Say Goodbye to Summer Bugs: 10 Simple Ways to Keep Your Home Bug-Free
Summer is a time for BBQs, pool parties, and lazy days in the sun. Unfortunately, it’s also a time when bugs come out to play.
From pesky mosquitoes to creepy crawly spiders, these unwanted guests can quickly put a damper on your summer fun.
But fear not, there are simple and effective ways to keep your home bug-free this season.
You’re enjoying a beautiful summer day in your backyard when you feel a sharp sting on your arm. You swat at the spot and discover a large, red mosquito.
As you watch the pesky insect fly away, you can’t help but wonder how many more mosquitoes and insects are lurking around your house.
Unfortunately, bug season is in full swing, and these blood-sucking and irritating insects are out in full force.
Not only are they annoying, but they can also carry dangerous diseases like malaria.
That’s why keeping bugs and mosquitoes away from your home this summer is important.
In this article, we’ll share 10 tips and tricks to help you say goodbye to summer bugs for good. From natural remedies to preventative measures, we’ve got you covered.
So, whether you’re looking to enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep or host a bug-free backyard bash, read on to discover how you can keep those pesky critters at bay.
Keep Your Home Bug-Free
- Add a Screen Mesh
Every day, hordes of invading insects are battering themselves against your windows and doors, looking for a way to get into the house. And in the summertime, those numbers can multiply exponentially.
Fortunately, there is a simple way to keep the bugs out while still letting in the breeze: installing screen mesh on your windows and doors.
Screen mesh is made of a tightly woven fabric impervious to even the smallest bugs.
But at the same time, it allows for plenty of airflow, so you can keep your home cool and comfortable even on the hottest days.
Using bug screens and mesh can also help keep bugs out of your home. You can install screens on your windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes, flies, and other insects from entering your home.
You can also use mesh to cover vents and openings in your home’s exterior to prevent bugs from entering.
To prevent bees and wasps, make sure your screens and mesh are in good condition and free of holes.
You can also use screen doors or mesh curtains to keep bugs out of your home while still enjoying the breeze.
In addition, a screen mesh is durable and easy to clean, so you can enjoy bug-free living all summer long.
Sealing cracks and gaps in your doors and windows can also help prevent bugs from entering your home.
Cockroaches, for example, can squeeze through tiny cracks and crevices, so make sure to seal any openings in your home’s exterior.
Use weather stripping around your doors and windows to prevent drafts and seal any gaps with caulk. You can also use door sweeps to seal the gap between your door and the floor.
To prevent mosquitoes, make sure your window screens are in good condition and free of holes. If you have a porch or patio, consider installing mosquito netting to keep bugs out.
To prevent ants, seal any cracks or gaps in your home’s exterior, especially around pipes and electrical wires.
- Handle your Garbage
You’re probably well aware that insects and bugs are attracted to garbage. After all, it’s full of the things they like to eat, like rotting food, dead leaves, and other organic matter.
What you may not realize is that the way you store, handle, and dispose of your garbage can have a big impact on the amount of insect and bug activity in your home.
Keeping your home clean and clutter-free can also help keep bugs at bay.
Cockroaches, for example, are attracted to food scraps and crumbs, so make sure to clean up spills and crumbs promptly.
Keep your garbage in sealed containers and take it out regularly. Vacuum and dust your home regularly, especially in areas where bugs like to hide, such as behind appliances and in cracks and crevices.
To prevent ants, keep your kitchen clean and free of food scraps. Make sure to wipe down your counters and sweep your floors regularly.
Store your food in sealed containers and keep your pet’s food in a separate area.
To prevent bed bugs, wash your bedding and clothing regularly in hot water and vacuum your mattress and box spring regularly.
If you’re traveling, inspect your hotel room for signs of bed bugs before unpacking your luggage.
The most important thing you can do is store all your garbage in one place. If you have multiple trash cans scattered around your house, insects and bugs will find them all eventually.
It’s much better to have one central location for your garbage, such as a self-closing dustbin with a tightly fitting lid. This will make it harder for insects and bugs to get to the trash, and it will also help to contain any odors.
When it comes to disposing of your garbage, be sure to use tightly sealed bags. This will prevent insects and bugs from being able to smell the garbage and being attracted to your home.
- Employ Pest Control
If you’re dealing with a large infestation of bugs, professional pest control options may be necessary.
Grand Canyon State homeowners never hesitate when it comes to calling pest control services in Arizona as they know these experts will do a far better job than they ever could.
This gives them peace of mind knowing that they have the best team in the business to help protect their home from annoying bugs.
Pest control professionals can assess the severity of your infestation and recommend the best course of action.
They can use insecticides, baits, and traps to eliminate bugs from your home and yard.
As the weather gets warmer, you may be looking forward to spending more time outdoors. However, you also don’t want your time outside to be ruined by mosquito bites, bugs, or ticks.
One of the best ways to reduce the number of bugs and mosquitoes is to conduct mosquito and tick control inside and around your house.
This can involve using mosquito dunks or tablets in standing water where mosquitoes and other insects like to lay their eggs.
Bug and tick control is another important step in keeping your home free of summer bugs.
You can reduce the risk of ticks by using tick repellent containing DEET or diethyl-meta-toluamide.
This is how regular pest control around your home can help to keep ticks and other insects at bay.
- DIY Bug Traps and Baits
If you’re looking for a DIY solution to your bug problem, there are a variety of bug traps and baits you can make at home.
For example, you can make a mosquito trap using a plastic bottle, sugar, water, and yeast. You can also make a cockroach trap using a jar, petroleum jelly, and bread.
To make a tick trap, place a white cloth in your yard and check it regularly for ticks. You can also make a fly trap using a jar, apple cider vinegar, and dish soap.
For ants, you can make a bait using borax, sugar, and water. Place the bait in a shallow dish and keep it away from pets and children.
Household items like white vinegar and coffee can help reduce bug infestations in your home. Both of these common household items contain compounds that repel insects.
When you wipe vinegar on surfaces around your home, it creates an unpleasant environment for bugs.
Sprinkling coffee grounds around your house also helps to keep bugs at bay. The strong scent of coffee is off-putting for many insects, so they’ll avoid areas where coffee has been sprinkled.
In addition, the caffeine in coffee is lethal to some types of insects.
So, if you’re looking for a natural way to lower bug populations in your home this summer, try wiping vinegar on surfaces and sprinkling coffee grounds around your house. You may be surprised by the results!
- Keep Your Yard Clean
You may not realize it, but your yard can be a breeding ground for bugs. Tucked away in piles of leaves or hiding under decking, these pests can quickly make their way into your house, wreaking havoc and leaving you reaching for the bug spray.
Keeping your drainage system clear and functioning properly will help prevent standing water, which is a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests. Remove any leaf piles or other organic debris from your yard.
This will deny bugs a place to lay their eggs and hide from the elements.
If you have a swimming pool, be sure to keep it chlorinated. Not only will this help keep the water clean, but it will also deter insects from laying their eggs in the water.
Common summer bugs and where they hide
Summer bugs can be more than just a nuisance. They can also pose serious health risks. Mosquitoes, for example, can transmit diseases such as West Nile virus, Zika virus, and malaria.
Ticks can carry Lyme disease, which can cause fever, fatigue, and joint pain. Cockroaches can trigger asthma and allergies, while bees and wasps can cause painful stings.
It’s important to take steps to protect yourself and your family from these dangers.
One way to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses is to eliminate standing water around your home.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water, so make sure to empty any containers that can hold water, such as flower pots, bird baths, and buckets.
You can also use mosquito repellent containing DEET or picaridin when spending time outdoors, especially during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
Knowing where common summer bugs like to hide can help you take preventative action.
Mosquitoes, for example, like to breed in standing water and rest in shady areas during the day.
Ticks can be found in wooded and brushy areas, as well as tall grass. Cockroaches can hide in cracks and crevices in your home, while bees and wasps build their nests in trees, bushes, and eaves.
To reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard, get rid of any standing water, and keep your grass and shrubs trimmed short.
To prevent ticks, wear long sleeves and pants when hiking in wooded areas and use insect repellent containing at least 20% DEET.
To prevent cockroaches, seal any cracks or crevices in your home, and keep your kitchen clean and free of food scraps and crumbs.
To prevent bees and wasps, seal any openings in your home’s exterior and avoid wearing brightly colored clothing or sweet-smelling perfumes.
And there you have it.