When Pests Infest Reducing The Risk Of Vermin

Pests of any kind - from cockroaches and ants to possums and snakes – are opportunists.

If you know there’s a chance of robbery, you’d never leave your windows open or your doors unlocked, but this is what you are doing every day if you don’t protect your garage or shed against pests. Especially in these colder months, vermin are looking for warm, dry, safe hideaways – and who can blame them?!

With a few simple steps, you can make sure that your shed doesn’t become the local Rodent Ritz or Marsupial Marriott, keeping vermin at bay so you don’t have to remove them or worse, deal with the aftermath of destruction they may cause.

1. DON’T GIVE THEM A NEST

That may sound obvious, but by storing loose fabrics, cardboard boxes and uncovered furniture, that is exactly what you are doing. Assess your garage or shed for potential nesting materials and either replace them, throw them out our seal them away in tough plastic boxes. This has the added bonus of giving them fewer places to hide and keeping your shed more organised.

2. GET A PEST DETERRENT

If your shed has a power supply, electrical pest deterrents can be highly effective. Emitting a high-pitched sound that humans can’t hear, these deterrents are the vermin equivalent of a heavy metal band moving in next door.

Ant Sand acts as an impenetrable shield around your property, keeping ants at bay, rather than having to deal with a million dead ant bodies inside. If you want something a bit more natural and pet-friendly, add plenty of regular table salt to boiling water and stir until it dissolves. Allow to cool, pour into a spray bottle and spray wherever ants may be coming in, or even around the entire footing of your building. Repeat once a month or after heavy rain for a highly effective, completely natural way of keeping ants and even cockroaches at bay.

Tackling the smaller insects also disrupts the food chain. Ants are eaten by lizards, lizards are eaten by possums and possums are eaten by snakes. Stop the ants and you’re less likely to suffer with the rest.

3. CLEANINESS IS KEY

Regularly cleaning your shed, sweeping away debris and leaf litter and using a disinfectant or surface cleaner on the floor keeps your space in better condition but also makes it far less appealing to vermin of all kinds. They don’t like the smell or taste of cleaning chemicals and larger pests will see that your shed or garage is regularly used and not the quiet sanctuary they are searching for.

This is also a good little reminder to stay on top of your garage management and regularly get rid of junk and unused items.

4. BUILD A FORTRESS

Just like deterrents, turning your shed into a backyard Fort Knox will prevent your unwanted guests from ever taking hold or even setting foot or paw inside your property.

Regularly check the exterior of your shed for loose panels, small holes, signs of vermin activity and any build-up of organic matter such as sticks, leaves or grass clippings. These all act as a welcome mat and open invitation you any pests.

Install metal vermin-proof flashing at the base of the walls and foam vermin proofing between wall and ceiling sheeting or, if you already have these, check that they are still in good working order every month or two.

Above all, stay on top of your vermin control. Even if you have taken all of these precautions, batteries fail, garages get cluttered and pests are persistent. Make a quick vermin check a monthly habit and you’ll never have another undesirable visitor!

Need help vermin-proofing your shed? Our expert team is always available to offer advice and solutions to all of your shed and garage needs.