5 Things That Attract Pests to Your Home

In the Philippines, pest control remains an active issue. While infestations no longer happen as often as they used to, taking steps in preventing them from doing so should still be something all responsible homeowners must do.

While there could be numerous unique factors that could contribute to each infestation, there are also common household practices that may attract pests all the more.

Cluttered and stacked items

Most of the time home clutter is a part of everyday living. After all, people can’t help it if they want to keep items at home. Just make sure that it is stored in an organized and sustainable manner – that is, items are stacked cleanly, they are maintained every now and then, and they are not surrounded by easily biodegradable items such as paper or cardboard.

Roaches, rats, ants, and other critters love to burrow in the nooks and crannies of stuffed items, so take care to ensure that they don’t do so by spacing out your stored goodies and dusting them off every once in a while. Haphazardly piled items are a strict no-go if you want to keep your house pest-free.

Improper containment of garbage

Garbage in itself is already unappealing – it’s smelly, it’s disorganized, and most of all, it’s downright dirty. All traits that repel the common man but attract the common pest. That said, keep your garbage well. Here are some tips:

• Use sealed bags before disposing of your trash outside for collection. This will keep it from spilling out onto the ground, creating more of a mess.
• Keep your garbage in lidded containers whenever possible, especially when indoors. It will deny flies access to it.
• Dispose of organic trash as soon as you can. Do not keep it indoors for more than a day. (You can also compost some of it if you have a garden.)
• Lightly wash and segregate plastics or glass before throwing them away.
• Have lidded/closed outdoor trash cans. It will prevent the surrounding are from smelling crummy while also keeping it out of reach of stray dogs or cats.

Retaining stagnant water

Just like humans, common pests also require the presence of water. Needless to say, an abundance of it, stagnant and unmoving, is a direct invite for all nearby insects to come and live with you. This is true especially for insects because stagnant water is their favourite breeding ground.

Thankfully, the solution is simple – change your water often. That, or keep your home reasonably dry whenever possible.

Open doors and windows

Keeping your home’s interior safe from outdoor threats such as pests is as easy as closing your doors and windows. If there is a need to keep them open, though, try installing screens instead. That way, the house remains ventilated without the potential problem of letting outdoor critters in.

Tiny nooks and crannies

Small, open places are the perfect hiding place for pests. Keep from building them these homes by always making sure that items are placed well. Also check for structural dents such as cracks and whatnot; stuff little holes where they could possibly burrow in. Old walls and aging furniture are prime suspects – if you have any of these, regularly inspect them!

With the aforementioned tips, it may seem like home pest control takes a lot of effort But the truth is that so long as your environment is clean and well-maintained, you won’t have to worry about infestations any time soon.