How to Prepare for Fall with Preventive Pest Control

The leaves are changing color, the temperature is dropping, and many of the critters that have been content to stay outdoors are going to start looking for shelter. If your home is an accommodating attraction, you might find yourself with one or more kinds of common house pests that you would rather live without.

Don’t worry: this is a common problem, with common solutions. PURCOR is going to help you get ahead of any potential issues by offering our best, curated advice on how you should prevent a pest infestation, covering everything from your house plants to your dry foods.

At the end, we’ll circle back to how PURCOR can resolve any difficulty you have with more stubborn pests who are still finding a reason to hang around, even after you’ve critter-proofed your environment.

Common House Pests

There are many different types of pests that might invade your home. Some of the most common include ants, cockroaches, silverfish, spiders, and larger rodents like rats. Less common are even bigger rodents like opossum or raccoons (which PURCOR can also address with our wildlife retrieval service). These pests can not only be a nuisance, but they can also cause damage to your property and spread disease if left unchecked.

The best way to prevent pests from entering your home is to keep it clean and clutter-free—and while that sounds simple, it truly is the best way to prevent pests of all kinds. Be sure to seal any cracks or openings around the perimeter of your home and repair any leaks immediately. You should also avoid leaving food out in the open and empty garbage cans regularly. If pests regularly visit your home, you can take more intense measures to remove them through specialized pesticides and traps.

How to Prevent Pests in Houseplants

Most common pests can be prevented from bunkering down in your houseplants with a few simple steps:

• First, make sure to inspect your plants regularly for any early signs of infestation. This can be as obvious as seeing the pests, themselves, or possibly finding their leftovers—eggs, webs, partially-eaten leaves, etc.
• Second, keep your plants clean by wiping down the leaves and removing any dead leaves or debris. This gives pests fewer places to hide, and certain pests less food to consume.
• Lastly, consider using a pesticide on your plants if you have persistent problems with pests. Be mindful of which pesticides you use, as some of them may be toxic to children or pets.

Outdoor plants are, of course, a different story, but are also subject to pest-related difficulties. If you have plants sitting on your patio, for example, and squirrels tend to cause havoc with them, try laying down anti-squirrel spikes as a preventive pest control maneuver. This non-violent solution will strongly deter larger pests from scaling your patio fences and messing with your plants.

How Should You Store Dry Foods to Prevent Pest Infestation?

Dry food is particularly susceptible to infestation, so it’s important to know how to store it properly to prevent common house pests from getting into your food.

Here are a few of our best tips for how you should prevent a pest infestation by storing dry foods:

• Tip #1 – Store all dry foods in airtight containers made of glass, metal, or plastic. This not only protects them from being touched by pests, but also traps the attractive odors inside, so pests have no reason to investigate your pantries.
• Tip #2 – Avoid storing dry foods in cardboard boxes or paper bags, which can be easily chewed through by rodents.
• Tip #3 – Inspect all containers before bringing them into your home to make sure they’re not already infested. On this same note, check any new houseplants you introduce into your home to make sure they aren’t carrying any unwanted guests.
• Tip #4 – Keep your pantry clean and free of crumbs or spills.

Perform regular sweeps and wipe-downs of your kitchen area, as well. Sometimes the stray pieces of kibble and old juice stains on the countertop are the most attractive thing to your would-be house guests.

Preventive Pest Control—Courtesy of PURCOR

PURCOR is proud of our ability to examine our surroundings, diagnose the problem, and take the most effective action available to not only eliminate the issue as it exists, but help you prevent it from recurring in the future. As a company dedicated to the active evolution of pest control, we will respond to whatever your concern is with professionalism and haste, so your frustration and stress don’t need to last any longer than needed.

So, if you’ve found yourself with a particularly stubborn or aggravating situation (or if you want some preventative care in your home, business, yard, etc.), Contact us today for a free quote. Our experts would love to help set you up for success this Autumn, and create a worry-free situation for you or your family thanks to our effective and environmentally-conscious pest control solutions.