How to Prevent Household Pests: A Seal, Clean, and Monitor Checklist

Most pests come in looking for food, water, and shelter. Making your home less appealing and harder to enter is the foundation of integrated pest management (IPM), the approach the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promotes. IPM puts monitoring and prevention first, and uses the least risky effective control method when prevention is not enough. This checklist applies those ideas around the home. It will not guarantee a pest-free home, but it can reduce the odds of a problem.

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1. Seal Entry Points

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says a mouse can fit through a hole about 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) wide, roughly the size of a pencil. Check:

• Around windows and doors, including weather stripping and door sweeps
• Along pipes and utility lines, and behind appliances
• Between the foundation and the ground, and around attic and crawl space vents
• Roof edges, eaves, and soffits

For small holes, CDC suggests filling them with steel wool and caulk or spray foam. For larger openings, use materials such as hardware cloth or metal sheeting.

2. Remove Food Sources

• Store food, including pet food and grain, in containers with tight lids made of thick plastic, metal, or glass.
• Do not leave pet food or water bowls out overnight.
• Keep garbage in containers with tight lids.
• Wipe up crumbs and spills, and rinse recyclables before storing them.

3. Reduce Water and Moisture

Pests need water too. Fix leaking pipes and faucets, address damp areas in basements and crawl spaces, and make sure water drains away from the foundation. Moisture also attracts pests to areas you do not see, which is one reason an inspector looks at moisture issues.

4. Cut Back Shelter

CDC recommends reducing places for rodents to nest. Outdoors, it suggests keeping woodpiles and compost bins well away from the house, with woodpiles raised off the ground, and keeping grass and shrubs trimmed. Indoors, reduce clutter in garages, attics, and storage areas.

5. Monitor for Early Signs

IPM relies on monitoring and accurate identification, so check regularly for early signs. CDC advises watching for rodent droppings and gnaw marks. Other signs include ant trails, shed insect skins, nesting material, and damage to wood or wiring. Our guide to the warning signs that call for pest control lists them in more detail.

6. Be Careful When Cleaning Up Rodent Droppings

CDC advises against vacuuming or sweeping rodent droppings or urine that have not been disinfected, because it can put particles into the air. Follow the CDC's cleanup guidance, and consider calling a professional if rodents have reached areas you cannot clean safely.

7. Use Products Carefully

If you use a product yourself, follow the label exactly and keep it away from children and pets. See our guide to pesticide safety around children and pets.

8. Know When to Get Help

If signs keep returning or you cannot find the source, a professional inspection can help. Before you hire, read our questions to ask a pest control company.

GetPestFixed connects homeowners with independent pest control providers. If you would like a provider in your area to contact you about an inspection, you can submit a request, with no obligation.

Sources and Further Reading

• CDC: How to seal up to prevent rodents
• CDC: Controlling wild rodent infestations
• EPA: Integrated pest management (IPM) principles
• EPA: Do's and don'ts of pest control