Room By Room Pest Control Guide

The home. A sacred and special place that requires safety and security against unnecessary visitors. We look at pest control and proofing room-by-room as an essential part of home care, ensuring a healthy and happy living environment for you and your family. Arm yourself with the knowledge and correct pest control to eliminate present and future unwanted pest quests.

KITCHEN. BATHROOM AND SCULLERY

The home’s centre revolves around cooking, cleaning and living. Whether it’s quickly whipping up a meal, washing, or leaving a bowl of food for your beloved pet, these rooms see a lot of action – but not always the action you anticipate. As much as we would like to think we have our kitchen and bathrooms in order, much can happen without our knowledge.

That bowl of overripe fruit? A billboard for a fruit fly convention. The few pieces of kibble your pup scattered under the cupboard door? A crumb trail for cockroaches to find and follow.

Sauces, spices and containers not sealed properly in the pantry or worse – your favourite sweet-smelling lotion leaking in the bathroom cabinet? A field day for ants.

Yes, as much as we’d like to think we’ve got it all covered, this space is one of the most visited by vermin. To best contain this trifecta of troubles, we suggest targeting the problems by reducing the likely lures.

Combative pest control measures

Tighten cosmetic lids, seal containers and food packages properly.
Wipe down surfaces and clean traces of any leftover food spills and spices.
Monitor your exposed fruits, vegetables and baked goods.
Take out the trash and food waste regularly – especially on hot, humid days.
Eliminate excess moisture through proper ventilation and leak control.

We suggest using the Efekto No Insect Indoors range.
To prevent pest invasions, look to these solutions:

Efekto No Insect Indoors NE Ants RTU for antagonising ants.
Efekto No Insect Indoors NF Cockroaches RTU for determined cockroaches.
No Insect Indoors NF Flying Insects for most flies.
For a full range of cockroach solutions, try Efekto baits and traps.

BEDROOM FABRICS AND CARPETS

The bedroom – a space of sleep and solace. But for some, this room can also be a place of congregating pests for pet lovers. Loving your furry friend on carpets or snuggling in bed can sometimes invite the frustrations of fleas. Never fear – there are ways and suggestions to prevent and act against fleas brought in by your pets.

Beyond fleas in fur and fabric, the biggest complaint in the bedroom? Bedbugs. Just the mention of these pests is enough to summon images of filth and send shivers down your spine. However, there is a common misconception.

Bedbugs are in fact not attracted to dirty and grimy spaces, but actually warmth, blood and carbon dioxide. To confirm if these pests are plaguing your bedroom, read about identifying the signs of bedbugs.

To bar your bedroom from bed bugs and fleas, they often require a more definitive approach. Use Efekto No Insect Indoors NF Fleas & Bedbugs RTU.

STORAGE CUPBOARDS AND CLOSETS

Another common insect drawn to moisture? Silverfish, also known as fishmoths, can be found throughout the home. Common places you find these critters scuttling around have the same three factors: Darkness, moisture and a surplus of starchy paper-based products to feast on.

While fishmoths don’t pose a direct health threat to humans, they can cause a lot of destruction to everything from reading materials, to cardboard boxes, to old crumbling wallpaper. The best way to prevent them in the home is to control moisture and not store excessive paper products.

IN AND AROUND THE HOME

Flies
A common household pest found just about anywhere is the housefly. These pests are not only a nuisance, but can potentially carry diseases into your home. They are attracted to odours and warmer air currents, preferring 28°C.

They find their way into:

Buildings through open windows.
Structural faults.
Gaps in weather stripping or neglected sealing.

Check your home is properly reinforced for all seasons to bar opportunistic flies from gaining uninvited entry.

While we can’t eliminate mosquito or fly hotspots, there are ways to protect your home. We suggest using a spray like Efekto Fendona 6 SC for added defence.

Mosquitoes
The worst of the home-invading insects brings not only bites and an annoying sound, but also health hazards. Whether you are sitting on your veranda near the pool or trying to sleep, the buzzing is enough to make anyone demand an immediate solution. We tend to associate mosquitoes more with warmer seasons, but they are drawn to bodies of stagnant water where females lay their eggs.

Think of all the possible water collection points: