None of us enjoys spotting creepy crawlies in our homes, and most of us head straight to the pesticides or bug sprays when we catch a glimpse of an unwanted visitor in our space. However, things start to get a little tricky when you have children in the household. Many routes to pest prevention include the usage of toxic substances and fumes that, unfortunately, may be harmful to children. As a parent, knowing how to prevent an infestation in your home can help you in choosing the best and most effective way to keep unwanted guests away from the home whilst at the same time, minimizing your family’s exposure to harmful chemicals. In this article, we look at how you can go about doing so, so read on to find out more!
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Enlist the Help of Professionals
One of the best ways to prevent pests from entering your home is to enlist the help of commercial pest control experts. Scurrying around the house and spraying insecticides or other off the shelf products all around your home can expose your children to harmful chemicals when not done correctly. This is why we always recommend contacting a professional pest control company to assist you in keeping the critters out. Professional pest controllers will get rid of any existing pests and help prevent any future infestations in the safest way possible, without leaving any residues or fumes that may come into contact with your child. According to experts, you should always let your pest control company know that children live in your home so that you can work together towards the safest and most effective pest control services. Your pest control experts can also give you advice on measures you can take to keep your home safe from infestations, based on their assessment of your home during their consult.
2. Keep The Crumbs at Bay
Where there are children, there are often crumbs of food. Perhaps your little ones love running around the house with their snacks, or are simply just messy eaters. Whatever the case, one of the easiest ways to keep pests away is to ensure that you are always cleaning up food crumbs throughout the day. Whether in the kitchen, lounge or bedrooms, crumbs of food are one of the top reasons the creepy crawlies are attracted to your home. Eliminating crumbs, or food that is stored without proper sealing or packaging is one of the best ways to ensure that mice, ants, and other critters aren’t attracted to your home in the first place. A rule of thumbs is to always store food in tightly sealed containers, sweep crumbs up and take the bins out every day so that no food scraps are left around the house.
3. Seal Those Cracks and Gaps
Prevention is key, and sealing all the cracks and gaps in the home is one of the best ways of keeping pests away. Because bests can wiggle into your home through even the tiniest of cracks and gaps, we always recommend that you seal holes, check for foundation cracks, replace warped doors and repair any broken windows that may create a passageway for insects to enter your home. Seal any gaps or cracks you identify with coarse steel wool, copper mesh or sheet metal. Spend a weekend examining your home with a critical eye – you’ll be surprised at how open and inviting your home actually is to pests when you realize how many tiny gaps and openings you find in the exterior of your home.
4. Keep the Recyclables Outside
We are all for recycling and doing our part to save the environment, but one of the things that many of us look past when trying to keep the creepy crawlies out is the recycle bin. We often don’t empty the recycle bin daily, and instead, leave it there for a week or two until it fills up. This can often attract mice, ants, and other pests to your home, which is why we recommend keeping your recycling bin outside of the home. If you have no option but to keep the recyclables indoors, always wash all your bottles, containers and jars out thoroughly and ensure that your recycle bin has a tight-fitting lid. Another fantastic tip is to remember to clean the bins out once you empty it. Those few minutes of extra work are certainly worth it when it comes to keeping your home pest-free.
5. Keep The Home Clean
Last but not least, one of the easiest and most effective ways of keeping pests away from your home is to ensure that your space is kept clean and tidy at all times. The cleaner home is, the less attractive it is for pests and the less likely it will be that you will need to wage a war on the critters. We recommend doing a thorough clean of your home fortnightly, whilst doing little bits here and there on the daily to ensure that your home is always in tip-top condition.
We hope that this article has given you some handy tips when it comes to pest prevention as a parent. Follow some of the handy pointers above and you’ll both keep the critters out and the children safe from harmful substances or chemicals.