Kaboutjie SA Mommy Blogs by Lynne Huysamen
When I think of household pests in the home I immediately think of cockroaches and get a shiver down my spine. However there are plenty more pests that can become a problem in your home, causing damage to your house and even being a danger to your family’s health.
This makes pest control in your home essential. The first thing is to obviously ensure that you take measure to prevent pests in the first place.
Pest Prevention Measures
Here are a few things you can do to prevent pests in your home:
- Research the types of pests that are in your area and how to prevent them
- Don’t leave food or water lying around
- Don’t leave pet food or water lying over night
- Fix any water leaks and don’t let any water accumulate in the home
- Don’t let water collect in trays under your fridge, under a leaky pipe or under plants
- Close up any places where pests can hide and shelter such as cracks and crevices
- Fill spaces around pipes and cover holes with wire mesh
- Store all food in sealed containers
- Garbage containing food must be sealed in plastic bags and put in a sealed garbage can
- Remove garbage from your home regularly
- Remove clutter from your home, clutter makes it easy for pests to hide and breed
How Household Pests can be Dangerous
As mentioned there are many types of household pests that can become a problem, here are some of the most common household pests and how they can be dangerous or problematic for your family.
Flies
Flies are probably one of the most common household pests. They are attracted to food and garbage so if you live in an area that is prone to having flies it is even more essential to take steps to ensure that all food and garbage is disposed of fast and properly.
Because flies are attracted to dirty things they can bring in bacteria that contaminates food and spreads diseases.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are also dirty creatures that contaminate food and can spread the Salmonella bacteria which in turn can lead to all sorts of health problems from food poisoning to Typhoid.
Cockroaches can also cause allergic reactions.
Ants
Ants are attracted to food and sweet smells. They travel in packs so they can become very annoying when they enter your home. The danger is that they can get into your food and contaminate it. Some ants bite which can be annoying and in some cases even dangerous for example in the case of fire ants if anyone is allergic.
Wasps, Hornets and Bees
Bees and wasps will often make nests in the doorframes and eaves of your home. While a lot of people find stings painful and annoying there are many people that are allergic to wasps, hornets and bees. Some people are so allergic they could die from just one sting.
Termites
Termites eat wood and can cause serious structural damage to your home. While termites may bite or sting they are not dangerous in this regard. However when a home is infested with termites it can affect the people living in the home with allergies and asthma.
Mice
Mice carry bacteria, parasites, viruses and diseases. Mice can carry Lymphocytic choriomeningitis which is very dangerous and it can also cause congenital chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus and mental retardation to an unborn baby if the mother gets infected.
Mouse urine can carry leptospirosis and mouse and other bug fecal matter can cause respiratory problems.
Click here to get a FREE pest inspection from Terminix – you can get $50 off of their service or $100 off if a friend signs up.
sometime its impossible to keep something like cockroaches out your place when next door nabours doesnt make plan living in a complex hate cockroacher and flies we have alot outside on the grass for some reason.
Yes that is the big downside of living in a complex, and even if you live in a house if your neighbors are not conscientious you could also land up with a problem.
thats true doesnt matter where u are if next door doesnt also get rid of ants or something u will always have a problem
We have a terrible ant problem and tried everything they just keep coming back after our house lady cleaned. Cant use strong poisen as im scared it would harm my baby
@karla soak a cloth in vinegar and wipe all areas where the ants walk 🙂
Wont it make my home smelly
Strangely enough not at all! Vinegar is amazing for cleaning and also for deodorizing so if there is a small on your carpet you can’t get rid of try spraying some vinegar on it!
Hi Lynne, I have some feedback for you. This morning I spree clean the whole house with vinegar every cupboard then every shelf and the floors and everything. I just found some ants again alot of them attacking my breast pump. I’ve tried The vinegar now and I even found some advice That baby powder helps and I’ve tried that and that doesn’t work so now I am out of options but thank you anyways for your advice
Oh that is awful. I have used vinegar in my home for ants and it worked. I have to do it regularly from about this time of year though otherwise they keep coming but I have found it helpful.
Have you tried ant chalk? I heard it is good but I’ve never tried it myself.
With the seasons I find the certain insects are more irritating. summer is my worst besides heat we have ants bees flies and mosquitos. my goodness they are enough to drive me mad.
However for mosquitos i put a bowl of brown vinegar in my 2x2ms room. This helps alot. For ants I use lavendar powder and I have no problem at all in my room