Avoid These Pests While Getting Out Christmas Decorations

Holiday decorations in a box.
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“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Yes, this time of the year is indeed wonderful and filled with excitement! By the beginning of December (or for some right after Halloween), homeowners are getting ready to bring out their holiday decorations. Trimming the beams with garland, covering the tree with homemade ornaments, and sprinkling your home with glittering lights are all things looked forward to each year.

But where do these decorations go for the rest of the year? Usually in storage totes or boxes in attics or basements. While all you homeowners are on the hunt for your Christmas décor, you may also want to be on the lookout for pests that have taken up residence over the course of the year.

The holiday season means cooler temperatures and typically snow across Illinois and Iowa. When these cool temperatures hit, just like humans who are ready to cozy up in sweaters with hot cocoa, pests are ready to find a warm place to live too. Some common pests homeowners may see while digging through decorations would be mice, ants, and spiders.

Among the many rodent pests that invade homes in fall and winter, Mice will leave behind the most damage, particularly to decorations. You may find that they have chewed through items and unfortunately ruined them with their urine and feces. They may have created a nest and reproduced—meaning there could be a number of mice running around your home. Mice can also damage wiring by chewing through it, which is a fire hazard. No matter where these mice go, they become a sanitary issue and can spread diseases through their excrement.

Spiders are a nuisance—they will leave behind numerous webs that get caught on items, as well as dead bugs and other pests that get caught in those nests. No one really wants to be rummaging through a big box of holiday cheer and find a spider crawling up his or her arm! Yuck! Spiders are extremely hard to eliminate. Ants, similarly to spiders, are a pain to prevent. They create very large colonies and aren’t afraid to go where the food is, i.e. your kitchen. They are a sanitary issue and again, are very hard to eradicate.

None of these pests sound remotely fun to deal with especially around Christmas when all you want to do is celebrate and enjoy the holiday. You can try to avoid pests by doing a few general prevention tips. First, seal creaks or crevices throughout your home including your foundation, your roof, around entry points, etc. Secondly, make sure all holes, such as your chimney, are covered properly and replace any broken screens. Third, clear away woodpiles and trim back trees away from your home. Fourth, properly seal away garbage as well as food inside of the home. And fifth, limit the amount of clutter in your storage areas and use well-sealed containers.

While these tips may help prevent an infestation, it’s important to know that they won’t guarantee it - you might need to call the experts at Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators.

In select areas of Illinois and Iowa, Quil-Kill Pest Eliminators has been providing residential and commercial pest control services for 85 years. They offer the Home Guardian SM Service, which is comprehensive pest prevention and elimination program. Over the course of the year through multiple visits, a certified pest control technician will come to your home and provide needed services. Quik-Kill can ensure that your holiday spirit won’t be bothered by pests that have snuck in throughout the year—because they will be there to stop them!

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