Dealing with Household Pests

Household pests -- everything from cockroaches to ants to mice -- are a perennial problem for homeowners. No matter how much you try to take care of your home, thest pests keep coming back. These unwelcome guests are more than an annoyance, they can potentially cause health problems, or damage your home.

What can the homeowner do to control pests? The first thing is to learn about the types of pests that you have -- where they come from, where they live, what they eat, and how they enter your home. Armed with this information, you can take steps to make your home less inviting to pests.

Some common-sense pest control tips include:

• Make it difficult for pests to enter your home. Seal cracks and crevices where pests might enter. Make sure that things which might attract pests aren't piled near exterior walls.



• Inside your home, make sure you keep food and water sources away from pests. Clean up the kitchen, and don't leave food scraps out. Keep pet food packaged in a tight container, and don't leave it out overnight.

Other steps you might take will depend on the pest you are trying to control. The following pages describe strategies for dealing with specific pests:

Ants: All ants are not alike. See if you can determine the type of ant you are dealing with, and then use the appropriate control methods to locate and destroy the colony. Learn more with these tips for controlling ants.

Mice: If you see one mouse, chances are that he has plenty of brothers and sisters. Because they breed so quickly, mice can be a challenge to control. Here are some tips for controlling mice.

Termites: Unlike many household pests, by the time you see termites in your house, they may have already caused considerable damage. That's why it's important that you check for termite damage.

Copyright © 2004-2009 Do It Over.com