Most people receive numerous packages every month. With the rise of platforms like Amazon, it is nothing for people to do all their essential shopping online, having it conveniently shipped to their homes. While the convenience is nice, homeowners should understand that pests can often enter a house on or inside packaging, leading to the necessity of residential pest control in Waterloo.

In the era of virtual shopping, homeowners must take greater precautions with what they bring into their homes. Packages can ship from anywhere in the world, and insects and other pests can hitch a ride right to your front door. Discover how to prevent package pests from infiltrating your living space.

Tips for Inspecting Packaging for Pests

What is pest control at home? When professionals discuss pest control at home, they are usually talking about prevention methods, such as yard and home maintenance and trash protection. Legitimate pest control involves tools and chemicals that most homeowners do not have access to.

Pest control for packages falls under the category of home or DIY tactics. The primary concern is inspecting the box to ensure it is safe and pest-free before bringing it inside. You can use three tips to assess a package and keep your home pest-free.

1. Open Outside of Your Home

Do not bring packages inside after receiving them. Most people are not at home when deliveries arrive and don’t know when they arrived. Homeowners may also have no idea where the package came from or the level of protection it received on its journey.

Unless you know with 100% certainty that a package came from a pest-free facility and had direct supervision through its travels to your door, do not bring it inside. At any point in the journey, from packing to porch, pests could have found a way to hitch a ride. To avoid any surprises, open the package outside. Only bring your purchased items inside the house.

2. Check for Signs of Pests

Before you open the package, assess it for signs of pests. Look at each container panel and inspect it for chew marks or holes. You may also notice grease marks or staining. If the object took several days to get to you, it is possible the pest used the bathroom inside the delivery.

Residential pest control is unnecessary to inspect packages, but you may want to call them if you have a strong suspicion that something came out of the box and is now in or around your home. Some people have received deliveries and been shocked to find black widows inside. Keep yourself and your family safe, and take caution when opening packages.

3. Discard Packaging

Many people like to hold onto cardboard boxes from deliveries. They may use the boxes to store items or do arts and crafts. If you intend on keeping the packing materials for crafts, use them immediately. Do not leave empty boxes in a basement, garage, or attic.

Also, do not use cardboard boxes to store items. Pests love cardboard. They will chew through it and use the material for nests. Use plastic bins with tight-fitting lids to store things. Throw away boxes and other packing materials.

How Truly Nolen Can Help With Residential Pest Control

Ordering items for delivery is part of life now. Many stores no longer have a physical presence, meaning to buy merchandise from specific brands, you have to order it online. The uptick in residential deliveries means homeowners must be more careful about what they order and how they interact with the package. Take precautions to limit the risks of bringing pests into your home on or in packaging. Contact Truly Nolen Canada, a known service for commercial and residential pest control in Waterloo, and ask about our four-season pest control plan.