A Pest for Every Room

Home is where our families and loved ones are. Unfortunately, it can also be home to pests.

Throughout the year, our homes welcome pests of all kinds. A bug has probably already made itself comfortable in each room in your house. While most of them are probably there just there to bug us, some pests can pose a more serious threat to our family’s health.

Getting rid of these unwelcome guests can be a bit tricky. Given the health hazards, it would be good to consider hiring an exterminator service for residences. But before we even get there, it’s important to get to know these bugs before these pests turn into unwanted pets.

Bedroom Bugs

A good night’s sleep is essential to any person’s overall well-being, but if you’re sharing your bed with a family of bugs, that’s not exactly possible.

Bedbugs are some of the less hazardous home pests, but they can really be annoying. They bite you while you’re sleeping, and because they are so tiny, they can creep into your homes and onto your beds unnoticed.

If you’ve been waking up with these insect bites on your body, and you find some bits of bedbug excrement, tiny bloodstains, or even bedbug eggshells on your mattress, then it would be time to take action. You’ll need to do a thorough cleaning of your sheets, mattress, and even the areas surrounding your bed.

Use caution when using chemicals to clean your mattress. After all, you, your pets, and your children will be lying down on it. Some say sprinkling diatomaceous earth is a good, pet-safe way of killing these bugs, but it’s best to call an expert for more serious infestations.

The Kitchen Flies 

The cleanliness of your kitchen is paramount. It’s where you prepare your family’s food after all. Unfortunately, many pests also thrive in kitchens.

One such pest is the fruit fly. It’s more of just a nuisance, really, but it can also potentially transmit and contaminate food with bacteria.

As with almost any pest, it’s important to get rid of the things that the pests are attracted to in the first place. Maybe you’ve made your home feel like home to these pests, too!

Fruit flies are attracted to fruits and vegetables that have over-ripened. They really love wet, fermenting surfaces, so ensure that rotting fruits and vegetables are discarded and that your kitchen is spic and span, with no moist and dirty corners.

Cloth Moth

You know that classic image of a person opening an old, musty chest in the attic, and after blowing off the dust, a moth flies out?

Moths don’t just infest old, untouched cabinets. They can also settle into regularly used closets. Not all moths are the same, but two of them are species that attack clothes. If you have pieces of clothing that are special and irreplaceable, you might want to pay more attention.

Using mothballs is effective, but they’re not exactly safe to have around the house. Apart from thorough cleaning, this would be a good time to call the exterminators.

Garage Mites

The truth is, termites can settle in basically any part of the house. “Garage Mites” just sounded like a nice band name.

Kidding aside, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), termites cause billions in structural damage every year, and Americans spend two billion to get rid of them.

Just as prevention is the best cure for many diseases, one of the best times to avoid termites is during the construction of your house. But for many of us dealing with termites, that’s way beyond our control.

There are various termite treatments, and some are non-chemical such as structural design or the use of certain fungi. Others are a bit riskier because they necessitate the use of chemicals, which the EPA regulates.

When using them yourself, you’ll need to exercise caution, ensure that you follow the instructions to a T, and follow protocol (you and your family might have to stay out of the house for a while). This is why calling an exterminator would seem like a better, safer option for termites.

Home pests are an unavoidable reality of life. They come undetected but can leave a mark that can last for days or even permanent damage to our belongings. They can even threaten the structural integrity of our homes!

As with any problem, it’s best to avoid the things that cause them to begin with and know when it’s time to call for help.