Keeping Your Home Free of Pests and Harmful Pesticides

Steps to a Healthy Home Series

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Are You Bugged by Pests?

Cockroaches, flies, rats, mice Dust mites Fleas and ticks Spiders Ants Mosquitoes

Keeping Your Home Free of Pests

Easier to prevent pest problems than to control infestations once they have become established.

Pests need water, food, and habitat to flourish inside a home.

Pest Problems Food

Water

Harborage

Why Do You Have Pests?

Broken, loose, or torn screens Gaps or holes in home, especially around

plumbing Dirty floors, counters, and dishes Spilled foods Storing garbage where pests can reach Roof or plumbing leaks Storing food in containers without lids

Keeping Your Home Free of Pests

Sanitation – remove what attracts pests Exclusion – keep pests out of house Elimination of hiding places – get rid of

places where they can hide Extermination – kill the pests

Sanitation

Regularly clean floors, windowsills, and other surfaces

Wipe up spills and crumbs right away Eat at the table or at least in the kitchen Clean up dirty dishes right after eating Clean and disinfect bathroom surfaces Keep a tight lid on trash cans and empty often Store food and pet food in sealed containers

Exclusion

Seal cracks and crevices around pipes & electrical wiring

Check bags and boxes for pests before bringing them inside

Keep window screens in good repair Keep pets either inside or outside Place screen wire over vents and

other points where pests could enter

Elimination of Hiding Places

Get rid of clutter Store clothing in chests or covered plastic

containers Wash bedding weekly Dispose of old newspapers, magazines,

and plastic bags

Extermination - Control

Control can be with non-chemical methods

Control can be with chemical methods

Control can be with pesticides

Non-chemical Control

Trapping devices such as fly paper, mouse traps, or roach prisons

Use a vacuum cleaner to help control pests such as fleas, moths, or beetles and to remove food sources

Chemical Control

Baits are safe and effective Use gel formulations along cracks & crevices Insecticide sprays may be used in cracks &

crevices and along baseboards

Control with Pesticides

Buy only pesticides labeled for the pest and area you are treating

Read & follow all label instructions; use only the amount listed – more is not better

Keep children & pets out of treated area until the product is dry

Never apply pesticides to food Protect your skin, eyes, and lungs while using

pesticides Wash hands with soap and water

Storing and Disposing of Pesticides

Store where children and pets cannot reach them

Store only in the container they came in Follow the label directions for disposal Never reuse a pesticide container Never pour a pesticide down a drain or toilet

Tips for Controlling Household Pests

Clean food and grease from stove daily. If possible, clean under and behind stove.

Clean up food spills, crumbs, and liquids on countertops and floors immediately.

Empty trash daily. Clean and disinfect garbage cans and recycling bins weekly. Let the cans dry out before you put in a new garbage bag.

Keep the cabinet under your sink dry and clean. Have leaks repaired.

Clean the outside and inside of the refrigerator. If possible, vacuum underneath.

Wash and dry dishes as soon as possible after eating. Wash floors at least weekly.

Tips for Controlling Household Pests

Cockroaches are attracted to food and moisture – Remove or tightly cover all food – Clean up spills on floors and counters– Don’t leave water sitting in open containers – Use baits or gel products to get rid of cockroaches. – Seal any cracks around the walls or cabinets where

cockroaches can get in. – Throw away paper grocery bags and stacks of newspaper.

Roaches like to live in them.