Tips for keeping homes pest-free this season

Autumn is a wonderful time of year — leaves show brilliant colors, and there is a refreshing crispness in the air — but unfortunately, more bugs and rodents are finding their way into homes. As the season changes, insects and other critters are searching for places to hunker down for the cold weather and scoping out new food sources.

A recent survey conducted on behalf of Tomcat found that 73 percent of consumers said they would do whatever it takes to get rid of rodents. Over 21 million households see rodents in their homes every winter, and more than 60 million households experience insects indoors. Insects and rodents can be a real health hazard, bringing dirt and diseases into your house.

Those who wait until they see one insect or rodent to take action will likely find there are likely many more pests already lurking in the nooks, crannies — and walls — of your home. The best way to deal with these unwanted intruders is to be proactive and keep them out of the house in the first place.

Ortho and Tomcat’s Gretchen White, home pest scientist, shared the following tips:

1. Keep the home clean

Inside:

• Clean up food crumbs or spills promptly. Avoid leaving pet food out overnight.

• Store food, in containers that cannot be chewed through, especially pet food.

• Use a trash can with a lid in the kitchen. • Keep pipes and drains in good repair, as bugs and critters also need sources of water.

• Clear out piles of debris, newspapers or cardboard that could be used by rodents for nesting material in garages, attics or basements where rodents might take up residence.

Outside:

• Keep trash containers tightly closed, and store bird food or seed in sealed containers.

• Check around your home for piles of leaves, debris or wood where insects and rodents can nest.

• Remove any standing water.

• Make sure your chimney is capped.

• Seal any openings in the exterior of your home.

• Cut back any vegetation touching the exterior that pests could climb to gain access to any openings.

2. Block pests from entering

Insects:

According to an Ortho survey, the most common pests homeowners try to get rid of are ants, crawling insects, spiders, flying insects, termites, carpenter ants and bed bugs. Unfortunately, it is hard to keep small insects from entering through holes and cracks humans may not even see.

One easy solution is to use an indoor barrier product that kills and deters ants, cockroaches, spiders, fleas, ticks, scorpions, beetles, earwigs, silverfish, centipedes, millipedes and other household insects. Such products spread easily into cracks, crevices, under appliances and into hard-to-reach places where insects hide. Homeowners can even use the formulas before spotting any bugs by putting down a preventative barrier to keep bugs out.

Rodents:

Rats and mice can enter homes through small holes, cracks or crevices — even as small as a dime. Check the home’s exterior for holes or cracks, and seal with caulk, expanding foam or weather stripping, depending on the size and where you find the holes. When possible, use these flexible materials in combination with those that rodents cannot chew through, such as steel wool, hardware cloth, galvanized sheet metal and cement.

Those measures are not foolproof, however. Homeowners can also keep rodents from even trying to come inside by spraying potential points of entry such as doors, windows, pipes, cracks, crevices and vents with rodent-repelling sprays that use essential-oil technology to give off a smell and taste rodents naturally hate.

Following these tips will help give homeowners peace of mind so they can enjoy their homes this fall — and year-round — without the constant worry, annoyance and potential health risks that insects and rodents can bring.