But, no matter how clean you keep your house, there are some pests that will still try to share your space with you. Here are a few hacks and tips to help keep them out of your home:
Spiders
Patch up any holes and cracks leading from the outside in. Ensure spaces around windows and doors are secured and apply sealant where necessary. Remove vegetation away from the perimeter of your house that is a great hiding spot for spiders and transplant shrubs to the other side of the garden. In the house, don’t leave any leftover food lying around as it could attract other vermin which can then attract spiders. Try using eucalyptus oil, tea tree or peppermint oil to keep them away. Fill a standard spray bottle with water and mix in 15 to 20 drops of the essential oil to spray down cracks and corners in your house and near entrances to your home. Spiders are said to hate the smell and will run in the opposite direction.
Mice
Some people think that mice are cute, and so long as they’re out of the house that’s a sentiment that many of us would agree with. But mice inside our homes? That’s more of a challenge! Mice are attracted to sources of food, so make sure your kitchen cupboards are well sealed up and that you never leave crumbs on the counters. Keep cereal in a plastic tub or glass container (rather than in cardboard boxes), and try not to leave piles of laundry or newspapers and magazines lying around… mice will make a nest in whatever they can find! Of course, you may still end up with an infestation in your home (particularly if you live in the countryside or your home backs onto a field), so if this the case for you, invest in decent mice traps. There are lots of designs on the market, including designs like this one where you won’t have to look or smell a dead mouse once it’s been caught and killed.
Ants
If you find an ant nest near your home, a first aid measure is to pour a kettle of boiling water over the site. If you don’t like the idea of doing this, you could try using some citrus juice to repel the ants. Lemon or orange juice freshly squeezed near where the ants roam sees them avoiding the area. Another trick is to make a solution of 30 drops of clove essential oil and 30 drops of peppermint essential oil, diluted with water in a spray bottle. It’s said to work a treat to make ants disappear. If all else fails, use insecticidal powder but be aware that this can be toxic to young children and pets.
Wasps, flies and mosquitoes
Keep food covered and make sure that both outside and indoor bins have proper fitting lids. Put up fly screens and avoid keeping windows and doors open to stop these pests from entering the home as they can bring with them diseases and spread dangerous bacteria. Clean out possible breeding sites for mosquitoes such as guttering, water butts and bird baths. Victor Pest also supplies a range of fly, wasp and mosquito solutions using techniques to lure and trap these menaces.
Despite our best efforts some of these creepy crawlies will still enter our home so it’s good to have these tips at hand to know how to deal with surprise visitors.
