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A welcoming home is warm, free of damp and just perfect for its inhabitants. But do you know exactly who you are sharing with and how they might change your environment? Many homes aren’t just welcoming to family and pets…
Even when you live alone, your home is far from a solitary set of rooms. In fact, your home is probably better regarded as a house-share, bringing together around 100 species of animals. Yep, you read that right! So, who is sharing your welcoming home and do they deserve to stay?
Who Lives Here?
The average house in Toronto comes with over 100 species of animals including insects, crustaceans and spiders. But, for the most part, there’s nothing to worry about. Contrary to their disconcerting movements, spiders are actually welcome guests and will happily see off a variety of small bitey things like fleas and ticks.
Of course, the vast majority of the creatures living rent-free aren’t going to cause any bother at all. We won’t even see most of them. A good rule is that if you can’t see something and you don’t have any mystery bites, you probably don’t need to think any further.
Don’t be Too Accommodating
There are a few you should be wary of and you should never hesitate to call a bed bug exterminator! Bed bugs will bite you at night causing itchy lumps to rise on your skin, which, needless to say, is pretty unpleasant. The good news is that you don’t need to get rid of your furniture as long as the exterminator is thorough. You can put your bedding into the freezer for 4 days as a way to combat any further bugs or eggs and wash on a high temperature.
Dust mites can also cause problems and often favor your bedroom too. Though these mites are normally harmless and don’t bite, they can cause an allergic reaction. If this is the case for you, dust-proofing in the bedroom and cleaning regularly is essential.
Carpet beetles are also responsible for itchy skin so if you have checked for bed bugs and still have what looks like bites, you should definitely hoover and wash all your interior fabrics, including cushions, duvets and curtains.
Stink bugs are another common pest and while they won’t do any actual damage to you or your home, they do let off a significant stench when they feel threatened and they will happily go through your garden.
To avoid accidentally accommodating unwanted guests, it’s a good idea to go through your pantry and make sure that all your foods are in sealed containers. You should also make sure that you clear up any spills as soon as possible and avoid leaving things like bags of flour for too long.
For the most part, you can ignore the other residents of your home and leave peacefully together. However, to maintain an environment that suits you, it’s essential that you clean regularly and avoid any build up of dust or clutter.