8 Reasons Why Your Home Might Become a Hotbed for Bugs and How to Stop It

In search of food and shelter, many insects choose to settle down in your home because they can find a perfect place to live. Unfortunately, these unpleasant visitors can even harm you and your home. Some of them eat wood, fabric, and plants, others can cause food poisoning and infections. So it’s important to know what things in your home they especially like to try and get rid of or limit them.

At Bright Side we hope you never have to face this problem. You can prevent this kind of nuisance by making a couple of simple changes in your house!

1. Old books

Any old paper can attract insects. That includes old books, stacks of newspapers, letters. Some bugs, like silverfish and cockroaches, feed on cellulose, so it’s better not to leave anything on your table, shelves, or even in a drawer. If you don’t want to get rid of those old books and letters, put them in a plastic container that can be tightly sealed.

2. White lightbulbs

Bright white and bluish light is the most attractive to insects. In contrast, yellow, pink, and orange lights are the least attractive. Most LED lightbulbs are a good choice to have in your home because the white light they produce isn’t actually white, but a mixture of various light colors. However, there are some exceptions, and some LED lights do attract insects. So it’s better to replace them with bulbs that emit warmer colors.

3. White window and door frames

If the outside of your house is painted white, it may also attract bugs. So if you have a problem with them, it’s better to choose colors like green and blue instead because they’re less attractive to bugs. However, if mosquitos are your problem, it would be better to keep the white paint because they’re attracted to darker colors.

4. Cardboard boxes

Cockroaches, silverfish, termites, and other bugs also like to feed on cardboard boxes and the glue that binds them. This porous material is also perfect for them to live in because they can saturate it with their scent secretions and attract other insects because they like to live in groups. So it’s better to get rid of old cardboard boxes and, if possible, use plastic containers instead.

5. Unfinished wood

Carpenter bees are attracted to unfinished wood, especially if it has holes in it. They drill into wood and lay eggs there. So it’s important to make sure you don’t keep stacks of firewood in your home, and that your fences, decks, and eaves are painted and treated with pesticides.

6. High humidity

Pests love moist and warm places because they are perfect conditions for them to live and thrive. You might find them in your basement, bathroom, or in the kitchen around the sink area. To control the humidity, make sure your drainage system is working correctly and that there aren’t any leaks. You can also buy a humidistat to check the humidity levels, and install a dehumidifying system.

7. Plants

Houseplants are another thing that attracts bugs into your home. And that might be because you aren’t taking care of them properly. For example, if you’re overwatering them or if there’s standing water in the saucer, it creates the perfect humid conditions for bugs to live in. Moreover, it’s important to make sure there’s enough air movement in the room. This will prevent high humidity, help the soil dry, and decrease fungal growth, which will make your plant less attractive to bugs.

8. Food and drinks

If you have overripe fruit or vegetables, throw them away or put them in a tightly-sealed container, because it’s something flies like to feed on. Also keep an eye on sweet or fermented liquids, like soda, syrup, or vinegar. Wipe up any spills and don’t leave cans and bottles open. You can also rinse them before putting them in the garbage.

Have you ever had a bug problem in your house? What was the cause? How did you deal with them?