Prevent Pest Problems in Your Baton Rouge Home

There are few things that can change your mood quicker than finding pests in your home. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to prevent having to deal with pests here in Baton Rouge. A pest problem is pretty easy to spot. Mice and rats in particular are not very good at cleaning up their tracks. If you have an infestation, you will start to see mouse droppings, which look like tiny oval pellets, and carpenter ants leave a trail of sawdust behind as they burrow into moist wood around your home. Ants with wings are a sure sign of an infestation because only the winged ones have the ability to reproduce. So how do you prevent these critters from getting inside in the first place?

Seal all holes and small cracks. The best way to keep pests from getting indoors is to block their chances of entry. Cracks will develop over time as foundations shift, so it is important to keep an eye out and monitor areas where cracks not only occur but grow. For example, did you know mice can enter your home through a hole the size of a pencil eraser? And cockroaches flatten their bodies to get into small cracks a fraction of their normal size? Hopefully this will help you realize how to prevent these pests from getting inside. Cover lager holes with wire mesh and add weather stripping around doors and windows for added protection.

Keep your home clean. Pests come in looking for food. The less you have available for them to eat, the less likely they will be to stick around and to return. Pests can enter even the cleanest homes, but they will live and reproduce in a dirty one. By frequently sanitizing, sweeping, vacuuming and mopping, you’re likely to eliminate an unwanted nest before the pests can hang around and multiply.

Use pest control in your gardening. Companion planting can keep some pests from even getting through your yard to your home. Basil, cayenne pepper, and marigolds have pungent smells that repel vermin and bugs. Mice do not like peppermint or cloves, and leaving a cotton ball soaked with peppermint oil can be an effective deterrent in your home.

While there are pest situations that you can handle yourself with home remedies or over-the-counter products, sometimes it is necessary to consult a professional. If you are unable to get to the nest because it is in the foundation, between walls, behind ceilings and stairs, or under floors, call in a pest-control expert. Many companies are now using greener pest-eradication techniques that won’t harm children or pets.

Stop pests as early on as you can, otherwise prepare to battle them for a few months as even exterminators recommend quarterly sprays to kill existing eggs and keep future bugs from entering your home. We wish you the best of luck in securing your Baton Rouge home from the inconvenience of intruding pests.