Yahoo Finance Property DIY: How to get rid of pests in the home
Creepy-crawlies, rodents and other unwelcome guests often make a beeline for our homes at this time of year. Here’s how to deal with them and ensure they stay away.
Preventative measures
Hungry pests come into our homes in search of easy pickings, so ramping up hygiene and keeping surfaces scrupulously clean – particularly in the kitchen – goes a long way towards deterring them.
Wipe down worktops, sweep and mop the floor, cover leftovers and wash up promptly. Seal open food packets with clips or – even better – store their contents in airtight containers.
Flying bugs gravitate towards light, so pull down blinds and close curtains when windows are open at night.
Rats
The most reviled of all household pests, rats are also the most resilient and both a heath and fire risk, as not only do they spread disease but are notorious for chewing through electric cables.
The odd rat can be caught in a humane trap (these are widely available) and released into the wild but infestations must to be dealt with by a pro.
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To stop them coming back you’ll need to block their entry points. Seal holes and fill gaps in the exterior of your property – such as those around pipes – and remove potential hiding places by cutting back shrubs, low-lying branches and dense plants to at least four feet away from the house.
Mice
Even if you don’t see or hear mice scuttling around, their droppings – resembling dark grains of rice – are a giveaway.
They can get into your home through a hole the diameter of a pen, so block gaps at pipe entry points and in skirting boards with expanding foam or wire wool, and fit mesh over ground level air vents.
Set traps using cheese or peanut butter as bait, and consider getting a cat as the ultimate deterrent. Mice love terraces as they can freely move from house to house under the floorboards or across the lofts, so alert your neighbours if you have a problem.
"Mice use gutter systems as highways to get into your house and a hole in the eave provides direct access to the attic," says Jordan Foster of Fantastic Pest Control. "Never underestimate a mouse. There is almost nothing they cannot climb, jump, or burrow into.""
Wasps
Part and parcel of summer, wasps have a very sweet tooth, so make sure sugary spills and crumbs are dealt with quickly, and that dustbin lids are firmly shut.
While the occasional wasp is nothing to worry about, a high volume swarming in a the same spot – such as just below the edge of the roof – or a steady stream in a room with no windows open indicates there may a nest.
These are typically found in eaves, lofts, sheds, chimneys and even wall cavities and if not causing any problems, can be left to die off naturally in winter. Otherwise get the nest removed by a pest controller and don’t attempt to tackle it yourself.
Wasps are believed to hate the smell of peppermint oil, so add a few drops to a bottle filled with water and spray round the house and they’ll have second thoughts about returning.
Cockroaches
Cleanliness is the enemy of cockroaches, which usually feed at night and can be identified by their long antennae, scuttling noise and signature smell.
Deter them by spraying a few drops of tea tree oil mixed into a solution of one part vinegar and four parts water onto worktops and into crevices, and use eco-friendly glue traps that don’t contain harmful insecticides.
Flies
Warm weather’s a gift to house flies and bluebottles as they fester in bins and rotting food.
Catch them in sticky traps and remove temptation by taking rubbish out regularly, never leaving food uncovered and attending to cat litter trays as soon as they’ve been used. rea
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Try growing lemongrass and basil in pots on your window ledge as they’re not keen on the smell. Tiny fruit flies are very persistent but are easy to trap, as Rachael Kiss of Alliance Online explains.
"Fill a small bowl or jar with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of washing-up liquid. Cover the container with plastic wrap and poke some small holes to entice the flies – this works with red wine too"
Clothes moths
You’ll normally only be aware of an infestation once you start to find holes in clothes. It’s not the moths themselves but their larvae that eat natural fibres like wool and silk, and they can be killed by popping garments into an airtight bags then into the freezer for 72 hours.
Discourage them from coming back by vacuuming wardrobes and drawers, and washing items before storing in sealable plastic bags. Lavender, rosemary and bay leaves are natural deterrents, so place sprigs in muslin bags amongst your clothes.
