For most homeowners and their pets, warmer summer months are an excellent time to get back outside for adventure-filled weekends or a time for working in the yard. Unfortunately, while we all love having fun in the sun, it can also mean flea and tick season is beginning to peak.
Although May is Flea and Tick Awareness month is ending for pet owners, it’s a good time to remain vigilant about pet safety against parasitic bugs. You will better protect your home and your entire family by taking precautions.
Eight Easy Pest Preventions
One of the easiest ways for fleas and ticks to infest a home is by being carried in on a person or a pet. Some pets are notoriously easier to hide under all their fur too. But luckily, there are eight easy pest preventions pet owners can take to reduce an in-home invasion of ticks and fleas.
1. Vacuum and Laundry
Fleas are hardy little parasites, not to mention incredibly adaptive to an environment. They can wait for up to two weeks without feeding on a host. Since the little critters are so tiny, they can also nestle down into the carpet, blankets, bedding, and dirty laundry.
So regular vacuuming and laundering your clothes, linens, and towels help remove those nasty little creatures. Keep in mind that fleas and ticks will likely survive being vacuumed up, so be sure to dispose of the vacuum bag immediately following.
2. Wash Pets, Beds, and Crates
Don’t forget you should regularly bathe your pet and wash all their belongings. By bathing your pet, you’ll knock off any fleas and ticks that may have clung to their fur on the way back inside from a quick outdoor potty break.
Pet carriers and crates are also notorious for bringing home fleas and ticks from a simple trip to the vet office that might have been on someone else’s pet.
3. Weekly Lawn Mowing
Begin routinely mowing your lawn each week. If you can trim your lawn each week, you will begin destroying vital flea and tick habitats.
4. General Lawn Maintenance
Trim back trees, shrubs, and low-hanging branches. Don’t leave piles of leaves, decomposing vegetation, or woodpiles either. By keeping up with general lawn maintenance, you reduce the chances of attracting their presence in your yard.
5. No Off-Trail Hikes
The temptation to go off-trail to explore through the lush grass and tall brush, but those places are prime habitats for fleas and ticks. So stay on the beaten path! Don’t risk your and your pet’s health or home by going off-trail during day hikes or weekday walks.
6. Treat Your Pets With Pet Guards
There are many types and brands of flea and tick treatments available on the market today. Everything from routine topical or oral form prescriptions. The drugs can help protect your pet and home, frequently administered monthly or every eight to 12-week intervals.
7. Professionally Treat Inside and Outside Your Home
Be sure to contact a pest control service provider to get started on treating your home inside and outside regularly. Many pest control companies have annual pest control services to better mitigate flea and tick infestations.
8. Practice Proper Pest Control Habits
The options are nearly endless for protecting your pet, yourself, family, and home. But don’t let the thought overwhelm you. It’s much easier to stay up on simple tasks that take less than a minute to accomplish.
- Keep wildlife out of the yard by setting deer repellent.
- Pick up pet food dishes and keep their food and water bowls indoors.
- Cover pools and water features at night.
- Keep trash lids secured tightly and not outdoors.
- Advise the pest control company of small children and toddlers in the home.
- Secure your pet away from areas treated by a pest control company for approximately two hours.
Schedule With Local Pest Control Company
If you’re looking for an excellent local source for pest control, try Bug-A-Way. Their team of professionals can advise you on the best pest control measures you can take.
In between, their customer-focused team can routinely treat your home inside and out for fleas and ticks. They can also provide you with a free customer service quote by phone. So give them a call today.