A storage space in a home is a luxury, where you can store your precious items for defined period of time. But how to protect your storage items from pests and other haphazards. There are many ways to avoid pests in there, very must is to avoid those circumstances that may be the grounds for pests to grow. For example, food storage, or in any storage area where you take food and forget to clean after it.
These can be infestation grounds for pests to grow and live in there. Another example is floor storage, if you want to protect your storage items from pests you must take storage off the floor. Vertical storage ideas can be best solution to pest control. There are some other solutions too that prevent pest infestation in your storage area and items. Let’s take a defined look on these solutions, But first we have to find the cause and initiative for this problem so that we can solve it for good.
Why Are There Pests In My Storage?
Like I said above there are reasons for pest to enter your storage and make it their home. Beside food storage, other storage items like clothing, paper and other items can infest pests too! Just like Mold, pest can make ways to enter your storage too. Here is the list of reasons that can cause pest to live in your storage space and ruin your storage items.
Bad Cleaning Routine
It is necessary to periodically check on your storage for moisture, pest infestation and mold. Remember to check and clean your storage every month. Make sure to provide better climate and air flow in there. Mismanaged routine for cleaning can cause pest to live and grow in there for long without your notice. Also, do not store your boxes like cluttered group, manage them, organize them and categorize them in different aisles.
Open clothing boxes, or looses storage containers with cloth can invite a lot of pest, because clothes are best place for them to lay eggs and protect their communities. Store your clothes while they are completely dry, vacuum seal them and put them in storage containers. Within the container, make sure to allow a proper air flow. Do not provide any hiding spaces for pests by creating clutter.
Avoid Storing Food
Do not store food in your storage along with other items. You need to store food with food storage facility, and with the proper precautions that are needed to be taken. If you work in your storage area for a period of time, while managing it, do not eat in there. It has the possibility for some food ingredients to be left in there and invite pest. Some large insects like ants really enjoy left over food items, they can manage their living in there for more food.
Moisture
If you have an unbalanced climate in your storage area, their is high probability of it getting attacked by mold, mildew, fungus, and pest. A humid environment attracts so many insects in there, as it is perfect environment to lay eggs. Any trace of moisture can be dangerous to your precious items. Make sure to use desiccants, silica gel, moisture absorbents, moisture detectors in your storage area.
Open Windows & Cracks
If all above of the points are negative and you still are worried about to protect your storage items from pests, you must check for any cracks and open areas in there. There must be some open cracks or open windows from where these insects are finding their ways in. You must seal them with proper crack sealers. Make sure to clean all the insects before you do it.
Temperature
Too hot temperature or too cold atmosphere also invites insects and pests. You need to adjust a normal temperature with proper air flow. Some pests are very attached to cold atmosphere, so when you store food in big freezed storage rooms, make sure to check for them every once in a while. If you find weird pests in your storage, temperature settings must be your thing to check.
Fleas In Storage Units?
Fleas are associated with animals, they usually live with an animal as a parasite. If there are some animals near your storage unit, like dogs etc. But if don’t and you still notice large group of fleas in there, you must check for the pet beds you stored in there. If there are, clean them, sun dry them for at least 2 days and then store them. Fleas are also associated with bad cleaning and hygiene maintenance.
Warmth, humidity and moisture is also a great environment for them to lay eggs and grow communities. Stable your storage environment with proper air flow and climate controlled equipments. Any small presence of organic material that is not cleaned well, can be a breeding ground for fleas for example pet beddings, and fiber.
Top 7 Tips To Protect Your Storage Items From Pests
There are some expert tips on the sensitive topic of pests, these tips can help you maintain your storage well and for a longer period of time. You can follow these tips to maintain the storage with ease and less hard work. Like covering your furniture, floor and considering what to store where and for how many time?
1. Cover Your Furniture
Your upholstered furniture is mostly have fabric, that is organic and can attract a lot of pests and insects. You need to cover it with plastic wrapper, so that they can not access it easily. Simply, vacuum the dust and debris out of he furniture, air dry it and sprinkle some baking soda on it to repel the odor. Wrap some good quality furniture plastic cover and wrap it all around your furniture. Make sure to leave no gap in between or on the sides.
2. Cover The Floor
When there are a lot of items on the floor with no space to walk around, it can create a perfect environment for some insects to hide and grow their community. It can hide them well, protect them and sets the temperature too! To avoid this situation you should go for the vertical storage system with stackable storage bins. If your floor is empty, it is easier for you to clean around it, that automatically eliminates the chances of pests.
3. Use Pest Deterrents
before you select a storage unit, make sure to check for the pest control sprays. Mostly in your home, you need to spray these repellants to protect storage items from pests. But if you are going to buy a storage facility, make sure to check with them for proper pest control sprays, as they have more chances than your home because of previous storage items. For a small storage space, you can sprinkle pest repellent in all the corners and around your storage boxes whenever you clean your storage room.
4. Use Proper Containers
Choose proper containers according to your type of storage items. Do not use light weight and lid free containers for anything, because some pests like termites can eat anything like wood, paper, fiber and everything except iron rods. It literally can leave your storage unit empty like a hollow space. So, consider proper containers with airtight lids and with proper structure, so that they can handle the weight for the required period of time without letting some outsiders in.
5. Avoid Storing Perishable Items
You must avoid storing your perishable items that have limited shelf life and are suppose to decay very soon. Like food items, beverages, medicines and pharmaceuticals, flowers, plants, and chemical products. These item need proper storage, temperature and humid control climate, to maintain their quality and functionality. If you store them with your other storage items there are chances that both of the storage can damage each other.
6. Eliminate Hidden Spaces
There must not be any hidden places for pests to take shelter and hide for a long time. For this, you can leave the floor empty, raise your storage above head with some head boards, use vertical storage with maximum walking space and provide extra space between the storage boxes. Make sure to eliminate all the hidden places under the furniture, with in the equipment and along with the storage containers.
7. Pick Good Storage Facilities
If you are going to hire a storage facility, consider the red flags and catch tags before head. Read their insurance policy to the dot and make sure they have all the facilities that are mentioned in the contract. Do check for the pest control policy, a good storage facility must have it. Must check on your possessions every once in a while for safety and to protect your storage items from pests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common pests that can damage storage items include rodents (such as mice and rats), insects (such as ants, cockroaches, and beetles), and even larger pests like raccoons or squirrels.
Use sealed plastic containers or metal bins for storing items, as these are less likely to be penetrated by pests compared to cardboard boxes. Elevating storage off the ground can also help deter pests, as they are less likely to nest in items that are off the floor.
Yes, several natural remedies can help repel pests. For example, placing sachets of dried mint, lavender, or cedar in storage areas can deter insects. Additionally, essential oils like peppermint or eucalyptus can be mixed with water and sprayed in storage areas to repel pests.
While pesticides can be effective at eliminating pests, they may also pose health risks to humans and pets if not used properly. Consider using non-toxic pest control methods first, and if pesticides are necessary, use them sparingly and according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Regular inspections are essential to catch pest problems early. Inspect your storage area at least once a month, checking for signs of pests such as droppings, gnaw marks, or damaged items.
If you discover pests in your storage area, take immediate action to address the problem. Remove and dispose of any infested items, clean the area thoroughly, and implement pest control measures such as traps or deterrents. Consider consulting with a professional pest control service for severe infestations.
