Pests are often small and sly, taking advantage of the many nooks and crannies of your home to hide. Because of this, it’s important to keep in mind that common household pets like ants, cockroaches, spiders, and mice aren’t always hiding in plain sight.
Here are some of the sneakiest places pests could be hiding in your home right now.
In the Attic
Attics are a common hiding place for a variety of common household pests such as rodents and cockroaches, to name a couple. Because attics are usually dark, warm, and infrequently inhabited, they’re a comfortable hiding place for many critters. Since the temperature in attics remains relatively constant year-round, that means pests aren’t exposed to extreme heat or cold while they’re up there. Attics also often serve as storage space for old furniture, boxes of holiday decorations, and other household items that can become cozy nesting zones for pests like mice. If you’re bringing down your holiday decorations, be sure to thoroughly inspect the boxes for pests and their signs, such as droppings.
Behind the Toilets
Toilets are one of the common places pests like to hide. This is because they’re dark and in close proximity to water, one of pests’ necessities for survival. The good news is that you’ll be able to spot pest activity behind your toilets if you know what to look for.
Using a flashlight, take a peek behind your toilets. You may see active pests or even evidence of their activity such as droppings and/or eggs on the floor or baseboard near where your toilet sits against the wall.
In Your Closets
Pests love dark, warm places. Closets are perfect for this because they’re typically free of light and don’t get a lot of airflow. This makes them a great place for pests like crickets (who will CHEW your clothes), cockroaches, and moths to hide if they can find somewhere to live in your closet—like the inside of shoes or in clothes left on their hangers.
Under Your Sinks
Under your sinks, similarly to behind your toilets, lies a perfect place for pests to take up residence because it’s dark, damp, and warm. In addition to regularly checking for leaks in, around, and under your sink, it’s a good idea to clean under your sink every month by removing all the items underneath and vacuuming any dust or residue that has accumulated. Doing so can keep pests such as ants from getting cozy and creating nests underneath.
Under Your Deck
Keep in mind that pests commonly hide underneath these areas on the exterior of your home, especially if you have a deck or porch. To help alleviate critters under your home, remove leaves and other debris from underneath and keep the areas clean and dry year-round to ensure no pest-attracting moisture builds up in these areas.
Another simple way to prevent pests near the perimeter of your home is by investing in an outdoor garbage can that securely shuts, preventing wildlife like raccoons and rodents from congregating near your home.
Prevent Household Pests With a Year-Round Maintenance Plan
Don’t let pests take up residence in your New York home.
If after checking out these hiding places, you find you’re dealing with an unexpected pest issue, give Knockout Pest Control a call at (800) 244-PEST.
