The holiday season is many people’s favorite time of year. It’s also quite a busy one. Between visits with friends and family, big feasts and boxes coming out of the attic, pests may also feel inclined to join in on the festivities. To make sure you’re not inviting pests as holiday guests, here’s what you can do:
Avoiding Bed Bugs While Traveling
Bed bugs are known for being expert hitchhikers. Holiday travel gives them a perfect opportunity to hitch a ride to your house, either on your luggage or your guests’ luggage. When you check into a hotel or settle in at a relative’s house, take a second to inspect the room for signs of bed bugs. Look closely at mattress seams, furniture and carpet. Keep your luggage on a hard surface off of the floor, like on a dresser or shelf. When you arrive home, wash and dry your clothes on high heat. If you’re hosting guests of your own, give their bedding a fresh wash before they arrive and immediately after they leave.
Preparing Meals for Guests, Not Pests
The holidays mean lots of cooking. Crumbs, spills and leftovers are an invitation for ants, roaches and rodents. Store baking ingredients, snacks and other pantry items in airtight containers. Clean up food spills and crumbs immediately after they happen. Take out the trash often while you’re hosting, and make sure garbage cans have securely fitting lids. Avoid leaving leftovers, pet food or dirty dishes out overnight. Before going to bed, sweep the kitchen floor to make sure no crumbs get missed.
Putting Away Decorations
Holiday decorations sit in basements, attics and garages for the majority of the year, easily becoming hiding spots for pests. Rodents, roaches and silverfish love cardboard because it provides nesting material, food sources or a simple place to take up shelter. When putting away decorations, opt for plastic storage bins with tight-fitting lids. They’re harder to chew through, and they don’t hold moisture. Before you bring your decorations inside, take a quick look for droppings, shredded or chewed material, or dead insects. Shake out artificial trees and wreaths outside before setting them up indoors.
Storing Firewood
There’s nothing better than sitting around a fire pit in the backyard or in front of the fireplace during the cold weather. It’s a cozy holiday favorite. When it comes to preventing a pest invasion, though, where you store your firewood matters. A stack of firewood next to your house can be a pest magnet for rodents and spiders. It’s best to keep wood piles off the ground and on a rack or shelf, preferably a few feet away from your home or in a storage shed.
Blocking Pests from Entering
As the temperatures drop in the Midwest, pests start looking for a warm place to take up shelter for the winter. Even if you’ve removed attractants like food and water, an opening around your home’s exterior can still be an invitation for pests to move indoors. Before the cold weather settles in, it’s worth sealing cracks and gaps around the foundation, doors, windows and pipes, as well as repairing torn screens and installing wire mesh over vents. It’s also smart to install weatherstripping around windows and door sweeps on doors leading outside. Block the pests before they have a chance to crash your holiday plans!
A little preparation now can help you ensure a pest-free holiday season. If they do sneak in, despite your best efforts, you know who to turn to. Contact Pro-Staff for professional Omaha pest treatment online or give us a call at (402) 819-7378 for a free inspection.
