
Courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net – Artist: bigjom
There is something disheartening about moving into a new home to find out there are mice, bugs, or other creepy crawlies already living in your new home. Fortunately, we have plenty of options to get unwanted guests out of the house quickly. Follow these pest control tips to get rid of them quickly.
Pest Control Tip #1: Give the Home a Deep Clean
The first step to getting rid of pests that have made residence in an empty home is to give everything a thorough cleaning. Most new homeowners want to do this anyway, as it is impossible to know how much cleaning the prior owner did before moving out.
If things are way too bad, you can always hire a maid if you don’t want to do the cleaning yourself.
Pest Control Tip #2: Pick the Right Spray
If you have a spider or insect problem, an insecticide spray will do a lot to help. Just make sure you pick the right spray for your needs. Look at the can (or bottle) and check the list of species and compare to the infestation you have at home.
If you have any pets or small children, also make sure you buy something safe for your family.
Pest Control Tip #3: Set Out Traps
For ants and mice, traps can be the best method for a quick eradication. Like with sprays, make sure you choose something that will not harm pets or children, or keep them far out of reach for kids and the sniff zone for pets.
For ants, some traps contain a poison that the ants can also bring back to the nest. For mice and rats, you can choose between single use sticky traps or the traditional reusable snap traps. If you go the spring loaded snap trap route, be careful not to pinch your fingers when setting them and baiting them around the house.
Pest Control Tip #4: Bring in the Professionals
If you do-it-yourself efforts do not make a big difference, it is time to call in the professionals. You can hire a pest removal and treatment service to come to your house and use higher end chemicals to stop the problem.
When hiring, you can choose between a big, national chain or a local service provider. If you go local, you can find the highest rated and best priced company on Yelp as a trustworthy option.
Pest Control Tip #5: Keep Things Clean
Once the problem is dealt with, keep your home clean going forward. A dirty kitchen or bathroom, or food left out anywhere in the home, are the quickest ways to attract bugs and rodents back onto the property.
In addition, you can make sure your windows and doors are well sealed and you can walk the perimeter of the house looking for and cracks or openings that a small animal can use to get inside.
Buy an Infestation Clean Home
If you are in the market for a new home, always look for evidence of insects, spiders, and rodents when viewing the property for the first time and again during your inspection.
Having a trusted real estate agent by your side helps as well, as they have the experience and knowledge to spot problem areas before they become your problem. Find a quality, vetted agent today at AgentHarvest.
If you are buying or selling a house and are looking to hire a successful real estate agent to help you through the process, take a look at AgentHarvest's list of top-ranking local Realtors in your area. We found these agents by examining their sales track records, awards, rankings, client testimonials and by conducting personal interviews.
I appreciate your tip on calling in a professional to handle your pest problem if your initial efforts don’t work. I imagine that a professional exterminator could probably do a much more thorough job than you could. My wife and I recently moved and we just found out we have a rodent problem so maybe we should call an exterminator to make sure it gets taken care of right.
My husband and I just got a new house and are trying to get rid of the pest in it. I’ll have to make sure that if our DIY steps don’t work that we call in professionals. Thanks for the advice about how to deal with pests.
It is funny how much cleanliness has to do with this type of thing. I never really have any problems with pests as long as I am keeping up with the housework. However, as soon as I start slacking off, bugs and rodents seems to know.
Thanks for the wonderful tips! Not everyone can afford professional help but most of the home owners do suffer from the problem. Your article is a big help for those people including me. Keep writing more on this topic, will look forward to it.
Good luck!
Sophia
Sometimes, even the cleanest homes can end up with pests. Our garage is full of mice no matter how clean we keep it. We finally realized how they were getting in and once that hole was sealed, we were free of them. Many of them are just looking for a warm place to hang out as the weather gets colder.