As the year draws to a close, many families have become excited about the idea of decorating their homes for the holiday.
But before you and yours get caught up in the excitement, be sure to follow these holiday pest control and prevention tips.
- Set aside time to thoroughly inspect all decor before you put these up all over your home. For example, some decor, like Christmas trees, can serve as the perfect hiding place for uninvited guests. Without due diligence, you can find yourself dealing with them instead of having a blast with your loved ones.
- Before putting up your Christmas tree/hanging wreaths, give these a close visual inspection, looking for insects and their eggs. Afterward, give them a vigorous shake to remove any eggs that may be hidden out of eyesight.
- Make sure that you also check for any gnaw marks left on your Christmas lights, as they are likely made by rodents. You are just better off buying new ones if you do find there to be any damage. Do not gamble with the safety of your loved ones by using compromised lights.
- It is best to do all of this outside. This gives you ample light and space to perform your inspection; ensuring the easier cleanup of droppings and debris left by any uninvited house guests.
- Apply the same due diligence when using living materials such as branches and leaves for DIY holiday projects. Start your project after inspecting these materials for insects. Otherwise, you’ll only be giving problems a free ride inside of your house.
- Apart from inspecting all decor, be sure that you store everything effectively when not in use. Different types of pests (ranging from insects like spiders to small mammals like rodents) can hide in boxes where you store holiday decorations.
- Ideally, store holiday decor inside sealed containers such as bins that are a proper barrier against pests. Cardboard boxes, most specifically, are easy targets for rodents, which will damage your decorations.
- If you are storing firewood on your property, make sure you use a raised structure about 20 feet away from your home. And before you bring firewood inside your home, check it carefully and brush it off.
These are critical steps that you need to undertake to boost safety in and around your home; preventing pests from dampening your holiday cheer. If you do find yourselves to be a victim of any of these holiday pests, do not hesitate to reach out to Hogarth’s Pest Control & Wildlife Removal. Happy Holidays!