Unfortunately, summer has now come to an end. Contrary to popular belief, though, this does not mean pest problems are also coming to a close. In fact, pest problems can often worsen with the changing season. The reason for this is simple: pests tend to enter homes looking for shelter. Besides escaping the cold, pests also come inside to find food. This is why autumn pest proofing is so important. It’s critical for your London pest control efforts this autumn that you prevent them from coming inside. Doing this will save you a lot of headaches in the future. To get you started, here are a few ways to stop pests from coming in.
What is required for autumn pest proofing?
There are two things you’ll need to do when autumn pest proofing. To start with, you need to stop pests getting into the house. This means sealing up all cracks and holes in the walls and perimeter of the home. You may also want to consider installing weather-stripping. This prevents pests from crawling in under doors and through tiny gaps in closed windows.
Secondly, take care of anything in the house which may attract pests. This most includes removing food debris, standing water, and areas where pests can get into and hide. Begin by taking care of your kitchen. Find out the best ways to store food so it is pest proof. Food should never be left in things like cardboard boxes or plastic packets. Also, deep clean your kitchen. Go through the room from top to bottom and get rid of any lurking food particles.
Also make sure that your rubbish is placed in a bin that has a good tight seal on it and, where possible, place this bin inside a cupboard. It’s also a good idea to lift your bin off the ground. Frequently washing bins will also help deter all sorts of pests.
Clearing dirt and clutter improves your life too
Removing places of shelter is also extremely important when it comes to autumn pest proofing. You want to make sure there are no places where pests can hide or breed. This mostly includes getting rid of clutter. All rubbish and clutter should be cleared away and removed from your home. When doing this, also clean your home from top to bottom.
When doing so, pay particular attention to the areas underneath and behind furniture and appliances. Pests love crawling into these areas. Pest proof your kitchen by making sure appliances are squeaky clean and that there is no food debris left around them.
Pests are also attracted to unused areas where they can live undisturbed. Places like guest rooms, box rooms, garages and basements are often neglected, and the perfect areas for pests to retreat to once they’ve grabbed a midnight snack from the kitchen. In general, a dirty home is a pest’s dream come true, so be sure to thoroughly clean and declutter everything in sight.