NeGaS
10-27-2004, 01:12 AM
Keep it clean!
Pests love leftovers.
Wipe counters and sweep daily to keep your kitchen free of crumbs.
Do the dishes -- don't let them sit overnight. As a last resort, submerge dishes in soapy water until you have time to do them.
Keep your stove area clean and free from cooking grease. Vacuum and sweep frequently to remove food and pest eggs.
Don't feed them.
Store all food in tightly sealed containers.
Compost food scraps or seal waste in plastic bags and place in a container with a tight fitting lid.
Wash recyclables in soapy water and drain before storing.
Empty the garbage frequently and place in a closed can or dumpster. Keep the area clean and dry.
Remove pet dishes at night or place in soapy moats.
Reduce sources of water.
Moisture attracts pests.
Remove standing water in trays under your house plants and refrigerator.
Fix leaky plumbing promptly.
Check the attic regularly for slow roof leaks.
Bar the door.
Keep out crawling and flying pests.
Seal openings in the walls around baseboards, in the backs and floors of cabinets and around shelves.
Keep doors to the outside shut when not in use.
Install tight fitting screens and weatherstripping on windows and doors.
Install screens on air vent openings, and seal or screen crawl-space openings on the outside of your home.
Install screens on roof vent pipe openings.
Caulk cracks and crevices inside and outside your home, including holes in siding where wires, cables and plumbing enter the house, and holes and cracks in the foundation.
Tidy up.
Clutter provides homes for pests.
Organize papers and boxes so you can clean around them.
Recycle newspapers and cartons frequently.
Regularly inspect stored material for pests.
Revive the custom of a thorough spring cleaning and routine vacuuming.
Get them where they hide.
Pests can't set up house if you get rid of the materials that shelter them.
Trim plants, shrubs, trees and ground covers so they don't touch the house.
Store wood away from your home, elevated above the ground, preferably on a metal rack.
Remove diseased plants, tree prunings, fallen fruit and leaves.
Remove piles of rocks, lumber or debris.
Remove breeding sites.
Pests breed where there is water and food.
Scoop up pet droppings promptly.
Don't leave pet food outside where pests can feast.
Look for and drain any standing water.
Direct drain pipes and other water sources away from your house.
Eliminate direct contact between wood and soil. Ideally, wood should be at least 8" above soil level.
Use rot-resistant plastic lumber in landscaping.
Pests love leftovers.
Wipe counters and sweep daily to keep your kitchen free of crumbs.
Do the dishes -- don't let them sit overnight. As a last resort, submerge dishes in soapy water until you have time to do them.
Keep your stove area clean and free from cooking grease. Vacuum and sweep frequently to remove food and pest eggs.
Don't feed them.
Store all food in tightly sealed containers.
Compost food scraps or seal waste in plastic bags and place in a container with a tight fitting lid.
Wash recyclables in soapy water and drain before storing.
Empty the garbage frequently and place in a closed can or dumpster. Keep the area clean and dry.
Remove pet dishes at night or place in soapy moats.
Reduce sources of water.
Moisture attracts pests.
Remove standing water in trays under your house plants and refrigerator.
Fix leaky plumbing promptly.
Check the attic regularly for slow roof leaks.
Bar the door.
Keep out crawling and flying pests.
Seal openings in the walls around baseboards, in the backs and floors of cabinets and around shelves.
Keep doors to the outside shut when not in use.
Install tight fitting screens and weatherstripping on windows and doors.
Install screens on air vent openings, and seal or screen crawl-space openings on the outside of your home.
Install screens on roof vent pipe openings.
Caulk cracks and crevices inside and outside your home, including holes in siding where wires, cables and plumbing enter the house, and holes and cracks in the foundation.
Tidy up.
Clutter provides homes for pests.
Organize papers and boxes so you can clean around them.
Recycle newspapers and cartons frequently.
Regularly inspect stored material for pests.
Revive the custom of a thorough spring cleaning and routine vacuuming.
Get them where they hide.
Pests can't set up house if you get rid of the materials that shelter them.
Trim plants, shrubs, trees and ground covers so they don't touch the house.
Store wood away from your home, elevated above the ground, preferably on a metal rack.
Remove diseased plants, tree prunings, fallen fruit and leaves.
Remove piles of rocks, lumber or debris.
Remove breeding sites.
Pests breed where there is water and food.
Scoop up pet droppings promptly.
Don't leave pet food outside where pests can feast.
Look for and drain any standing water.
Direct drain pipes and other water sources away from your house.
Eliminate direct contact between wood and soil. Ideally, wood should be at least 8" above soil level.
Use rot-resistant plastic lumber in landscaping.