Spring cleaning is a right step towards a pest-free home. As wonderful as the seasons are in Monterey, spring in Monterey isn’t as noticeable as it is in some of Northern California’s cities. We are lucky to experience a moderate climate controlled nicely by the ocean tides allowing us to enjoy time outdoors comfortably all year long. However, as spring approaches, pests internal clocks signal that it’s the season for reproduction causing many of them to search for a safe place with reliable food and water to raise their families. In spite of your best efforts, these pests may find themselves living comfortably in your Monterey home.
Our Mild Winters Are A Pest’s Advantage
Because of a mild climate, pests don’t freeze throughout the winter. Therefore, Monterey homes will likely see more pests than other places throughout the country. In fact, many pests thrive outdoors during the wet months. Therefore, the battle against pests may seem endless.
Monterey is close to several natural habitats for rodents and other pests. The winter season’s additional rainfall helps pests thrive outdoors. During summer, as we see less rainfall, pests look to make our homes their homes. As a result, spring cleaning is a good first step towards reducing the likelihood of a pest infestation in your home, and luckily, it is something that most Monterey homeowners do anyway.
Why Spring Cleaning Is Important
Spring cleaning is not a modern idea. Historically, during this season of rebirth and renewal, people all over the world used this time of year as an opportunity to cleanse. For instance, groups who practiced spring cleaning during the Dark ages aimed to avoid the plague. Modern scientists now know this cleaning helped rid their homes of potential rat habitats. Once upon a time, rats were blamed entirely for spreading the plague, but today we know it was the fleas that the rats carried that could pass the plague from animals to humans. Furthermore, these fleas as well as rodents themselves still carry unwanted and harmful diseases. Today, pests are no less dangerous, and spring cleaning is as important as it ever was.
There are two major things to watch out for as we Spring Clean towards as Pest-Free Home: eliminating habitat and ensuring that pests can’t get inside your Monterey home.
Destroy Potential Habitats
- Pests like to nest and can find food in hard-to-reach areas. Now is the time to address those spaces.
- Remove cardboard from storage spaces. Rodents use cardboard to build their nests.
- Use sealable plastic totes instead.
- Sweep your entire home, including behind appliances. Dust and crumbs provide pests with a place to lay their eggs and food to eat.
- Declutter storage spaces such as crawl spaces, basements, and attics. Unbothered storage areas provide ideal hiding spaces for pests.
- Clean your appliances thoroughly. Appliance condensers can become moldy and provide food or moisture for roaches and other insects.
Restore Your Home’s Mechanical Barriers
Inspect your home for possible entry points. Pests can find their way into a home through the smallest crack or crevice. Here in Monterey, we experience an abundance of wetness and humidity during the rainy months. Wet wood expands and as it dries, and gaps increase in size. Sealants around windows can start to fail and peel away from the structure leading to several new entry points.
- Check screens on windows and doors.
- Check seals around windows and doors.
- Check thresholds under doors.
- Check storage areas.
Other Spring Cleaning Tips
- Take the opportunity to declutter and reorganize your cabinets, utility room, and storage spaces.
- Be sure to check under sinks and make sure everything is dry and the pipes leading into the walls and outside, are well insulated.
- Check under stairs, in pantries, in closets, and in crawl spaces. Pests tend to favor places we don’t normally visit. Spring cleaning offers us an opportunity to check these places and organize them.
- Clean out water-heater closets. Rats and mice will build nests in exhaust pipes and cause dangerous gasses to back up in our houses. If you notice any rodent droppings in your hot water-heater closet, contact a professional immediately.
In the end, if you are concerned about pest activity in your Monterey home, its best to contact a professional. Our licensed technicians at Smith’s Pest Management do it all. Smith’s Pest Management are here to make sure that you win your battle against unwanted pests. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.