Tiny cracks under the door. Little spaces by windows. These are wide open gates, inviting bugs into your house. While it seems nearly impossible to keep bugs out all the time, here are some easy ways to make them scarce.
Take a close look at your screens, windows, and doors. If you see any cracks or holes, caulk them or repair them. Little cracks are like wide-open doors for bugs.
If you see annoying bugs in your home, you can control them with Ortho® Elementals™ Home Insect Killer. Its active ingredient is soy-bean oil, so it's safe to use around kids and pets when used as directed.
Different bugs like different foods. Ants go for the sweet stuff. Grain moths love rice and cereal. Make sure your food is stowed away in sealed containers and your floors are nice and clean. You can even store flour in the freezer.
Some house bugs, such as earwigs, like damp places. Make sure you keep areas near dehumidifiers, air conditioners, and water pipes as dry as possible.
Good housekeeping keeps bugs away. Don't forget your kitchen-sink and bathtub drains. Drain flies live in there, and fly out to look for food. Use a drain cleaner on a regular basis to keep these pests from becoming a problem.
On the inside and perimeter of your home, create a perimeter band with Ortho® Home Defense MAX® Perimeter & Indoor Insect Killer. It kills home-invading insects and has a long-lasting control. It kills bugs inside, keeps bugs out. Just follow the directions.
Firewood stacks, compost sites, and yard waste are good hiding places for bugs that might move indoors. Make sure these places are away from the house. Before you bring in firewood, check it for bugs hitching a free ride.
Bugs like a nice home for the same basic reasons you do. They want food, water, and shelter. If they can find these in your house, they'll move in. Common bugs found in the home are earwigs, vinegar flies, drain flies, cockroaches, silverfish, house centipedes, firebrats, spiders, and ants. Pet owners sometimes have to deal with fleas in the house. These pests may show up at different times of the year, and are more of a problem in some regions more than others.
