When your home is your castle, you don’t want pests in it! The same goes for your office or business or other public venue. When you’re in control of dealing with the problem, how can you find help? This article is a great place to start, so keep reading to find out more.

Keep your home as clean as possible. Even though this will not keep pests away, you at least will not be giving them an incentive to stick around. Many pests can smell food from a good distance away. If you want to do whatever you can to reduce your pest problem you should be diligent in keeping your house tidy.

Check to see if your refrigerator or pantry has any food items that are expiring soon or stale already. If you have food that is stale, it may attract not only bugs but maggots and flies as well. This is a messy problem that you will want to avoid at all costs.

Make sure that when you install your windows, they come equipped with screens for protection. Screens can serve as a very strong line of defense for bugs, as most will not get into your home if you have a good screen up. This small investment can save a lot of trouble in the future.

Don’t leave leaks in the water system unattended. Pests gravitate toward sources of water. Drips can be sensed from pretty far away. Do not let this be the cause of the pest infestation. Preventative measures can do so much.

If your home is susceptible to mice and/or rats, never plant trees close to the house. The trees provide a climbing spot for rodents, allowing them to have easy access to your roof. At a minimum, be sure they’re 15 feet from the house.

If you’re using mulch, don’t mulch all the way to the side of your home. Leave a gap about half a foot in length between the mulch and your outdoor wall. This will give you (or any exterminator) a better ability to see if any pests (like termites) are crawling from the mulch onto your outdoor wall.

If you have children, explain to them the rules around the house for eating. Make sure that you designate only one area of the home for eating to help reduce any infestations that you may have. If all members of the house are responsible for what they do, you will have less of a pest problem.

Don’t rule out your pets as sources of pest problems. Bathe them regularly to take care of visitors hitching a ride from outside. In addition, know that pet food and water can attract ants sometimes. Clean up messes and bowls regularly. Furthermore, make sure that you store pet food in sealed containers.

Just a few tips can truly go a very long way! The tips in this article should assist you in getting a great start towards being pest-free. Share this information with friends and family if they have similar problems and they’ll have undying gratitude for the rest of their days.