Patios are nice areas of a home or office building where you can enjoy the outdoors while the weather is nice. However, the presence of pests such as ants and mice can put a damper on your relaxation and good times. These animals are particularly attracted to food and water, so if you dine on your outdoor patio, you may especially have a need for commercial pest control in Toronto. However, preventing critters from visiting in the first place is often easier than trying to get rid of them once you have a pest control problem. Here are some ways to keep pests away from your patio.
Making the Ants Scurry
Ants are tiny, but they can be a massive source of frustration when they get into food and otherwise run around your property in large numbers. Despite their small size, some ants can cause significant damage to the wooden structure of your patio, in much the same way as termites. Fortunately, there are ways to keep ants away from a building and make existing ants go elsewhere. Some of these methods include:
- Finding where the ants are coming from, which is usually from a mound of dirt on the ground known as an ant hill. Once you find their nest, you can eliminate the ants at the source.
- Knowing what kinds of ants are on your lawn, in order to execute the best plan to deal with them. For example, fire ants can cause nasty bites and are best left to professionals wearing the proper safety equipment to deal with.
- Keep sources of food and water off your patio when not in use. This includes cleaning up any crumbs left behind after enjoying a meal outside, ensuring that trash does not pile up on the porch, and wiping down the barbeque grill after cooking.
Some natural solutions for killing ants include a mixture of water and vinegar poured onto an ant hill. When in doubt, however, always contact a pest control specialist. For example, Truly Nolen Canada has a Four Seasons Program that uses a unique blend of materials that keeps pests from returning no matter the time of year.
Keeping Mice Away
There are many similarities between keeping mice and ants away from your patio. One of these is making sure that there are no food sources left in the open that mice can easily access. However, rodent removal is a bit different from ant removal due to differences in size and behaviour. If you notice what you believe to be rodent droppings or urine, take some steps to make your yard and patio less inviting to these creatures. For example, you can:
- Pick up tree branches and rake leaves off your lawn, since these are attractive hiding spots for mice and rats
- Have a professional rodent pest control service set up humane traps throughout your yard and on your patio
- Spray natural scents that deter mice, such as peppermint, vinegar, cloves, and cinnamon, many of which you may already have around your home or place of business
A professional will know how and where best to place traps, which is important because mice are very cautious and can become adept at avoiding traps. For example, rat removal specialists know to wear gloves when handling even new mouse traps in order to keep the human scent off of the traps, since this is a scent that mice can detect.
If mice, ants, and other pests are preventing you from making the best use of your patio, contact Truly Nolen Canada today. Our professionals can help you get rid of your pest problem and prevent new issues from happening in the future.