Save money, exclude pests, and stop believing internet myths.
Mice are naturally seed and nut eaters, not dairy lovers. Cheese spoils quickly and loses its scent. Professional attractants or a tiny dab of peanut butter work much better.
Total release foggers rarely solve infestations. They act as repellents, forcing roaches and ants to scatter deeper into your wall voids where they multiply out of sight.
Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood; they just excavate it to build nests. They target wood that is already soft from water damage. Fix the moisture leak, stop the ants.
Hanging a paper "decoy" wasp nest will not keep real wasps away. In fact, wasps will frequently build their actual nests right next to or even directly on the decoys.
Those ultrasonic pest repellers you plug into the wall do not effectively repel mice, spiders, or roaches long-term. Pests quickly habituate to the sound, or simply walk behind furniture where the sound waves can't reach.
A mouse only needs a gap the size of a dime (1/4 inch) to squeeze into your home. Check where AC lines, pipes, and wires enter your foundation and seal those gaps with pure copper mesh and expanding foam.
If you turn off the lights inside and can see daylight shining under your exterior doors, insects and spiders can walk right in. Installing heavy-duty door sweeps is your first line of defense.
Tree branches touching your roof or siding act as a direct highway for ants, mice, and squirrels to bypass your foundation treatments. Keep branches trimmed at least 3 feet away from the house.
Wasps and yellow jackets love building nests inside the hollow voids behind exterior light fixtures. Sealing the edges flush to the siding prevents them from getting behind the electrical box.
Brick homes have "weep holes" near the foundation to let moisture out, but mice use them to get in. Don't seal them with caulk; use stainless steel weep hole covers or breathable copper mesh.
Save money on pest control by keeping wet mulch, soil, and leaves at least 6 inches away from your foundation siding. Wet wood against a house creates a perfect breeding ground for carpenter ants and spiders.
Before paying for yard sprays, clean your gutters. Clogged gutters hold stagnant water, which is the number one breeding ground for mosquitoes near your roofline.
Pouring bleach down the sink will not kill drain flies or fruit flies. They breed in the sticky organic biofilm coating the pipes. Use a stiff pipe brush or an enzyme cleaner to scrub the sludge away.
Ticks cannot survive in dry, direct sunlight. Keep your grass mowed short and remove damp leaf litter from the edges of your lawn to drastically reduce the tick population.
Storing dog food, flour, and grains in their original paper bags is an invitation for Indian meal moths and grain beetles. Transfer bulk dry goods into airtight, hard plastic or glass containers.