Living in an apartment is a great experience, with the community around you and the coziness being the leading advantage. What's not a benefit is how vulnerable your home is to pests. Lucky for you, a few simple ways to follow, and you can keep the crawling and flying pests away.
Let’s take a look at the top pest control tips for apartments.
1. Clean & Control Before You Move In
One of the best pest control tips for apartments is the one at the beginning—when you move in. You don’t know what pests existed while the previous owners or renters were in there. Additionally, pests infest vacant homes, which is why it is likely that there are at least one or two kinds of pests hiding away.
A deep clean of the space is smart, preferably followed by pest control dubai services before you move in. Also, make sure to fill any holes or cracks in any of the walls, as these will be harder to discover once you have your furniture in place.
2. Inspect All Furniture
If you are moving into a new apartment, you may be bringing in new furniture. Even if buying furniture in the same apartment, check it thoroughly. Second-hand furniture should receive special attention. Termites exist in both new and old wood and may spread throughout the apartment if left undetected.
Experts on pest control tips for apartments say inspecting your furniture once every few months is wise. If you see powdery yellow residue anywhere in or around a piece of furniture, that reappears after you clean it, it is most likely termites.
3. Cover All Drainage
Cockroaches and other pests thrive in damp environments, such as drainage lines. These pests can make their way into your apartment via open drains and then make a home in any of the convenient cracks.
You have two options to close your drains properly (provided the closures aren't already there). First, add a metal grille, which keeps any larger pests out. Then, installing a drain shield also works (plastic or metal) with a hole just wide enough to fit the drain pipe.
4. Make Cleaning A Regular Practice
Dusting, wiping, and mopping should be a daily practice in your home. Pests are not fond of clean homes, especially ones cleaned with disinfectants. If your home has carpeting, frequent vacuuming is key to avoid the buildup of bacteria—and thus the buildup of pests.
Cleaning up water is among pest control tips for apartments. Mopping up water spills and leaks are included in daily cleaning. Mosquitoes love standing water, and many other common household pests thrive around moisture. Moisture also increases mold and mildew.
5. Never Leave Out Food Matter
The most likely reason pests are attracted to any home—is leftover food and food particles. Pests infest apartments faster than houses. It's likely there are pests somewhere in your building or complex, and these will make their home into your home if there is food easily available.
Therefore, pack up any food you keep outside into sealed containers. Make sure that your apartment is free of food crumbs every day and that nothing is left for pests to feed on overnight. Remember that dirty dishes also count as food leftovers for pests, so make sure not to leave any out.
6. Eliminate & Cut Off Access To Trash
Take out the trash daily to the bins in allocated places. If you do your trash takeout in the morning, make sure the trash is sealed in a bin. Speaking of trash, make sure to dispose of things correctly.
It's okay to throw away dry material (papers and plastics) without double packing. However, when it comes to food waste, such as fruit peels and eggshells, pack them up in a bag before you toss them in the trash.
7. Check Deliveries Carefully
Parcels and packages that arrive at your doorstep may house pests. Cardboard boxes are especially attractive to mites and roaches. These packages may have traveled a long way to get to you and may have picked up pests along the way. Therefore, make sure you check all deliveries before bringing them in.
Spraying a disinfectant on your deliveries can help eliminate pests. Even if you have grocery deliveries, make sure to check everything before storing.
BONUS: Check All Belongings Post-Travel
You never know what kind of pests are present in the luggage compartment of the airplane or train you traveled in, in the hotel where you stayed, or in any other place where you kept your luggage. All you should know is that these pests can enter your travel luggage. Therefore, when you return to your apartment, check everything and use a disinfectant.
In the end: you may follow all the pest control tips for apartments and still face pests once in a while. When that happens, act quickly and call pest control services for inspection and removal.