Seal the Gaps Like You Mean It
Your home may look fortress-like to you, but to mice, ants, and spiders, it’s a rent-free open-plan paradise with loads of ingress points. Check around windows, doors, pipes, and vents. If you can see daylight through a crack, a rodent sees an invitation.Use weatherstripping, silicone caulk, or expanding foam. Don’t stop at the ground floor—roof gaps and attic vents are prime real estate for nesting insects. If your loft’s been quiet lately, it might be because they’re waiting for you to leave.
Don’t Leave a Buffet
You’d be amazed how many people leave behind just enough crumbs and smells to attract an army of opportunists. Your food doesn’t have to be spilling out of the cupboards; even a smear of peanut butter on a spoon in the sink is a siren song for pests.Wipe every surface. Empty the bins, yes, even the one in the bathroom. Don’t leave fruit out, even the unripe ones. If you’ve got that one onion you were never going to use anyway, bin it. Now’s not the time to feel waste-conscious. It’s you or the cockroaches.
Fridge Logic (Yes, You Need It)
If you’re going away for more than a week, it’s smart to clear out anything perishable. That bag of spinach you’ve been pretending not to notice? Mold. That half-open bottle of almond milk? Sour. That leftover fish pie? That’s now an act of biological warfare.Either eat it, bin it, or freeze it. No exceptions. The inside of your fridge may be cold, but it’s not a cryogenic chamber. Give it a wipe down with vinegar, close it tightly, and check the seal while you’re at it.
Toilets, Sinks, and Drains—Oh My
Drains and pipes are the hidden highway system for cockroaches and drain flies. If you’re heading out for more than a few days, run hot water down the sink with a touch of bleach or vinegar to discourage hitchhikers. Toilet lids? Shut them. You may not care now, but you will when something with antennae climbs out of your u-bend.Plug bathroom and kitchen drains if possible. If you don’t have drain stoppers, this is a good excuse to finally buy those weirdly satisfying silicone ones you’ve seen online.
Take Out the Trash, Then Take It Out Again
You might think taking the rubbish out the night before is enough, but let’s be honest—you’ve probably forgotten something. Do a second sweep an hour before you leave. Check all bins, including the bedroom one full of tissues and that mystery one in the garage.Don’t leave bin bags just outside the house either. That’s not “dealing with it,” that’s just moving the problem six feet to the left. If the collection isn’t for another week, ask a neighbor to wheel it out or bribe a teenager.
Adjust the Lighting, Don’t Invite the Nightlife
Leaving a light on while you’re gone might deter burglars, but it can also attract moths, flies, and any number of light-obsessed bugs. You don’t want to return to find your hallway lamp has become a glowing insect opera.Use timers to simulate occupancy without flooding your rooms like an airport runway. Better yet, use motion sensor lights near windows or entrances. Insects may not care, but you’ll look smart in front of your neighbors.
Mail and Boxes: More Than Just a Trip Hazard
Stacks of mail, newspapers, and deliveries can make a great hiding spot for pests—especially silverfish, who view your gas bill as both a snack and a mattress. Pause your mail, ask a friend to pop by, or redirect deliveries. That stack by the door isn’t just unsightly—it’s habitable.Houseplants: Friends or Freeloaders?
Your potted jungle may be your pride and joy, but it can also turn into a fly nursery while you’re away. Overwatered soil becomes a breeding ground for fungus gnats, and anything dying or dropping leaves can attract more than just guilt.Water your plants lightly before leaving—don’t turn them into swamps. Remove dead leaves, and inspect the soil for signs of gnat larvae (you’ll know if it looks like something’s already swimming in it). Consider moving them away from windows so pests aren’t tempted to drop by for a photosynthesized party.
Pet Food is Pest Food
Leaving out a bowl of kibble for the cat-sitter? You may as well write “Free Buffet” on it in tiny insect script. Dry pet food is high-calorie, protein-rich, and practically designed for pest appeal.Keep all pet food in sealed containers and make sure bowls are clean and dry before you leave. If someone is caring for your pet while you’re away, give them strict feeding instructions—and maybe include a short note explaining that ants don’t pay rent.
Closets: Shut Them Like You Mean It
Closets can become tiny dark sanctuaries for moths, spiders, and the occasional mouse with luxury tastes. Make sure clothes are clean and dry (especially anything wool or cashmere), and zip or seal anything you’d be devastated to find chewed through.If you’ve got cedar blocks, now’s the time to use them. If not, a sachet of lavender or cloves can help. Don’t overdo it—you want to repel pests, not embalm your wardrobe.
Garage? More Like Pest Airbnb
Garages tend to be forgotten zones where spiders set up condos and mice throw dance parties in boxes of old extension cords. Do a walk-through. If there’s birdseed, grass seed, or pet food sitting in there, secure it or remove it. Unused cardboard boxes are prime nesting material, so swap them out for plastic bins with tight-fitting lids.Also check for signs of entry along garage door edges and corners. A gap the width of a pencil is enough for a mouse to strut in like it owns the place.
Check Traps Without Turning Your House into a Horror Film
If you already have traps down for rodents or insects, now’s the time to check them—not after they’ve had two weeks to marinate. Remove anything already caught, clean the area, and reset if needed. You don’t want to come back to the smell of “something died under the sink,” which is always the worst kind of guessing game.If you’ve never used traps and don’t have an active issue, no need to start laying them like a doomsday prepper. Prevention’s the goal here, not pest paranoia.
Shut Down the Welcome Wagon
Before walking out the door, give everything one last glance. Are the bins out? Lights on timer? Pet food sealed? Toilet lids shut like they’re guarding national secrets?Take five minutes to walk through each room. You’ll spot that one banana you missed, or that back window you always forget is slightly ajar. Don’t trust your memory—trust the checklist.
Bug Off and Bon Voyage
There’s nothing glamorous about pest-proofing, but it beats returning to a living room that now hosts a thriving carpet beetle commune. A few simple steps, done thoroughly, mean your home stays your home—not a short-term rental for vermin.Lock the door, double-check your zips, and enjoy your time away knowing that back at home, no one’s chewing through your cereal or nesting in your slippers. Except maybe the cat. And they’re on payroll.
Article kindly provided by anglopestcontrol.scot
