Pest infestations occur throughout the year and during unpredictable times. Therefore, it is important to implement precautionary measures and treat your house with regular pest control. However, conducting or using a pest control product incorrectly could harm you and your family.
To ensure that you use pest control products correctly, you should know the basic Dos and Don'ts of Pest Control.
1. Do Take Preventative Methods -
As the saying goes, "prevention is the best cure". Adopting preventative measures is the best way to keep pests at bay. However, often people pay no attention to hygiene or take precautions which leads to a severe pest infestation.
To avoid any future insect invasions, it would be advisable to take these prevention measures:
- Inspect your pipes, drainage system, and surroundings for any water sources. Since insects love places that have ample water and food sources, it is essential to remove any stagnant water in your home or backyard.
- Seal up any holes or gaps in your walls or home that could be allowing insects to enter and exit easily.
- Store your food in airtight containers to prevent contamination.
- Trim the length of your grass in your garden to prevent pests from hiding in them and ensure that your home is clean with no food left in the open.
2. Don't Keep Chemicals or Dangerous Traps in Open Places -
If you have pets or children in your home, you should ensure that you place the trap in a location that would be out of their reach. You should also keep children and pets away from the room that you sprayed with the pesticide as it could harm them.
3. Do a Thorough Inspection and Identify the Problem -
Since there are various kinds of pests, the treatment to remove them also varies. The removal treatment that works for termites would not be effective on cockroaches and vice-versa.
Therefore, it is essential to first thoroughly inspect your home and properly identify the pest that you are dealing with. Only after identifying them, you should decide on any removal solutions.
4. Don't Use Outdoor Chemical Solutions in Your Home -
If you have insects invading the insides and outside of your home, you will need to purchase separate removal treatments for indoors and outdoors. Outdoor removal treatments contain stronger and more toxic chemicals to be efficient in their environment. Therefore, using such a strong treatment inside your home could be harmful to your family and pets.
5. Do Get Professional Help -
Not necessarily do you have to call experts only after experimenting with DIY solutions. If you wish to get rid of insects without getting your hands dirty, you should call for professional help as it is easier and time-saving. Another reason to opt for professional pest control solutions is that they can get rid of severe insect invasion and not just minor ones.
6. Don't Combine Removal Solutions -
Avoid removing and storing insect removal solution in another packaging besides its original cover. Therefore, if there ever is an accident you will know what to do next by reading the instructions on the packaging. You must also refrain from combining removal solutions as it could have a different chemical reaction that could harm your family and pets.
7. Do Inform Your Neighbours -
If your home is infested with pests, the chances of them hiding in your neighbour's home during a removal treatment is high. They will also likely wait there until they feel it is safe to return to your home. Therefore, if you have pests, you should inform your neighbours and even ask them to take precautionary measures and inspect their homes.
8. Don't Wait till it's too Late -
A small infestation is easier to control and remove. Therefore, if you identify an insect invasion while it is still small, it would be easier for you to get rid of them. However, waiting till the last moment to call for professional help could lead to a bigger invasion which would be challenging and take a lot of time to completely eliminate them.
9. Do Dispose of Your Leftovers Carefully -
Many pest removal solutions are considered as hazardous waste and require careful and secure disposal. Therefore, you should check the instruction on the box and dispose of the product and its containers safely.
10. Don't Assume All Products are Eco-friendly -
Not all pest removal products are eco-friendly and could be dangerous to your family and pets if used inappropriately indoors. Therefore, before you purchase any product or opt for a treatment, always ensure to ask if it is eco-friendly.