Say you find a mouse, cockroach, bed bug, or some other awful pest in your house. What do you do next?
Your answer to this question determines whether your pest control experience will be frustrating and never-ending, or quick and painless.
Today, we’re looking at some very common mistakes made by homeowners trying to eliminate a pest infestation—and letting you know what you should do instead.
Here are the 5 most common homeowner pest control mistakes.
#1 Being reactive instead of proactive.
Most people these days are busy, busy, busy. There’s work to do, dinners to cook, and appointments to make. Then there’s household chores and yardwork on top of that.
With so many other things to do, pest control can fall by the wayside. A lot of homeowners don’t think about pest control at all until they have a serious problem on their hands. But this is a big mistake!
Instead, consider pest control as part of all the other things you do to keep your home beautiful and functional—like vacuuming, cleaning out the gutters, and mowing the yard. Take the time to talk to a pest control expert about where your home is vulnerable to pests and fix those areas.
Being proactive will save you a lot of time, money, and hassle: you’ll be glad you did it!
#2 Ignoring the problem.
Ignoring a pest problem is one of the worst mistakes a homeowner can make. Yet there are quite a few homeowners that ignore a pest problem, either because they don’t know what to do or they have mistaken information about pests.
Homeowners sometimes think that the problem will “go away on its own” or that seeing a lot of pests isn’t a big deal because “there are just more pests in the spring.” Both of these statements are untrue, and ignoring a pest problem will only make it worse. Pests generally reproduce quickly, which means that a small, easily fixable problem can turn into a full-blown infestation over time.
If you’re not sure what to do, ask! The pest experts at Scherzinger Pest Control will be happy to help you determine your next steps for tackling a pest problem.
#3 Attempting to DIY a serious infestation.
There are a few cases where DIY is okay or even recommended. Catching a single mouse, for example, might work out okay. Cleaning and doing laundry in order to help get rid of a bed bug infestation is important.
What we don’t recommend, however, is attempting to DIY a serious pest infestation.
For most homeowners, DIY does not work to eliminate pests from the home. This can be because the DIY method is ineffective (there’s lots of false information online), because the homeowner can’t find the source of the problem (and the pests come back), or because the homeowner doesn’t have the tools or expertise of a professional.
Eliminating a pest infestation is a big job. You need to know which pest has invaded your home, how to find the source of the infestation, how to get rid of the pest, and how to keep the pest from coming back. If you’re like most homeowners, you don’t have the time, pest-related knowledge, or professional equipment to eliminate an infestation effectively.
Instead of paying for DIY methods that may not work, consider hiring a professional that guarantees a job done right.
#4 Panicking.
Pests can be disgusting and sometimes even hazardous. We get that homeowners want pests out of their homes, and they want them out now.
The problem with panicking is that it causes many homeowners to turn to ineffective (see above) or even dangerous approaches.
Homeowners are apt to use too much pesticide when doing pest control themselves. Pesticides, when used correctly, can be perfectly safe. Applied improperly, however, pesticides can be harmful. (This is why pest control experts have been trained in pesticide application and use professional equipment.)
Similarly, homeowners have resorted to unsafe DIY approaches to get rid of pests. Several Cincinnati residents, desperate to get rid of bed bugs, have burned down their homes or apartment complexes by using rubbing alcohol. (Maybe they read something online about DIY-ing bed bug control this way.) However, rubbing alcohol is highly flammable and never recommended for use when eliminating pests.
#5 Not Following Up
After a pest problem has been fixed, it’s easy to become complacent once again. Everything goes back to normal, and you forget that you ever had a problem. The things that you were doing to keep pests away might fall by the wayside.
Unfortunately, what might happen then is the return of the pests.
Pest control should be an ongoing process. It’s important to be proactive (like we said above) and to follow up. Don’t assume that, once a pest is gone, it’s gone forever.
Instead, make sure to stay vigilant when it comes to pests. Continue checking for pests and making the effort to make sure that pests stay out of your house (whether that’s cleaning regularly to keep cockroaches away, checking hotel mattresses to avoid bringing home bed bugs, or closing gaps to keep mice out).
Also consider hiring a professional that guarantees their work! (Should the pests return soon after the initial treatment, you’ll be glad for this.)
Call Us Today
The best way to deal with any pest infestation? Call a qualified professional. You can be sure that the infestation will be dealt with safely, quickly, and effectively.
Contact Scherzinger Pest Control, a trusted pest control company in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, including Dayton, OH, and now Columbus, OH. We’ve been pioneers, engineering new standards for ways of eliminating and controlling bugs and pests. Contact us by phone at 1-877-748-9888 or through our website, Facebook, or Twitter.