4 Ways To Winter Proof Your Home From Pests and Maintain Pest Control

The winter season is upon us – say welcome to cozy nights sipping hot chocolate in front of a fire, enjoy delicious stews to warm the belly, and bust out those wardrobes favourites that have been hiding away for too long!

Unfortunately, winter is also the time many homes become infested with pests. Food is scarce, it’s cold outside, and your home is chocka block full of warm spots to nest and dinner leftovers to steal.

If you’re worried about keeping your home free from bugs and rodents this winter, never fear! We’ve collected our team’s favourite pest proofing tips for the winter season so you can stop worrying about your home.

1. Tidy up your kitchen!

Insects and rodents love food that’s easy to find, close to a water source and in a nice, warm spot. Sound like somewhere you know well?

Yep, kitchens are the number one culprit for attracting pests in the home.

So how do we stop them from looking like a delicious banquet opportunity? First of all, get rid of your garbage! Make sure your bin is sealed so nothing can get in, or take it out to the disposal bin every evening. You should also make sure all food, especially grains and pastas, are stored in tightly sealed jars or tupperware container.

And finally, a trick I’m sure many of your grandparents will know – wipe your bench tops with a vinegar solution before you go to bed at night. This removes odor trails left by foraging insects, decreasing the chance of attracting more pests!

2. Get rid of those holes

You might not even be aware, but your home is full of holes!

Ants, cockroaches and other insects will find their way in through the most minute of spaces, and mice and rats are experts in squeezing through the tiniest of gaps.

An easy hole-filler solution is silicone. Grab a tube at your local hardware store and seal those cracks and entry points in no time. And as an added bonus – sealing up these gaps will stop cold drafts from entering your home, helping you keep it nice and cozy!

3. Pop a brush strip on your doors

Remember those daggy old door rugs your nanna used to block off every door with? They may not of looked fabulous, but they sure did the trick! Not only great for keeping out those nasty cold drafts, those door rugs made sure nothing – and we mean nothing! – was getting through that door gap.

These days there’s a much more stylish solution – the brush strip. Most hardware stores sell them, you can choose from adhesive or screw installation, and they’re relatively inexpensive. Attach to the bottom of your door to block of any small gaps at the base, and say goodbye to pests!

4. Keep your house dry

Water serves two functions for rodents, cockroaches and other pests. It’s a water fountain… and a breeding ground.

Yup. Great news, huh?

So how can you keep water, of all things, out of your home? Your first obvious step is to keep your kitchen sink free from dirty dishes and make sure you don’t plug the drain for long periods of time.

Search your house for pools of standing water – it may be in places you don’t expect! Check pipes under the sink aren’t leaking, check your attic and basement for damp, and make sure you dry your boots before walking in the house!

A handy tool for the winter is a dehumidifier, which will get rid of excess moisture in the air and help keep your home nice and dry.

Don’t let pests invade your home this winter! Take these few simple steps and keep your home, warm, dry and completely insect and rodent free! If you have any more questions, or are experiencing pest control problems beyond your control, give the team at Best 1 Cleaning a call!