Household nuisances, such as rodents and pests, can stir quite a bit of trouble. There are several different types of pests with their own seasons, whereas rodents typically seek shelter inside your home during the fall and winter for food and warmth. These pesky critters can be tiresome and stressful to deal with, so it’s in your best interest to rodent and pest-proof your home before those creatures even have a chance to infiltrate your residence. While prevention is ideal, it’s not impossible that these rodents can still manage to penetrate the barrier of your home, leaving you to deal with an infestation. Here are a few ways to prevent and handle those annoying, unwelcome visitors.

Know the Signs of Rodents and Pests

It’s crucial that you remain aware of potential signs of rodents and pests before they can find their way into your home. At night, if you hear strange, inexplicable scratching noises, chances are you’re dealing with rodents in your house. Of course, noises aren’t sufficient evidence. To verify your suspicions, there are a couple of other common indications of rodents and pests. Are there random holes in bags containing food? There’s a high probability that rodents and pests are chewing their way into your food. Upon closer inspection of the baseboards of your walls, scratch and rub marks can indicate the presence of rodents. Notice tiny droppings on the floor? That’s a telltale sign. It’s much easier to deal with a potential infestation in the earlier stages, so make sure you take action as soon as possible.

Seal Entry Points

The most crucial method to keep unwanted rodents and pests out of your home is to seal up any potential point of entry. Pests can enter your home through miniscule cracks and damaged mesh screens, and rodents can enter through holes that are less than a centimeter wide. Inspect the foundation of your home, windows, doors, and vents to pinpoint any cracks and crevices that could serve as potential entry points. Since rodents and pests can fit through small openings, you will want to block any holes you come across.

Clean Up

There are many factors that attract unwanted critters to your home, one of which is food. Unfortunately for us, leaving out food or failing to clean up food crumbs can be a magnet for rodents and pests. On the flip side, it’s actually pretty easy to deal with; you just need to make a few changes to your routine. Start off by transferring dry foods from their initial bags to containers. This will prevent rodents from chewing their way into your foods. Remember to  sweep your kitchen floor and sanitize your countertops at the end of each day, removing any remnants of food left behind after meals. Considering rodents and pests' natural attraction to food, you will want to ensure your kitchen space is as clean and organized as possible. 

Set Traps

There are dozens of different traps available on the market. A few examples are: glue mouse traps, which can also work to catch pests; a spring-loaded mouse trap, which is one of the most common traps; and a bucket mouse trap. Setting traps around your house is a practical and traditional way to deal with mice, rats, or even bugs. The efficacy of the traps you set rely on numerous factors, such as the type of trap you’re using, where you set them up, and the bait you set up alongside the traps.

Consider Hiring Control Services

If all else fails and the problem seems to be intensifying, it might be time to look into hiring a rodent and pest control company. It’s important to spend time conducting thorough research into different companies to find a service that caters your needs to perfection and stays within your budget.

Rodents and pests are bothersome to deal with, but it doesn’t have to be that way. By taking the aforementioned precautionary steps to prevent an infestation and keep the critters out, you can save yourself from a mess down the line if these pests start chewing up electrical wires or leaving other damage around your home. Protecting your home will be a worthwhile investment that will ultimately save you time and money in the long run.