The holiday season is all about decorations and bringing a warm feeling into your home. However, many decorations are natural, smell great, and even taste fantastic!
What this means is that your home may be inviting much more than just your family to your home. Your holiday shouldn’t have to involve emergency pest control. Here are some ways to decorate your home this year without leaving the door open for unwanted pests.
Be Wary of Your Trees and Wreath Decorations
Natural Christmas trees and wreaths are beautiful to look at and smell, but your holiday firs could have thousands of insects living within their branches.
Before bringing a natural tree into your home, ask the provider what pesticide efforts were taken during the growth of the tree. Most farms do take these steps to prevent bug problems in the home, but sometimes duties can slip by.
In order to ensure that your home is as pest-free as possible, give the tree a hearty shake before bringing it into your house and regularly check for signs of bugs living in your annual decoration.
Unpack Stored Holiday Items Outside
Even if you’ve stored your holiday decorations securely in an airtight container, your decorations could still be at risk for exposure to pests. One strong push from a rodent in the attic or basement where they’re stored, and infestation is clearly possible.
In order to stay safe and be positive that any rodents or bugs don’t jump out into your home, unpack your stored items outside, wiping them down before bringing them into the home.
Wash All Fabrics Before Hanging
Fabric decorations like stockings, tablecloths, and blankets can easily become a comfortable home for pests during the off-season. Before setting out your decorative fabrics, run them through the wash.
Also, once the holidays are finished, give your fabrics another thorough washing before sealing them away until next year.
Inspect Your Lights for Spiders
Holiday lights are wiry and serve as the perfect place for spiders to build webs and call home. As you perform your annual inspection of your lights prior to hanging them up, look for spiderwebs to dust off while you’re outside. Once again, like your fabrics, give your lights another physical inspection to make sure that you don’t pack away any eight-legged light dwellers when you put your decorations back into storage.
Avoid Leaving Out Tasty Decorations
Gingerbread houses and scented candles can attract unwanted insects and pests. We’re not saying to keep them away this season, simply, be mindful of their use.
In order to mitigate the risk of infestations, put out your candle flames after you’ve enjoyed your candle, and put gingerbread houses beneath a plastic covering when you aren’t ogling it!
Found Some Pests Under Your Tree? Buzz Kill Pest Control Can Help!
If your holidays rang in with the discovery of a spider, ant, or rodent infestation in your home, Buzz Kill Pest Control can help! We’re a team of pest control experts that can come to your home and dispose of the problem, resulting in a happier and healthier holiday season.
Don’t let infestations get out of hand. Contact Buzz Kill today to schedule holiday pest control services.