As the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. This much remains true for guarding your home against pests while traveling for the holidays. Without preparation, the pests around your home might as well be planning their holiday parties in your abode. To avoid returning from your holiday travels to a house filled with pests, follow our guide to help prevent infestations ahead of time.
Check for cracks and crevices
Like humans who crave the creature comforts of home, insects of all shapes and sizes are seeking shelter from the cold weather. Before leaving town, be sure to check around door frames, window sills, and fireplaces for cracks and crevices. Re-caulking small entryways around these fixtures can prevent pests that gather in large numbers, such as clover mites and carpet beetles.
For improperly sealed doorways, you may consider installing a threshold or door sweep. Metal thresholds will seal the gap between your door and door frame. Door sweeps, typically made of nylon or vinyl material, act as an added layer of protection from creepy crawlers.
Make arrangements ahead of time
If your trip takes place during regular trash or recycling pick-up, make arrangements with a neighbor to ensure your garbage is taken out appropriately. The key to avoiding pests in your home is prevention, and removing any form of shelter, including near your home, is important. Even small amounts of garbage in your outside bin will attract rodents and insects such as wasps and ants. The closer they get to your home, the more likely they are going to set up shop inside.
Tidy up
Cleaning up unkept (and often overlooked) areas inside the home before departure can help eliminate unwelcome guests.
- Pantries, cabinets, and other dry food storage areas should be swept and dusted for all crumbs of food. Rodents like mice and rats may be portrayed as cheese connoisseurs in cartoons, but the reality is they will feed on anything, even small crumbs from bread and crackers.
- Secure all food containers. This may include open cereal boxes, bags of sugar or flour, and even pet food.
- Double-check your fireplace flue. Santa Claus isn’t the only one looking to climb down your chimney: rodents will seek the warmth of your fireplace and launch themselves into your home if the flue is left open.
- Dispose of large masses of organic matter in your yard. Leaves that have been raked into a pile are excellent congregation spots for earwigs. If you’ve been meaning to disperse that pile of mulch in your flower bed, now is the time.
Hire a professional pest spraying team
The Yard Butler offers professional pest spraying services to alleviate the stress of invasive pests while you’re away on holiday. While we recommend quarterly spraying, arranging for pest control application before travel is a great way to gain peace of mind. We currently offer spraying services against earwigs, spiders (all varieties), ants, Boxelder bugs, wasps, moths, small rodents, and many others. For inquiries, contact us at (208) 523-9273.