Fall cleaning does more than maintain curb appeal. It works to prevent pests from invading your outdoor, and indoor, space. However, you may not know where to begin with your fall cleaning checklist.
For starters, you need to maintain your home’s exterior. This helps to make your yard inhospitable to bugs and rodents. Once you’ve tackled your outdoor space, you can begin cleaning the inside of your home. This is especially important to prevent bugs that come in the house in the fall.
From raking to mowing and everything in between, these fall cleaning tips are essential for any homeowner. Otherwise, you may find yourself in need of
residential pest control when critters and other pests make their way into your home.
What Bugs Come Out In The Fall?
During the fall, you may see more yellow jackets,
cockroaches, hornets, bed bugs, stink bugs, ants, and bees. But bugs aren’t the only pest that comes out in full force come the fall and winter season. Mice and rats also make their way into the “Fall Pest” roster.
Mice and rats look for somewhere warm to shack up as temperatures drop, but holiday festivities also entice these creatures out of their exterior hiding spots. With every get-together, you have more food and trash accumulating, inviting these critters indoors. The same goes for bugs.
Fall Cleaning Checklist
To prevent bugs in the fall, you want to tackle your home’s exterior first. Since a lot of pests and critters look for moisture,
keep leaves raked, bagged, and hauled to the curb. This works to prevent pests in your yard, especially rodents that seek out piles of leaves.
Next, you want to keep your gutters clean and free from dirt and debris. The more debris that accumulates, the more attractive they are to pests. As bugs collect in your gutters, they can cause clogs. You may find that water leaks into your house as it pools on your roof, so add routine gutter maintenance to your fall cleaning schedule.
Trim all bushes and shrubs that are close to your home. Additionally, if you store firewood outside, ensure it’s far from your house to prevent pests from traveling inside. This means you want to keep it away from foundation walls where pests can find cracks and gaps to enter.
Declutter your home, especially your attic, garage, and basement. Store items in plastic totes and not in cardboard boxes. If cardboard gets wet, it may attract insects, making plastic optimal. Keep kid’s toys neat and organized so as not to attract pests, vacuum at least twice a week, and consider cleaning with vinegar, a scent most pests find offputting.
Invest in Pest Removal Services
Although fall cleaning can help prevent pests from entering your home, it may not be enough. You may want to consider routine pest management. This custom pest removal plan works for your specific needs. You can also contact professional pest removal services if you see an influx of bugs or rodents in or around your home.
This is where Serene Property Services can help. We offer pest management in Sparta, NJ, and in the surrounding areas, covering all of Sussex County, NY. We also offer pest removal in Warwick, NY.
Call us today for an estimate.
