How To Handle Unwanted House Guests

One thing you never want to have to worry about in your home are bugs and rodents. However, they’re more common than you think. The best way to combat a pest infestation in your apartment is to know what to look for, and how to prevent it. 

Common Pests

• Cockroaches: Cockroaches are a very common pest that can make their way into a home through holes, by being carried in, or by moving through shared walls or pipes. They search for food and water and hide in your home. They can often go undetected, finding shelter in small cracks and crevices, in dark drawers and cabinets, behind appliances, and under sinks. Because they often come out at night, the best way to detect them is to monitor your home for eggs, droppings and shed skins. 

• Rodents: Rodents are one of the most known pests that can infiltrate your home. They can chew through wires, beams, insulation, and food and cause contamination in your home through droppings and carried diseases. It’s a bit easier to notice a rodent infestation in your home, as they’ll often leave behind droppings, holes, chewed furniture and will usually cause strange noises in your walls as they move around. While it’s not common to see them as they hide in walls, attics, vents and cabinets, you may also catch a glimpse as they move throughout your home. Rodents reproduce quickly, so the sooner you identify the problem, the faster you can get rid of it. 

• Bedbugs: Bedbug infestations are becoming more and more common in the US - they are easily spread and can be harder to treat the longer they are left undetected. Bedbugs are small, and there are typically three “stages'' that you might see in your home. An adult bedbug is a small seed-sized bug that will either appear flat or rounded, depending on when they last fed. A nymph is a young bedbug, and will be smaller and white, yellowish, or translucent, depending on their feeding schedule. Bedbug eggs are tiny white and round, and may have different markings depending on their age. In general, live bedbugs can be hard to spot, but there are other signs of their presence to look out for. When changing sheets on a mattress, check for any red or rust colored stains, dark spots from waste, eggshells and shed skins. You can also check yourself for any bedbug bites, but they do not always manifest the same way from person to person. 

• Fleas: There are over 2,000 species of fleas that exist throughout the world, and they survive by finding hosts by their body heat, breathing or movement. They can feed on both animals and humans, and can carry and spread countless diseases throughout households they infest. Similar to bedbugs, adult fleas are small and brown or black. They do not have wings, but can jump over 200x their body length. They start off as small oval shaped eggs that are laid on the host in batches of 18-20, which often fall off and are spread through movement. Once they hatch, larvae that look like tiny clear maggots will live in cracks, carpets and pet beds while they mature over the course of a week or month, feeding off of dandruff, skin flakes, and flea dirt. You might see signs of fleas manifesting through tiny black dots on pets and furniture, eggs throughout the home, or a larger than normal amount of lost fur. You might also notice that your pet is scratching more than usual or even that you have bites on your feet and ankles. 

• Ants, Carpet Beetles, Silverfish, etc.: Smaller bug infestations can often be handled with pest spray or traps that you can find in normal hardware stores. These aren’t as serious as the pests listed above, and their presence typically doesn’t cause any danger. Always let your landlord know when you are experiencing a pest infestation of any kind, but if you are comfortable to do so, these pests can be taken care of easily at home with no need for an exterminator. 

How to Protect Yourself from Pest Infestation

• Keep your apartment clean: One of the most common ways pests are attracted to homes is food left out on stovetops, counters, floors and in rooms. Keeping your home clean of any crumbs and food remnants can help to stop the attraction before it starts.

• Repair or report any leaks, cracks, or holes: Pests can enter homes through even the tiniest of spaces. By keeping an eye out for any possible entry points and getting them sealed immediately, you can prevent insects finding them and using them as a doorway into your living space. 

• Protect your furniture and clothing: Pests like bed bugs can be carried into a home on furniture, beds, clothes and just about any other fabric items you bring into your home. When going into a public place, using public laundry facilities, or bringing new items into your home, make sure to check for any signs of bugs and properly clean and dispose of them if there is any evidence. Use mattress protectors and vacuum often to deter bugs from wanting to stay in your home. 

• Keep any pets away from exposure: If you live with pets, they can often carry pests into your home. Help to protect from this by giving them proper flea treatment, checking them for any signs of bugs regularly, and making sure not to let them venture too far without supervision. 

Takeaways

When it comes to pests, it’s always better to play it safe. If you see any insects or pests in your home, always report it to your landlord or property managers. They will help to remedy the situation in the correct way to get your apartment back to normal as quickly and safely as possible.