Nobody likes a house full of bugs. With summer quickly approaching, without the proper stop gaps in place you will have a house full of unwelcomed guests. In the last blog we looked at utilizing screens and filling any cracks or gaps on the outside of your home to keep the bugs outside where they belong. We at Okotoks Real Estate would now like to offer the following indoor tips for keeping you house bug free.
Clean
By keeping a clean home, you are less likely to attract any bugs. This is especially true in the kitchen. Where there is food and water, there is surely to be bugs. Make sure you are not leaving crumbs, scraps or food packages around. Also do not leave dishes overnight and remember to regularly vacuum and wipe down the stovetop. Remove any clutter in your home such as recycling, and keep a generally tidy home to prevent any bugs from setting up home in your home. Do not forget to take out your garbage as frequently as possible. Insects are far more sensitive to smell than we are so they may be attracted to the smells in your garbage far before it starts to smell.
If you own pets, make sure that you are keeping them clean as well. Certain bugs love dog or cat food and the water dish is always a great place for insects to get a quick drink of water. Make sure that your pets feeding station is cleaned regularly. Clean cat litter frequently and do not forget to wash your pet’s blankets to keep unwanted pests away.
Seal and Scrub
Do not leave food out on counters or the table. Instead, seal or put away all perishables. Leaving fruit out can quickly attract fruit flies. Instead, put all fruit in the refrigerator, and pull it out only when needed. Put all open foods in sealable containers to be stored either in the refrigerator, cupboards or the pantry. This also applies to all pet food as well. Store all pet food in a sealable container to avoid attracting bugs.
When you are taking out recyclables or the trash, take the extra time to scrub out all recyclables to remove any excess waste from the containers and scrub out the garbage can itself. By scrubbing out your garbage can, you will eliminate any smelly or sticky substances that may attract insects. These two quick steps will take almost no time at all but will have a large impact on keeping your home bug free.
A clean home will keep the bugs away. Remember that next time you are asked to take out the garbage or clean up after dinner. By taking out the garbage regularly, cleaning up after yourself and putting all food away in its proper place, you should enjoy a bug free summer.