It’s one thing to help build your dream home, which the Australian Heritage Homes team is always happy to do. It’s entirely another thing to maintain it and keep it in the exact same state as when you built or bought it. It’s easy enough to blur your eyes and think that everything looks clean and proper, but that’s only a short-term fix and one that we don’t recommend. We know that cleaning is tough, we’ve shared all sorts of laments and solutions right here on the AHH blog. But there’s one especially pesky issue that seems to rear its head every year… that’s bugs.
Bugs of all sorts can enter your home no matter what the month or the season. Some, like termites, can wreak havoc on your home’s foundation and eventually cause serious long-term damage. Others like fruit flies tend to make seasonal appearances (if, by the dozens) but hopefully go away soon. Some people aren’t fussed by these, others – well, we won’t share the image of the damage that termites can do to your home. To circumvent all the above, this post lists advice to keep any sort of bug out of your home.
Cut them off at the source. It sounds intense, but it basically means that you want to alienate bugs of any sort away from necessities like shelter, food and even water. This means cleaning your kitchen counters and your bathroom counters on as regular a basis as you can and ensuring that there are no crumbs around for them to eat. If you’ve made a large meal and know that there are leftovers, these should be in containers with the tops firmly on, even if they’re in a fridge, but certainly if they’re left out on counters.
Use them as an excuse to get chores done. Once the food mentioned above is put away, make sure that you also don’t have any sorts of dishes or silverware left out in the sink. Even if you think it’s clean, you’re politely inviting all manner of bugs into your kitchen.
This one may come as a surprise to you, but if you have a pet – specifically a dog or a cat where you leave food bowls out on a regular basis… we have it on good authority to stop. Don’t leave food or water out overnight, especially if it’s wet food. Dried nuggets are better, but best to ensure they’re properly fed before bed and the floor is clean of any bowls.
Keep an eye on your water habits. We know that prolonged showers can be relaxing and that it can be a pain to clean up any sorts of accumulated water throughout your home. Believe us, it will be worth it. Not only does improper drainage (both inside and outside) attract pests, but it also can contribute to foundation issues and the rotting of the materials of your home over time.
Lastly, a sneak attack… window screens. If you see any sorts of holes in these, no matter how small, chances are good that they were caused by something that you don’t want there. We don’t foresee this being an issue, but we do want to reiterate a reminder about only removing your screens when you need to clean them.