Holiday Pest Control and Prevention Tips

As the year draws nearer to a close, many families are becoming more excited about the idea of decorating their homes for the holidays.

But before you and your kids get caught up in the excitement, be sure to follow these holiday pest control and prevention tips.

These are critical steps that you need to undertake to boost safety in and around your home and prevent pests from dampening your holiday cheer.

Specifically, you should set aside time to carefully inspect the decor before you put these up all over your home.

Some types of decor, like wreaths and Christmas trees, for example, can serve as the perfect hiding place for uninvited guests inside your household. And without due diligence, you will find yourself dealing with these instead of having a blast with your loved ones.

Before putting up your Christmas tree and hanging wreaths, give these a close visual inspection, looking for insects and their eggs. Afterwards, give these a vigorous shake to remove eggs hidden in plain sight.

Make sure that you also check for gnaw marks left on your Christmas lights by rodents. If possible, let a professional check if these lights are still serviceable or if you are better off buying new ones this year. Do not gamble with your family’s safety and use badly damaged lights.

It is best to do all of these outdoors. Start by moving the storage containers for the holiday decorations outdoors. This will give you ample space and light to perform your inspection and ensure easier cleanup of droppings and debris left by your uninvited houseguests.

Apply the same due diligence when using natural materials like leaves and branches for DIY projects. Start your project only after inspecting these materials for pests. Otherwise, you’ll only be giving pests a free ride into your home.

Apart from inspecting holiday decor, make sure that you store these properly when not in use. Different types of pests, ranging from ants and spiders to small mammals like rodents, can hide in boxes where you store holiday decorations.

Ideally, holiday decor should be stored inside sealed containers that are resilient against pests. Cardboard boxes, for example, can be easily gnawed by rats and mice, damaging your decorations.

If you are storing firewood on your property, make sure you do so using a raised structure that is about 20 feet away from your home. And before you bring firewood inside your home, check it carefully and brush it off.

To learn more about how to control pests in your home or business, be sure to contact your local Modesto pest control company.