Yes, it pays to visit the Caribbean for a family vacation. But, here is the thing—the moment you back out of your driveway, you leave your home at the mercy of pests.
Imagine returning home after a fun-filled vacation to find it ravaged by all sorts of pests. Not something you wish for, right? Of course, no one wants a spectacular vacation trip to be ruined by rats, mice, and roaches.
So, to ensure you don’t find yourself in such an ugly situation, you’ll need to protect your home from lurking pests before travelling. Lucky for you, we have a few tips that can help. Here are a few of them.
1. Seal all entry points
After cleaning your home, what next? Inspect it for holes, gaps, and cracks. Pests are small. Their size makes it easy for them to invade your home through the tiniest cracks or gaps.
So, go around your home. Check the interior and exterior for suspicious holes or gaps. If you find any hole, seal it using sealants. You can also use steel wool, caulk, screen or lath metal, cement, hardware cloth, or metal sheeting to repair bigger holes.
Even if your home is free from holes, pests can still slip through the little spaces between your door and floor. You should close those entry points too, but not with the typical sealants. Padded door sealants are ideal in such situations.
2. Carry out an extensive cleaning
Pests thrive in dirty homes. So before you jet off to the Maldives, Bali, Marrakesh, or Bora Bora on a month’s vacation, try to clean your home thoroughly.
Do you have food remnants underneath your bed? Clean them. The same applies to your kitchen. Cleaning your home will make it less attractive to pests which often camp where there is food.
In addition to cleaning your home, ensure that all foodstuffs are kept in closed containers. The containers should be airtight and stored in a dry area. You should also discard all leftovers before leaving your home. If you fail to do so, you won’t be happy with the state of your home when you return.
3. Contact pest control
Do you plan on travelling to the Bahamas for a month’s vacation? Or do you plan on touring Paris for a few weeks? If you plan on leaving your home for a long time, you should carry out a pest control treatment on your home. You need to do this, as leaving your home for a long time raises the risk of pest invasion. Yes, they won’t fill your home like a legion. However, it takes a few termites and rodents to do extensive damage to your home’s interior and expensive furniture.
Imagine returning home after an exciting vacation to find shreds of your books in your room, foodstuffs all over the house, or termite mud tubes on your furniture. Those aren’t good sights. So, ensure you contact pest control service to forestall such unpleasant occurrences. You can do that by searching keywords like “pest control near me.” Once the professionals arrive, they’ll rid your home of pests (should they exist) and ensure that it stays that way even while away.
4. Keep your drains clean.
The average drain houses lots of accumulated dirt and garbage. Failure to inspect and clean your drain could make it a perfect breeding ground for pests like roaches, drain flies, etc. To prevent such from happening, try to clean your drains regularly. This is important before embarking on your trip, as the drain becomes empty when not in use, making it the ideal breeding spot for pests. In addition to cleaning your drains, ensure that you disinfect them to kill germs and prevent disease outbreaks.
5. Dispose of your trash and litter before travelling
Of course, by now, you should be aware that household garbage attracts pests. But did you know that your garden waste also does the same? Many pests are attracted to yard waste.
They see them as a source of food or a nesting place. To ensure that your garden’s waste doesn’t serve as a nest or food source for pests like ants, roaches, and rodents, ensure you empty them before travelling. And after emptying them, clean the cans and the areas where they are stationed.
You should also make sure that all your trash cans have lids. And don’t forget to keep your patio, garden, decks, and garage leaf litter-free. If there are plant clippings or stagnant water, get rid of them as well to discourage pests from congregating in those areas.
Conclusion
Pests thrive where there is zero or minimal human activity. So when you embark on a month’s vacation, your empty home could be ravaged by pests, leaving you with an eye sore when you eventually return. The best way to prevent this is by taking proactive action. Adopt the tips above to protect your home from pest invasion when you leave.
DISCLOSURE – This is a collaborative post.
