For most homes, the garage tends to become the catchall storage unit for household necessities that we don’t want to keep in the house, such as pet food, holiday decorations, and even trash cans. The problem is, these things attract ants and roaches, and give them a place to nest, turning your garage into a gateway area for insects to enter the house.
Garages can easily attract pests like ants and cockroaches because they often provide the shelter, warmth, and moisture insects need to survive. Even if a garage is mainly used for storage or parking vehicles, small crumbs, cardboard boxes, pet food, standing water, and clutter can create ideal hiding spots for pests.
Garages also tend to have multiple entry points that pests can use to get inside. Gaps around garage doors, cracks in foundations, utility openings, and poorly sealed windows may allow ants and roaches to enter more easily. Once inside, pests often hide in dark, undisturbed areas behind storage containers, shelves, appliances, or wall voids.
The best way to keep ants and roaches from setting up home in your house is to keep them out of the garage. Follow these seven steps to protect your garage from ants and roaches.
Make sure dead brush or debris isn’t piled against the foundations or the outside walls. Branches and other foliage touching the outside walls can act as a channel for insects to crawl through openings such as cracks and windows.
Keeping your garage clean and orderly, and regularly sweeping out dust and debris that naturally accumulates on the floor. Additionally, you should also place Combat® baits along baseboards and in the corners. Combat® can help keep your garage pest-free by eliminating ants and roaches at their source.
Ants and roaches can gain entry through very slim openings. Fill these crevices with Combat® gel to prevent outside insects from getting in. You should also seal spaces around windows and doors with weather stripping, and fix any broken panes and seal openings under the eaves.
Warmth and moisture are the biggest attractants for ants and roaches. Eliminate any areas of standing water, such as around leaky pipes, as well as areas where moisture may collect after a heavy rainfall. And ensure gutters and downspouts are properly functioning, directing water away from your house and garage.
You would be amazed at how fast a line of ants will find their way to that food. Even dry food in bags or boxes can come under attack by ants and cockroaches quickly. If you must store food in the garage, keep it tightly sealed in storage bins.
Roaches love to nest in anything from paper to clothing. If you must store boxes in the garage, place them on pallets or shelving units so that they are not sitting on the garage floor.
It’s best not to store your garbage in your garage if you want to avoid pests. But if you do, always keep the trash can lids on tight, and be sure to empty the cans weekly.
It doesn’t take much for an ant or cockroach infestation to take over your garage or storage unit. You can, however, use Combat® Ant & Roach baits to help prevent an ant or cockroach problem. Explore the Combat® website for more great tips, advice, and helpful information.
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