Spring Cleaning Tips That Keep Pests Away

Weather might still be unpredictable in early spring, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good idea to get going with spring cleaning. When you roll your sleeves up and tackle spring cleaning, you also get in front of pest problems. Today, we'll look at a few common pests in our area and give you some simple spring-cleaning tips to help you stop them from taking over your home.

Stop spring ant infestations

If you’re a homeowner, you’re probably not a stranger to ants. It seems like these nuisance pests show up in every room, especially once spring arrives. To prevent ant infestations this spring, we recommend taking a few steps. Firstly, you should eliminate any sources of food and water both inside your home and in your yard. Secondly, deep clean your kitchen, bathroom, and other areas that are susceptible to ant activity. Properly storing food and addressing any moisture issues inside will also help keep ants away. Additionally, cleaning up your yard, creating a crushed rock perimeter around the foundation, and removing any outdoor food sources will discourage ants from entering your home.

Keep spiders out

Spiders love dark spaces, including basements and attics. They’ll also hide out in the corners of rooms, under furniture, and other spots that keep them out of the spotlight but close to potential food sources. In order to keep spiders out, we suggest the following tips:

• Eliminate clutter
• Use durable storage containers with covers instead of cardboard boxes
• Replace door sweeps and weatherstripping
• Vacuum up spider webs inside the house and throw the vacuum bag out immediately after
• Apply a seal along the edge of your window trimming and exterior door frames
• Fill in structural cavities with expanding foam

Make your property less appealing to termites

Termites are attracted to moisture, and they love rotting or water-damaged wood. While working in your yard this spring, be sure to haul away rotting or dying trees and logs, remove stumps, and pick up leaf litter and other organic debris.

You should also clear out clogged gutters and make sure downspouts and splash blocks divert water away from the foundation.

Inside the home, replace water-damaged wood, repair leaks, and address areas prone to moisture problems.

Deter rodent activity

Your spring-cleaning efforts can address attractants that lure rats and mice onto your property and into your home.

• Pick up yard clutter to remove touch stimuli.
• Haul off junk piles to remove hiding places.
• Make sure all trash cans are clean and covered to keep smells from attracting rats and mice.
• Remove wood piles and get rid of stored wood in your crawlspace or under your deck.
• Rake nuts up and remove them to eliminate a desirable food source for rodents.

Clearing out unnecessary yard clutter and keeping things clean will go a long way toward preventing a rodent infestation.

These spring-cleaning tips will help with other pests, too

In addition to preventing ants, spiders, termites, and rodents, the tips outlined above will also help keep other pests, such as centipedes, millipedes, roaches, and silverfish, from invading this spring.