While pesticide sprays can kill unwanted pests and bugs, they are also harmful to people and pets. Children are more susceptible to chemicals as their bodies and immune systems are still developing. Since they crawl on the floor and sometimes put random objects in their mouths, the little ones are more likely to be exposed to insecticides in your home.

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent pest infestations and keep your family safe while controlling household pests.

Suggestions for safer pest control:

Prevention is critical. Make your home unappealing to pests. Those critters need water, food and shelter to survive and if they don’t find any of that, they will seek refuge elsewhere. A clean and dry kitchen is not attractive to insects and other pests. Keeping your counters clean and drying dishes (rather than just letting them air dry in a drainer) can help eliminate a water source for pests and prevent them from thriving.

Cleaning home appliances is also a good method of removing a food source for pests. Those little bits of food that fall into your stove burners are a tasty treat for rodents and insects.

Store food in containers that are airtight and sealed. If you store food in cardboard boxes, ensure that the boxes and the bags inside them are sealed. Cockroaches can easily invade cardboard boxes and be a real menace.

Fix the household leaks and clean-up excess moisture in the sinks and bathrooms.

Try to keep your home clutter-free. Piles of newspapers and cardboard boxes can attract rodents. They like the shelter provided by boxes, and mice in particular like the taste of the glue that holds boxes together.

Vacuum carpets and furniture regularly. Your floors may look clean enough, but a small amount of crumbs or a small spill of a sweet drink will attract ants.

Check and control cracks and seal the sinks and baseboards, windows and chimneys. If carpenter ants are a problem in your area, look for damaged wood and replace it with dry stable wood.

If you have already tried prevention techniques with no luck, you may need to use pesticides. Hiring a local exterminator with expertise in that specific area of pest control is a must.

Rather than mess around with nasty chemicals, let the experts at Brothers Pest Control take care of it for you.

Give us a call at (813) 500-4735 or contact us here on the website.