Keeping Pests Out Of Your New City Apartment: 10 Ways To Win The Battle Of The Bugs
Posted on: 14 April 2018
Moving into a new apartment can be a fun and exciting time, but it'll turn dreadful fairly quickly if cockroaches, ants and other pests run rampant. Since spotting them in the daytime can be challenging, you might inherit an existing problem and have to find a solution yourself. Don't pack up and leave, though, stand and fight, because you can win the battle against bugs.
1. Look For Avenues Of Entry And Seal Them
Check every corner of the new apartment for small holes and gaps where bugs can commute from someone else's place to yours. As an immediate fix, plug the holes with tissues, but as soon as you can, thereafter, use a caulk, for a lasting and air-tight seal.
2. Have Leaky Faucets Fixed
Bugs, as crazy as their ability to survive just about anything is, need water. Even a slight leak will supply them with the sustenance they need and target your apartment as a source. Ask the landlord to repair the leaky faucets or DIY.
3. Set Traps
You may not know for sure if there is a bug issue in your new apartment; however, if you set a few traps around the place, especially the bathroom and kitchen, you should have your suspicions confirmed or denied fairly quickly. Use sticky traps, carefully setting them down with the sticky side up and remember to check on them every day. If you have kids, see that the traps are placed out of reach. While the traps shouldn't be poisonous, getting stuck to one could be a scary experience for a little one.
4. Empty Trash Obsessively
Your trash cans should be closed containers and emptied as often as you can manage. Leaving leftover food of any kind overnight, for example, will attract bugs before you even wake up if they're in the apartment and from there on, the bugs will return to your dwelling, expecting more food.
5. Leave NO Food Outside Of An Air-Tight Container
An opened box of cereal with a chip-clip is no match for a roach or parade of ants. They'll find their way into just about any commercial container of food; therefore, everything opened must be stored in an air-tight container, such as Tupperware or another brand of handy kitchen plastic. If you need to, store food in the fridge that you would otherwise put in a cabinet. The bugs can't get into the fridge and the smell (from food in it) shouldn't permeate the apartment.
6. Clean Up Quickly After Every Meal
It's sometimes rough to not be able to simply put your feet up and relax after a meal, but if you suspect bugs in the new neighborhood, get right up and clear all traces of food immediately. The fewer temptations you give the insects to go on, the less likely they are to hang around at your house.
7. Keep The Drains Clean
Even old, gooey and smelly debris caught in your drain would be eaten and enjoyed by a crew of cockroaches, so ensure that there's nothing trapped in any drain. The bathroom, too, must be cleared of any drain debris, as these bugs will consume soap or shampoo residue, too.
8. Try To Work With Neighbors
If your neighbors are friendly and on the same side as you vs. the bugs, strategize together. It's not a hopeless situation if everyone is on the same page and adheres to the same procedures to discourage bugs.
9. Talk To The Property Owner
It's your right as a tenant not to live in unhealthy conditions, but apartment managers and owners aren't always cooperative. Still, visit them with a few of your neighbors, approaching in a professional manner. Put things in writing and provide photographic proof of the pests and ask the owners and/or managers to work with everyone to find a solution.
10. Hire A Pest Control Specialist
You should be able to hire a pest control professional on your own, although the ideal solution is to have the owners involved, so that every apartment can be treated for the pests residing inside. Talk to the pest control personnel, such as at Green's Pest Management, and find out what your options are, especially if the landlord or manager isn't cooperating. There are a lot of things that can be done to fend off insects, but you must be diligent and optimally, all tenants function according to a master plan.
With a plan and professional guidance, you can win the battle against bugs. Don't expect it to happen overnight and don't expect to be able to relax your standards anytime soon. These pests are a common threat in many places, especially warmer climates and everyone must do their part to keep them away.
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