14 million U.S. homes saw roaches in the past year. Are you sure that household pests didn’t slip past your eyes?
Household pests are evasive and difficult to rid yourself of. Evolution has allowed them to hide in far-off corners and really mess with your home.
As soon as you’ve seen a pest, it’s often too late. They’ve already started infesting your home.
Keep reading to learn how to get rid of pests and get a pest-free home by recognizing the common types of pests.
Mice
Mice are the most common rodents to have in your home. Although they aren’t as intrusive or worrisome as rats, you should still deal with a mouse infestation right away. They can cause allergies and carry mites and diseases that you don’t want in your home.
The most common sign that you have mice is of course seeing them, but they can be smart and evasive. Keep a look out for mouse droppings, which are little black dots smaller than a grain of rice.
Also, take note of any food containers or natural materials (such as wool) that have chew marks. Mice will eat through cardboard boxes to get to the food.
Mice reproduce as many as ten times in a year and have multiple pups in a litter. Just a couple of mice can quickly become a huge problem if they are left alone.
Instead, call rodent extermination services to deal with the problem. They can lay traps (both poison and humane), and plug up any holes in your home that the mice might have entered through.
Roaches
Roaches are one of the classic types of pests. And there are multiple kinds of roaches infesting homes in the U.S. They can destroy fabrics, stain surfaces, and contaminate your food with salmonella and hepatitis.
Roaches are bad news, and the worst part is just how fast they can breed.
The old saying goes, as soon as you see one roach, that means you have a whole infestation. Don’t wait around! Remove all food sources for them and then call pest control services to get the bugs out!
Termites
This is another insidious insect that can take up space in your home. Termites live deep within your walls and sometimes aren’t noticed until they’ve done irreparable damage to the wood of your home.
Look out for little piles of sawdust and small insect wings. These are the tell-tale signs that you have termites destroying your home.
Rats
Even worse than mice are rats. Rat droppings are larger than mouse droppings, so they’re easier to spot. But you should deal with rats before they ever enter your home. Keep an eye out outside for burrows, gnawed wood and wires, or cat prey.
Rats can harm the structural integrity of your home and spread diseases such as ratbite fever and typhoid. Keep your home sealed off so they can’t get in, and set rat traps anywhere you think they might be.
Ridding Your Home of Common Household Pests
As soon as you see the signs of household pests, you need to call pest removal services. Leaving the problem alone for too long can allow them to multiply and cause bigger damage.
Do you need more advice about home care? Check out our Household section for more articles like this one.