse. Fruit flies will most likely find their way into your home through the chimney or small cracks and gaps. You can’t really do anything to prevent this from happening besides disposing of your rotten fruit in your outside trash, tied up in a plastic or biodegradable bag.
10. Second hand furniture
That second hand sofa you found at the thrift store might look cute and vintage, but old furniture is actually known as the most common habitual area for so many different house pests. If you do purchase an old armchair, sofa or anything similar, make sure you get a professional cleaner to thoroughly clean your item. They can have a special pesticide applied to the furniture to kill any insects or bugs that might be living in it.
It may be safest to avoid buying old furniture all together. You not only have to worry about bigger pests such as cockroaches or even ants, but there can be billions of tiny microorganisms in used furniture as well. These can be detrimental to your health and compromise the overall cleanliness of your home.
Remember you might think that after a while most bugs would die or after a whack and wipe down, they would be gone, but you might want to think again. A cockroach can not only live up to two weeks with no water, they can live a whole week without a head and can hold their breath for 40 minutes! (3)
11. Not properly cleaning your roof
Gutters can act as the perfect home for pests. They almost always hold moisture so in summer and whenever it's hot, insects like cockroaches can set up shop here. Over time pests can populate this area and get into your home because they create stable colonies. It’s crucial to clean your gutters at least once a year. Gutters clogged with old leaves, mud and twigs can also be the source of earthworms climbing to the roof of your home. Do your best to pay attention to the cleanliness or your roof.
12. Birdfeeders
This might seem a little out of left field, but birdfeeders actually aren’t that safe when they are too close to the home, as well as birdbaths. Many people place feeders close to their windows so that they can watch the birds as they eat or bathe.
Unfortunately for bird lovers you might also be creating a way for insects to come into your home. Birdfeeders should always be placed at least 10 meters away from your home.
Also make sure there’s no spoiled food in the birdfeeder because this can attract insects and bugs from all over.
13. Dirty grills
Many people love a good grill, but fewer actually enjoy cleaning all of their awesome grill gear. After you’ve had your cookout, you should always clean your grill and utensils. If not, it can be a beacon from insects to come and create colonies. Bits of charred meat can often fall into the metal parts of a grill and after some time all the built-up grime can make it harder to clean. The more that builds up, the more attractive it becomes to insects.
If you keep your grill in your garage or near the house the bugs will enjoy exploring and eventually will make their way into your house.
14. Leaving your windows and doors open
Many pests such as small lizards or rodents will always look for a dark, warm, corner of your house to hunker down in. The inside of your house is usually warmer than outside and if you’re leaving any windows or doors open during the day, or especially at night to let in some fresh air, these pests can very easily make their way in.
With rodents especially, even if you find them and shoo them out of your home, they will most likely find their way back in. Your best bet is to work to keep them out in the first place.
Stop pests before they get in!
It’s not too difficult to ensure your home is safe from these pests that can make your life a living hell. No one wants to deal with bugs and insects on a daily basis. Thankfully there are things you can do to ensure they don’t become attracted to anything in your home. Keep your place clean, repair things such as leaks, holes and cracks and replace your entrance mat, all of which will help keep any nasty pests out of your home.
Finally, remember to seek the advice or services of a pest control professional as soon as possible to stop any minor issues becoming major ones.
References
“Fascinating Mouse
Facts You Did Not Know - Mice Facts,” Source:
https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-articles/fascinating-facts-you-never-knew-about-mice/
“Chapter 4: Disease Vectors and Pests,” Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/publications/books/housing/cha04.htm#fn6
“Top 10 Amazing Home Pest Facts,” Source:
https://www.ecopestcontrolbrisbane.com.au/top-10-amazing-home-pest-facts/