How to help prevent bugs
Bugs invade homes looking for food, water, or shelter. By eliminating the things that attract insects, you can help prevent these critters from coming inside.
Powered by the SC Johnson Center for Insect Science®
Think like a bug
To help fight bugs, you have to think like one. How are they entering your home? What is attracting them? How can you prevent them from coming inside?
You can help protect your family and keep bugs away with a combination of the right pest control products, some good, old-fashioned cleaning, and simple prevention tips.
Identify the bug you’re dealing with
The first step to getting rid of insects in the house is knowing which bugs you’re fighting. Use ourinteractive toolto identify the type of bugs you’re dealing with and find out how to help get rid of them.
Create bug barriers
One of the best ways to help protect your family from creepy, crawly insects is by keeping them from invading your home in the first place. Just follow these tips to help keep bugs out:
- Install screens on all windows and doors if you do not have them to help prevent bugs from crawling or flying inside.
- Repair window or door screens that are ripped or do not fit tightly.
- Weatherproof the open spaces around windows and doors, particularly between the bottom of the door and the floor.
- Check vents, utility pipes, and other openings into the home that may need to be sealed, replaced, or repaired.
- Caulk any points where bugs can enter your home from the outside, such as wall cracks or crevices.
We know bugs
From creepy cockroaches to buzzing flies to blood-sucking mosquitoes, we raise 15 million bugs each year at the SC Johnson Center for Insect Science™. Our mission is to study their behavior to develop insect-control products and expert tips to help you protect your home and family from unwanted pests.
Stop feeding bugs
Bugs often invade homes looking for a tasty snack. By removing their food sources, hungry insects will be forced to find their next meal elsewhere.
- Thoroughly clean your home on a regular basis, paying special attention to nooks and crannies where food debris may build up.
- Vacuum upholstered furniture often and don’t forget to clean under the cushions where tiny crumbs can collect.
- Wipe up any spills right away and store food in air-tight containers.
- Keep food in the kitchen and dining areas and don’t allow children to eat around the house, where they can drop crumbs.
- Regularly wipe up crumbs and spills from kitchen appliances. And don’t forget to clean the stray food particles that often lurk underneath and behind the appliances.
Remove sources of water
Just like humans, insects need water to survive. So, if you give them easy access to a water source, they will keep on coming! To help prevent a bug invasion, repair leaks indoors, remove standing water outdoors, and lower humidity in damp areas of your home with a dehumidifier.
Eliminate bug hiding spots
Bugs are experts at hiding. You can help protect your loved ones from these creepy critters and prevent insect infestations by eliminating their hiding spots:
- Remove indoor clutter, which will also make it easier to apply insect-control treatments.
- Move things that are stored too close to the outside of the house, like firewood, potted plants, garbage cans, and other debris.
- Check firewood for bugs before bringing it inside.
- Trim shrubbery and trees so they do not come in direct contact with your house.
Find solutions for bugs
Explore our family of products designed to help you get tough in the fight against insects and keep them from invading your home.
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