Many families will find that cutting down clutter means doing more than shoving unused items into the attic or garage.
Yard sale signs will be displayed every weekend until summer. Some will find that even after selling or donating many items, they still have a few things that, though they don't belong in the house, are not to be given away or tossed in the garbage. Those items will likely be added to the storage unit.
As you are reorganizing and planning to add items to your storage unit, it is important to make sure you keep the pests out. Your stored objects are out-of-sight, out-of-mind until you open the door to find rodents, termites, carpenter ants, or other damaging pests. In this article, we are discussing seven ways to keep the pests out of your storage unit this spring.
Seven Tips for Keeping Pests Out of Your Storage Unit
1) Look for Signs of Pests Before Moving Items to Your Unit
One of the primary ways for pests to enter your storage unit is on the items you store. You might be unwittingly transporting pests like bed bugs from your home into storage, even if you are not storing a bed or mattress. Signs of bed bugs include:
- When bed bugs molt, their exoskeleton is shed, and you can often see traces of it on furniture or in bedsheets.
- Their reddish-brown bodies may be found in the folds of blankets and sheets.
- Even if you can't see the pests, rust-colored spots on your linens, mattresses, and furniture could indicate their presence.
- You may never see them, but their awful sweet, musty odor may pervade your bedroom.
- Bite marks on you or your family members are the most obvious sign of bed bug infestation. Bed bugs usually attack a person's face, hands, arms, or neck while they sleep. These bites will very certainly be itchy, causing rashes and perhaps allergic reactions.
Bed bugs are not the only pest that will travel from your home to your storage unit. If there are holes in your wooden furniture, it could mean you have carpenter ants or termites. Make sure your items are pest-free before storing them.
2) Clean Each Item Thoroughly
Make sure you clean each item thoroughly before storing it to reduce the chances of attracting pests. If there are crumbs in the crevices of your furniture, you may return to a storage unit full of ants or rodents.
3) Take Steps to Reduce Moisture in Your Storage Unit
If you notice your storage unit is humid, it might be wise to take steps to reduce humidity. You might be able to install a dehumidifier if your unit is powered. Otherwise, you might choose a storage facility with climate-controlled storage units.
4) Pack Items in Containers with Airtight Lids
Airtight lids will help ensure that pests and rodents cannot get a whiff of the things that attract them to your storage unit. If your lids aren’t airtight, you could be sending out an invitation to pests and rodents.
5) Keep Items Off the Ground
Make it more challenging for mice, rodents, and other pests to access the items in your storage unit by lifting them off the ground with wooden pallets. If you do put pallets in your unit, inspect them for any signs of infestation.
The last thing you want to do is bring termites or carpenter ants into your storage area with the materials you are using to try to prevent them from infesting your unit.
6) Cover Mattresses and Furniture
Before storing wooden furniture, mattresses, rugs, etc., wrap them in plastic. This will help ensure that pests cannot infest these items and deter them from even entering your storage unit.
7) Utilize a Professional Exterminator
Whether you are storing items in a facility or at your home, the best step you can take to guard against an infestation is to utilize the services of a professional exterminator.
Before you store your furniture and other items, contact Rid-A-Bug to exterminate any potential existing infestations. If you find pests in your storage unit, we can help eliminate them as well.