If you’re a homeowner, you have probably had to deal with a pest at one time or another. Unfortunately, there are all kinds of pests out there. Ants, mice and flies are just a few. Some pests can do significant damage to your home, such as termites. Here are a few steps you can take to eliminate these pests.

To eliminate pest problems indoors, vacuum every rug in your home. You will vacuum up ants, bugs and other critters that are in the kitchen, living room and den. When you are finished, throw the bag in the garbage.

Do not expect to get rid of pests by keeping your home clean. It is a myth that you can starve out pests. Many pests can eat things that you would not consider food, like paper or glue. The only way to get rid of pests is to address the problem directly.

Try a do-it-yourself spray. If you can’t afford to have a professional service come out to spray your home for pest prevention, try any of the number of pest control sprays available at local hardware and box stores. Most come in easy-to-use bottles with trigger spray nozzles that allow you to spray around the foundation and windows of your home, both inside and out.

Sweep your kitchen and dining room floors and wipe your counter tops every day. Even small crumbs or bits of dropped food can attract ants, roaches and other pests. It is a good idea to empty the garbage each day. Trash can be a breeding ground for house and fruit flies.

You do not always have to call an exterminator when you are trying to get rid of mice. There are several methods you can use including glue traps and poison. If you are concerned with harming the mice, you can repel them with specially made electronic devices that emit sounds they don’t like.

Take away any pet food in the overnight hours. You will also want to take away their water bowl. Bugs like to eat the food and then wash it down with the water bowl. If you are spraying for bugs with pesticide you want to take away the dog bowl before hand.

If you are having a pest control problem, look to your cabinets in your home for where the bugs are coming from. Pests love these dark and damp areas. Clean all your cabinets thoroughly once a month. When you are spraying for bugs, make sure you hit these areas with a quality pesticide.

Did you see some carpenter ants in your home? These ants are usually attracted by damp wood. There might be a leak somewhere in your home. Call a plumber and have your plumbing system entirely inspected. Once the leak is fixed, focus on eradicating the carpenter ants with some borax or a similar product.

Regardless of the type of infestation you have, it needs to be taken care of swiftly. By using the advice above, controlling them is possible. Soon, your home will be pest-free.