
You probably associate spring cleaning with your Nashville home’s interiors, but don’t neglect the exteriors as well. There are many goals of spring cleaning, one of which is to start with a clean slate after dusting, vacuuming, and sanitizing areas that haven’t been cleaned since fall. The other goal is to pest proof your house and property in anticipation of the warmer weather.
As April is the first full month of the spring season, start your pest proofing with an inspection by a trusted exterminator in Nashville.
Warm Weather Brings Pests Out
The warm weather brings pests of all kinds out of the woodwork, making spring the ideal time to put up the best defense against their infiltration. You should be extra vigilant this year, as recent weather conditions from winter have led to a resurgence of pests.
Early-season cold temperatures around the nation drove rodents and cockroaches indoors much earlier than usual. However, record-high temperatures from December to March made it ideal for pest populations to keep up their activity far past the times in which they typically decline.
Ant, rodent, and cockroach infestations are going to start to spike, and the forecasted unseasonably warm and wet conditions will also bring more mosquitos and ticks. Pests that normally may have died off over winter have survived due to the warmer temps, which means there will be an increase in pest activity that will plague Nashville homeowners.
Springtime Chores: Pest Proof Your Home
A thorough cleaning throughout your home and yard is a critical step in pest proofing your property. Many pests and insects will hide and breed in undetected messes, so make sure you declutter every room in your home. Cockroaches and ants won’t find these neat spaces as appealing because there’s nowhere to hide.
Don’t forget to clean your basements and crawl spaces, which is where spiders like to hang out. In your yard, remove standing water to keep mosquitoes at bay this summer. They can transmit dangerous diseases such as West Nile, Zika and Eastern equine encephalitis. Seal your dry goods and clean up crumbs right away to keep rodents and cockroaches out of your kitchen.
One big thing you can do as you go about your spring cleaning is to seal off any potential entry points. Here are some more suggestions:
- Caulk or close entry points.
- Install screen doors and windows.
- Wipe down countertops to remove sticky or sugary residues.
- Seal cracks and tiny openings along your foundation.
- Trim tree branches back from the house.
- Remove areas of standing water and fix leaky pipes and drains.
- Don’t leave out dinner scraps and dirty dishes, and empty the trash frequently.
- Don’t leave pet food dishes out for extended periods of time.
- Keep trash containers sealed and clean and sealed, indoors and out.
When you address all these springtime chores, you will have done your part to pest-proof your home for the year.
Contact PureGuard Pest Solutions
During your spring cleaning, if you have spotted pests or areas of concern, call our exterminators in Lebanon for a free inspection and quote. Contact us at 615-502-2855 today.