Moving without pests should be everyone’s priority. These little monsters can ruin your furniture, books, and clothes, and cause allergies. That is why packing with utmost care is crucial. Yes, we know that packing requires a lot of time and patience which many of us don’t have. Luckily, there are some useful tips and tricks that can help you pack your belongings without taking the unwanted roommates alongside.
It’s important to know how to avoid them when you’re moving out or moving in. Let’s see how we can prevent their migration.
Get Rid Of Pests That Are Already In Your Home
The truth is that we all have bugs crawling around our homes, the deal is that we don’t even notice them. Here is the list of the most common pests that you can find in your home and some tips on how to get rid of them.
Fleas
When you say fleas, most people link them to pets and blame them for infestation. But did you know that fleas can lay their eggs on carpets too? These miniature bugs can remain dormant for some time and when you realize it, it is already too late. There are several varieties of fleas and the type that infests our homes is small, brown, or black, and appears flat.
Always use recommended flea control medication for your pet and vacuum your carpet regularly. If you see a flea, react immediately since they can cause an allergic reaction in humans and pets!
Cockroaches
Cockroaches can be extremely difficult to get rid of. Once they move in they refuse to go out. The key is in the prevention of course. Letting them move around your house is unsanitary. These common household pests usually live in sewers, drains, and garbage. They are constantly in contact with a wide variety of germs and pathogens that may cause disease.
Before you start packing make sure you thoroughly inspect all boxes. Before you take your belongings into your new home, check the perimeter of your new house for small cracks and crevices. If there are any seal them off with caulk or any other sealant so they can’t enter.
If you find their droppings or their small oval egg cases, and a musty smell makes sure you call professionals to deal with them.
Bedbugs
Bedbugs are small, reddish, or brown and you can find them in mattresses, furniture, and pillows, in the nook between the headboard and mattress, inside dresser drawers or closets, and in bedlinen, and blankets. They feed on your blood by piercing through your skin with tiny, saw-like mouthparts, a lot of people are allergic to their bite. Some can even experience severe symptoms. Unfortunately, they can live for up to a year without any food!
If you think you have bedbugs infested your furniture, get rid of it or contact an exterminator. It is better to get rid of old furniture and buy a new one than risking to spread the infestation to all your stuff. Getting rid of bedbugs isn’t as easy as you may think since they can even survive pesticides by moving away from treated areas.
The best way to prevent bedbugs is to vacuum regularly, clean the mattresses at least once a month, and wash your blankets ad bedlinens on high heat.
Moving Without Pests Prevention
Before you start packing your things make sure you inspect all of them thoroughly to check for any of the above-mentioned bugs or some signs that indicate their presence. Look at your clothes, upholstered furniture, linens, blankets, rugs, carpets, towels, mattresses, and pillows.
You must even inspect plush toys and electronics. Bugs are drawn to the heat that most electronic devices produce so this is where they hide most of the time. Here are some handy tips and tricks for getting rid of insects:
- Before packing your clothes and bedding make sure you wash them all and dry them in a dryer thoroughly. Pack your clothes in plastic bags that you can seal with a vacuum.
- Do the same thing with blankets and stuffed animals. You can use the old pillowcase for protection. Set both your washing machine and dryer on the highest setting.
- Inspect all your appliances, especially the ones from the kitchen. Use baited traps to draw out bugs. Clean them well with hot water and dish soap. Seal all the possible crannies and nooks where bugs can hide before you pack the item into the box.
- Store your packing box in a dry place. Bugs love humid warm places.
- Check your houseplants and clean them with neem oil.
Use The Right Packing Materials
Packing supplies can cost a fortune we all know that, so many people decide to save on packing materials by getting empty boxes from a local market. However, that can be a pretty bad idea. Card boxes are mostly used for packing and transporting food products, and unfortunately, many ends up infested by the bugs that are attracted by the smell. Also, in most cases, they are stored out on the street.
No matter if you don’t see a bug in the box, the chances are high that they laid their eggs inside the box. Avoid taking these boxes since you risk that your stuff ends up contaminated. Also, a box from bookstores isn’t a good idea as well, since fleas and bedbugs tend to hide in the books.
It is always the best idea to use new and sturdy cardboard boxes, plastic sealable bags, and plastic boxes with lids. When you pack card boxes, make sure you tape the seams well, to avoid any potential infestation in the transport.
Why Not Hire Professional Packers Instead?
Responsible packing is as important as cleaning and spraying your new home to prevent bug infestations. If you don’t have enough time to do it thoroughly, or maybe you just don’t like doing it why don’t you hire some help? A team of professional packers from Zenith Moving will make sure you don’t bring any unwanted residents with you.
Contact us here for more information.
