Pest infestation is one of the worst residential problems homeowners can face. If you've noticed gnaw marks on food packaging, debris, and chewed-off edges of packages, chances are you’re having a new roommate or a few. The presence of pests can lead to structural damages to the home and cause serious health consequences for you and your family. Keeping your home pest-free will be vital for everyone’s health and safety. To make sure all the rats, termites, moles, house mice, ants, cockroaches, and squirrels are nowhere near your home, you’re gonna have to take major steps. The last thing you need is a minor pest problem to get out of hand and bring you even more unwanted guests. Check out how you can easily prevent and solve pest problems before they get too severe.

Pest prevention is essential

Avoiding the pest problem is the best practice That’s why you should make sure you’re preventing the pests from ever infesting your home. You can start by removing sources of food, water and shelter. Make sure you store food in sealed plastic or glass containers, so the smells don’t spread. Keep garbage containing food scraps in tightly covered trash cans, and make sure you remove garbage regularly from your home. If you have any leaky plumbing, fix it as soon as possible. Prevent the water from collecting in trays under your house plants or refrigerator, and avoid leaving pet food and water out overnight. Close places where pests can enter and hide, such as caulk cracks and crevices around cabinets or baseboards.

Cutting off access points

Cutting off access points is another form of prevention. Go around the house and inspect it thoroughly. If you spot any cracks, seal them immediately so that roaches can’t enter your home. Inspect every bag and box you bring in from the garage, storage, even the grocery stores. Seal around windows, under doors, and around pipes. Even if a crack seems too small, seal it. Even the smallest hole will allow for a roach to squeeze through. Don’t forget about the yard too, and keep heavy vegetation away from your home.

Call professionals

Sometimes no matter how careful and thorough with prevention you are, pests find their way to your home. If that happens to you, you'll have no other choice but to call for reinforcement. Act immediately, and call residential pest control to carry out the necessary tasks. These professionals will guide you through the entire process, including treatment methods, pesticides used, and the general know-how. On top of that, you'll get invaluable advice on how to keep hygiene and prevent pest infestation in the future.

DIY methods to deal with common pests

If you’d rather try to deal with pests on your own, we can suggest several DIY pest control methods. For instance, if you mix equal parts of baking soda and powdered sugar, you can effectively kill cockroaches. With cucumbers, you can get rid of ants, wasps, mites, moths, flies, and other insects. It’s a natural and non-toxic ingredient perfectly safe for you to use. Have you noticed mice in your home? Soak a cotton ball in the oil of peppermint and place it at a suspected entryway. That is guaranteed to drive away mice. Spray alcohol on the pest-prone area and watch them run for the hills. Bed bugs will disappear after you wash and dry clothing and linens at high temperatures. Are you a fan of house plants? You can use neem and tulsi to prevent bed bugs from breeding.

Author's Bio: 

Neil White is a lifestyle journalist from Sydney, Australia. He likes to write about a lot of stuff. Huge soccer fan!