Allergies and Household Pests
Allergies are often associated with the outdoors, but allergens can be a problem indoors, too. Indoors, pests like cockroaches, rodents, and dust mites can lead to allergic reactions. The symptoms of pest allergies—including itchy eyes, runny nose, and coughing—are similar to the symptoms of seasonal allergies. The Orlando pest control professionals at Apex have some tips for allergy-proofing your home.
Keep Pests Outdoors
To control indoor allergens, keep pests outdoors. Pests, like cockroaches, can enter your home through cracks or gaps. Gaps can be found around doors, windows, plumbing, and electrical. These gaps can be sealed with caulk.
Pests can also slip underneath your doors. Use weather stripping to leave less room for pests beneath doors. Torn window screens can also let bugs come inside, so make sure your screens are in good working order.
Maintain Proper Humidity Indoors
Some pests are drawn to moist, humid environments. To keep pests away, it’s important to control the humidity level inside your house. Indoor humidity should be about 50 percent. To lower your home’s humidity level, you can properly ventilate basements, crawlspaces, bathrooms, and other humid areas. You could also use dehumidifiers.
Vacuum Regularly
Small crumbs of food may not be very noticeable to you, but to pests, they’re a tasty snack. To avoid attracting pests, vacuum your carpets regularly to get rid of crumbs. Try to vacuum at least once a week. After you vacuum, dust hard surfaces with a damp cloth or a dust rag.
Wipe Surfaces Regularly
Food spills are attractive to pests of all kinds. To help keep pests away, wipe your food-preparing surfaces at least once a day. If possible, wipe these surfaces after every meal you prepare. Dispose of garbage regularly, and store it in a sealed trash bin.
Use Allergen-Proof Covers
Dust mites can live in your mattress and pillows, even if you clean regularly. To reduce their effects, encase these objects in allergen-proof covers. These covers are made of plastic, vinyl, or fabric. The covers have small pores, so dust mites and their waste products can’t pass through. This helps protect you.
Pests can be to blame for indoor allergies. Try these tips to control pest allergens indoors. For more help controlling pests, don’t hesitate to contact the Orlando pest control professionals at Apex. Looking for more tips to help keep the pests out of your home? Check out our blog for more!
