Tips for keeping bugs out of a garage

Your vehicles should be protected in the garage, which is also where you should store your tools, sporting goods, and other items that need to be stored away out of sight. Additionally, it provides rodents and bugs with the ideal habitat. The garage, which is occasionally left open for prolonged periods, offers easy access to your home for bugs and other tiny animals looking for shelter from the weather. Identification is the first step in preventing bugs from entering the garage.

Some Common Bugs in the Garage

  • Silverfish
  • Crickets
  • Sowbugs
  • Ground beetles
  • Bees
  • Ants
  • Cockroaches
  • Flies
  • Termites
  • Mosquitos

Threats From the Garage’s Bugs

Even though you might not spend much time in your garage, a bug problem there can still be problematic. There are no significant health risks posed by house spiders, sowbugs, ground beetles, camel crickets, or silverfish, though the latter two may wreak havoc by eating things like fabric, upholstery, and paper products.

On the other hand, deer mice can spread the potentially deadly hantavirus by direct touch or inhaling aerosolized urine droplets. Additionally, they have been known to enter automobiles seeking extra warmth and do harm by eating on vital wiring. More than 100 distinct types of disease-causing microorganisms may be found in flies.

Tips to Keep Bugs out of the Garage

The bumper and hood are covered with a large number of dead insects and flies

To keep bugs and their prey out of the garage, much like other parts of the house, entrance points must be closed off and bugs’ ability to enter must be minimized. Homeowners should install efficient weather stripping on their windows and doors and fill any gaps or holes with steel wool, silicone-based caulk, or a mix of the two. Fix any leaky pipes and use a dehumidifier if required as moisture attracts bugs including sowbugs, crickets, and silverfish.

When possible, substitute resealable plastic containers for cardboard cartons. By doing this, you may assist eliminate any places where silverfish and deer mice might lay their eggs. The garage should also be frequently swept or vacuumed to get rid of food crumbs, spider webs, and eggs. Before putting anything in the garage, make sure to check them for bugs.

Declutter

The easiest approach to prevent and detect bug infestations in your garage is to keep it clean and orderly. To prevent animals and bugs from building nests in your possessions, use plastic storage bins or other weather-tight containers rather than cardboard. Before putting your things and storage containers away, make sure you inspect them for bugs.

Reduce water and humidity

Most bugs are drawn to water that is present near your garage. Check for any dampness, leaking pipes, or standing water. If required, get a dehumidifier for your area.

Remove food

Eliminating any stray food from the garage eliminates a significant bug attraction. Use sealed containers for pet food and bird seed, tie your rubbish bags securely, and sweep up crumbs as soon as they are spilled.

Weatherproof

To keep bugs out of your garage, seal up any crevices around your windows, doors, and garage door. This is especially important during seasonal changes when bugs look for a warmer or cooler area to reside. For this job, you can use silicone caulk, weatherstripping, and rubber seals. 

Spray Bottom Baseboards

Insecticides or powders can be sprayed on the bottom baseboard of your garage on both the inside and the exterior to kill any bugs that come into touch with it. However, if you have small children or dogs that could be playing nearby or who may have toys lying about, you must be cautious when using it or its storage. You might be concerned about using chemicals to eliminate bugs in your garage. 

Bug Bomb

Using an aerosol propellant, bug bombs or complete release foggers spray insecticides into a small area. These goods are frequently perceived as simple, fast solutions for bug problems in homes. Only a few bugs can be eliminated with insect bombs. For this reason, it is crucial to understand when it is suitable to utilize the devices. Cockroach, ant, and bed bug infestations are not very amenable to control by devices.

When used improperly, bug bombs may be extremely dangerous. Each year, people accidentally use insect foggers to start fires and explosions. Additionally, bug bomb products can lead to digestive and respiratory issues, which in the young and elderly can be deadly. Make careful to utilize a bug bomb in your house safely and effectively if you intend to.

Lighted-outdoor-lantern-with-flying-bugs

Professional Pest Control

Getting in touch with a certified pest control specialist is the most efficient technique to get rid of bugs in the garage. A trained expert will conduct a garage inspection to locate the issue’s root cause and suggest an appropriate course of action. He or she will search for openings, evidence of bug damage to storage, and other things. A vacuum can be used to get rid of sowbugs if they are discovered in the garage.

Insects should not prevent you from enjoying your garage. Make an appointment with a qualified exterminator when bothersome bugs damage your garage. Some provide free inspections and can assist in developing a personalized strategy to get rid of annoying bugs while safeguarding the health of you and your family. Do not worry; your garage includes your dogs at home in significant numbers. Pet-friendly pest control is a service that some professional exterminators provide so you can feel secure knowing that everyone in your family, including the furry ones, is protected.

Seal Your Doors

A properly sealed door can help keep out unpleasant pests, just as a secured door can keep burglars away. If you thoroughly inspect your entranceways, you will probably be astonished by how many unsealed spaces you find—each of which provides a simple path for bugs to enter.

Install a strong steel or aluminum threshold beneath your door to prevent insects from creeping below. Utilize a door sweep in addition to this for even greater defense. A sweep is an inexpensive appliance that fills the space between a threshold and the bottom of a door. It is available at most hardware stores. The best protection against pests is provided by nylon brush sweeps, so choose them over vinyl or neoprene.

Repair Cracks

Given that many bugs are microscopic in size, it is conceivable that they may enter a garage through cracks or openings that are almost imperceptible to the homeowner. Thus, one of the greatest methods to bug-proof your home is to plug any outside cracks. One useful rule to remember is that if a pencil can pass through a crack or opening, so can a juvenile mouse and an endless stream of insects.

Start by doing a careful inspection of your garage’s exterior. Look for loose or crumbling masonry, rotten timber, foundation fractures, or pieces of siding that are damaged or missing. When you pay attention to the number of openings you find in your garage, you will be amazed by how spacious and welcoming it is.

Conclusion

To conclude, cleanliness is the key. To prevent an infestation in the garage, reduce clutter by organizing storage items and keeping them off the floor.