If you’re like most home-owners, you want to keep pesky pests and creepy crawlies well away from your home. Coming in unannounced, these uninvited guests can do a lot of damage to your place of residence, and even your loved-ones. When looking to tackle this problem head on, you will need to run through the basics of keeping your home pest-free. To help you, here are the essential preventive measures and control methods you can employ.

Keep It Clean

Most animals we consider pests arrive to our homes for two reasons: food and warmth. By keeping your home clean you are denying pests the reason to enter your residence. When it comes to trash, always use trash containers with a lid, and make sure to rinse out excess food from plastic or glass jars and bottles. After cooking, wipe down countertops, stoves, ovens and sinks with kitchen solutions, and make sure to keep all dry goods in sealed containers.

Get Rid Of Damp and Moisture

Many insects, like cockroaches, millipedes and lice, are also attracted to damp conditions. To get rid of insects, you want to moisture-proof your residence, start at the kitchen and bathroom. Fix leaky faucets and make a DIY drain cleaner to clear clogs, since pests can thrive in the leftover particles found in pipes. Additionally, make sure to deal with mold in your home, since it too can provide a breeding ground for pests.

Set Traps

One of the safest methods to get rid of pests is setting efficient, non-toxic  traps, claim the guys at Gold Coast Pest Control. While some traps use chemicals, these can also harm your pets or your loved ones. When it comes to rodents use glue or mouse traps, while for insects you could resort to flypaper or bug-zappers. Alternatively, you can make a trap, by mixing sugar and borax with water in jars, which can lure ants and fruit flies.

Use Natural Pesticides

When resorting to pesticides, always try to choose natural solutions. Essential oils of some plants, like lavender or lemongrass, mixed in with alcohol, can get rid of ticks, mosquitoes, fleas and flies. Use the solution to spray known infected areas of your home, or throughout your home, as they won’t harm your family and give out a fragrant scent.

Introduce Animals That Help with Pest Control

Welcoming pest control animals into your home can be yet another simple solution to your problem. While they may not be the complete answer to the question of pest control, they help in controlling pest populations, and serve as a preventive measure. As natural predators, cats and barn owls can be used to prey upon rodents and larger pests. Similarly, welcoming spiders, bats and sparrows into your home or garden helps keep insect populations away from your residence.

Plant Insect-Repelling Flora

When it comes to naturally repelling insects from your home, you can plant insect-repelling herbs and flowers. Outside, on your deck, in the garden, or near doors and windows, you can plant citronella, marigolds, or catnip. The fragrance they give off can repel insects from your home, as well as protect other plants in your garden. Inside, you can create an herb garden in your kitchen, and use basil or rosemary as your main bug repellent plants.

When All Else Fails…

Sometimes, none of the natural ways to get rid of pests are quick or powerful enough to get rid of pests. In those cases, it is best to seek professional help. Pest control experts can use appropriate pesticides to eliminate all the pests from your home. Remember to check into a hotel during that time, and, once you return, clean your home thoroughly.

Even though sometimes toxic chemicals are the only solution to pest control, they can be harmful to your family, so use it only as a back-up plan, trying basic natural pest control methods first. However, the best solution for pest control is always prevention, so make use of natural repellents and keep your residence clean. It will ensure unwanted guests stay where they belong – outside your home.