Page 10
May 2014
The AC Phoenix
8 Best Ways to Bug-
Proof Your House
By Michael Pomranz
What you can do to the outside — and inside
— of your home to keep ants, roaches, and
other iittle buggers at bay.
1. Keep your eyes peeled
Sure, insects can appear to have other
worldly abilities—mosquitos can fly,
cockroaches can supposedly survive the
apocalypse—but they can't materialize
out of nowhere. Your best defense: Look
for warning signs and problem areas to
stop them from invading your space.
For instance, ants send out "scouts" to
scope the ant-friendliness of your home,
SO'even an ant or two indoors can mean
it's time to get pest-proofing before those
scouts invite over their friends.
Check outside and learn where bugs hang
out. Firewood can be home to ants and
termites so store wood at least 20 feet
from your house. And standing water is
a breeding ground for mosquitos, says
Boyd Fluneycutt, co-founder of pest con
trol company Mosquito Squad."Yards with
bird baths, play sets with tire swings, tree
houses, fire pits and catch basins to recycle
water should all be checked regularly and
water tipped,"he suggests. Even your land
scaping can be problematic: Try keeping
branches and shrubs well groomed away
from your walls, so bugs don't make the
natural transition from their home to yours.
Spring is finally here (Mother Nature will
ing)! The warm weather is a wonderful
opportunity to shake off that cabin fever
and head outside. But while you can't wait
to get out, pests are trying to get in. The
Entomological Society of America says
there are nearly 10 quintillion insects on
Earth.That's more than a billion bugs per
person in the world! Though they're not all
trying to grab a snack from your kitchen,
many emerge from winter hiding once
temperatures rise and begin looking for
food and water.
Flow do you keep the buggers at bay?
Missy Flenriksen, of the National Pest Man
agement Association, advises homeown
ers to "incorporate pest-proofing as part
of their spring cleaning and yard clean up
routines.”
Flere are eight simple steps how...
2. Secure the outside to keep pests from
getting in
Unless your house came equipped with
a bug breeding room, all insects invaders
were once living outside. Your job is to
keep them there. "The most important
means to eradicate a pest problem is to
work from the outside to the inside," says
Peter Stieglmaryr of RK Environmental
Services.
Anything that connects your home to
the great outdoors can be a trouble spot:
Windows, vents, pipes, chimneys, and
roof shingles are just some of the spots
bugs will sneak through. Repair anything
that creates a possible entrance like torn
window screens or loose weather-strip
ping. If you find open spaces near pipes or
vents, use caulk to fill small cracks or steel
wool for larger gaps.
3. Cleanliness is the key
Part of what gives bugs a bum rap is that
they gravitate toward messes. Keep
ing your home clean is the best way to
keep pests away, especially the kitchen
where crumbs and other potential treats
lurk. Vacuum regularly (once a week is
suggested). And on days you don't feel
like tossing the trash, make sure your bins
are covered or even sealed. Cockroaches
hate light and love the smell of paper, so
try to avoid clutter areas where bugs can
congregate, especially things like stacks of
magazines, boxes or bags
■/T^r
4. Don't make your house a bug buffet
Flow do you get rid of an unwanted human
houseguest? Make your home as unhospi-
table as possible: when you put the snacks
away, the party is over. Pests are no differ
ent—they came to grub, so keep food in
sealed containers or in the refrigerator.
Fresh fruits might make a nice table cen
terpiece, but bugs can gravitate to them.
Also, don't forget those pet bowls. Keep
them clean unless you plan on purchasing
your next pet its own ant farm.
’ i 'iA\
6. Get ants out naturally
In the old days, you would have just
grabbed the can of Raid, but now we're
all about natural prevention. Luckily, you
have plenty of options. Ants in particular
hate certain smells.Try cleaning yourcup-
boards with vinegar: Not only does it disin
fect, but ants can't stand it. Simple soapy
water both kills ants and wipes away their
chemical trail to prevent future intruders.
You can even break out your spice rack:
Ants will shy away from black pepper,
cinnamon, mint, red chili powder, and
turmeric, just to name a few. Put a light
dusting where ants have been spotted.
Another pesticide-free trick for repelling
ants: Leave fresh cucumber peels in high
ant-traffic areas."I don't know exactly why
it works, but I never had sugar ants, unlike
everyone else in Florida," says Grandpar-
ents.com reader, Nancy D.
And if you really have a mean streak, you
can even bait ants to kill them. WikiHow
has a couple simple methods to trick them
into your traps.
7. Kill cockroaches with this trick
DIY cockroach killers are also relatively
simple to whip up by mixing something
roaches love (like sugar or cocoa powder)
with something deadly such as Borax or
diatomaceous earth. FluffingtonPost.com
editors found the Borax method especially
effective.
5. Stay dry
Water is doubly dangerous for encourag
ing pests. Wet areas serve as both breed
ing ground and drinking fountain. A sink
filled with dirty dishes and standing water
is an obvious culprit, but look in less obvi
ous spots, as well. Pipes beneath the sink
or in the bathroom can be leaky. If they
are, call the plumber. Places like base
ments and attics can be damp. If you find
excessive moisture in these areas, consider
a dehumidifier.
Keep in mind, cockroaches especially con
stantly search for water, thus their more
"polite" nickname: "waterbug."
5. Stay dry
Water is doubly dangerous for encourag
ing pests. Wet areas serve as both breed
ing ground and drinking fountain. A sink
filled with dirty dishes and standing water
is an obvious culprit, but look in less obvi
ous spots, as well. Pipes beneath the sink
or in the bathroom can be leaky. If they
are, call the plumber. Places like base
ments and attics can be damp. If you find
excessive moisture in these areas, consider
a dehumidifier.
Keep in mind, cockroaches especially con
stantly search for water, thus their more
"polite" nickname: "waterbug."
6. Get ants out naturally
In the old days, you would have just
grabbed the can of Raid, but now we're
all about natural prevention. Luckily, you
have plenty of options. Ants in particular
hate certain smells.Try cleaning your cup
boards with vinegar: Not only does it disin
fect, but ants can't stand it. Simple soapy
water both kills ants and wipes away their
chemical trail to prevent future intruders.
You can even break out your spice rack:
Ants will shy away from black pepper,
cinnamon, mint, red chili powder, and
turmeric, just to name a few. Put a light
dusting where ants have been spotted.
Another pesticide-free trick for repelling
ants: Leave fresh cucumber peels in high
ant-traffic areas."l don't know exactly why
it works, but I never had sugar ants, unlike
everyone else in Florida," says Grandpar-
ents.com reader, Nancy D,
And if you really have a mean streak, you
can even bait ants to kill them. WikiHow
has a couple simple methods to trick them
into your traps.
Great is Thy
Faithfulness