‘Tis the season for family gatherings, delicious food, and gift-giving. The last thing anyone wants to think about is a potential pest problem – but unfortunately, pests of all shapes and sizes also like to hunker down during cold weather, and your home looks pretty inviting to them as well.
The Forest Pest Control team is here with 5 seasonal tips to help you keep your home and loved ones safe from pests!
1. Check Decorations
Time to dig out the decorations! Before you start decking the halls, make sure you check your stored decor for signs of pest activity. You might notice rodent droppings, which aren’t just gross; they can potentially carry hantavirus – a very serious disease.
- Signs of rodent activity include:
- Shredded paper, cardboard, or plastic
- Gnaw marks
- Chewed string lights
If you suspect a rat or mouse got into your decorations, do not use them; throw them out and replace them instead. Remember not to use broken string lights. Any exposed wiring could be a fire hazard, so throw out any damaged strings and replace them as well.
2. Shake Out The Greenery
Both in the wild and on the tree lot, your Christmas tree has plenty of opportunities to pick up pest hitchhikers that would be delighted to set up shop in your home. So before you take your tree indoors, give it a good shake to dislodge any spiders or other bugs that might be riding along. You could also use a natural pesticide, such as diatomaceous earth, on the tree to kill those pests before setting up your holiday centerpiece.
Homemade wreaths and garlands can be a fun DIY project to do with the kids – but make sure the branches and leaves you bring inside don’t have any bugs hanging on. Give them a shake if you notice anything suspicious, but remember not to use aerosol sprays on your decorations; they aren’t safe for indoor use.
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3. Clean Up Spilled Food
After a hearty holiday meal, the last thing you want to do is clean up the mess – but doing so promptly is important for pest control. Even a few crumbs left out in the open after everyone goes to bed could be a true holiday feast for a wandering bug or rodent. Remember that most pests are more active at night, and when they find food, they’re much more likely to settle in for a long-term stay. Make sure to rally the family to help with the cleanup efforts before bed, or you could wake up to a home crawling with creatures.
4. Remove Pest Harborage
Harborage refers to places where pests can hide. This can include piles of leaves or yard debris, firewood piles, tarps you haven’t moved in a while… basically, anything that stays in your yard without being disturbed for long stretches of time. Clean up debris, rake the leaves, and put away the lawn furniture; it’ll make it that much harder for pests to get comfortable.
If you have a woodpile in your yard, make sure it is kept at least 6 feet away from the walls of your home to minimize the risk of pests infiltrating your home.
5. Store Decor Carefully
When the festivities are over and you’re taking down your decorations, remember to store them with care. This means using hard plastic containers with locking lids, which rodents can’t chew through and bugs can’t squeeze into. Paper and cardboard decorations are perfect for rodent nesting material, so make sure it’s kept well out of their reach.
Keep The Holidays Happy With Help From Forest Pest Control
Nothing brings peace of mind like knowing your home is safe from pests. As you’re hunkering down for the holidays, remember that just because the weather outside is frightful, it doesn’t mean that pests are giving up. So if you need a little extra help keeping these unwelcome guests out of your home, don’t hesitate to contact Forest Pest Control.
Give us a call to get started with a free quote!
5 Holiday Pest Prevention Tips in Central Florida
Serving Orange, Lake, Seminole, Volusia, & Osceola Counties