How to Keep Your Garage Pest-Free

Encountering a creepy crawling pest in the garage is enough to make your hair stand on end, but the good news is that this can easily be avoided by sealing up holes and cracks and eliminating food and shelter sources.

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Pests often seek shelter in warm, dark spaces, and your garage can become even more welcoming when there’s food, trash or even cardboard boxes to snack on. Here are some helpful tips to let these guests know they're not welcome in your garage — and how to keep them out.

What Are Some Common Pests Found in the Garage?

As the winter season approaches, outdoor mice often venture inside nearby garages to build their nests and hunker down for a few months. Termites are attracted to warm, dark spaces and wood piles, while spiders like open storage boxes and dark corners to hide and nest. Flies, fruit flies, mosquitoes and gnats may work their way into your garage if you leave out food, trash or standing water. In fact, female mosquitoes are known to lay their eggs in standing water after feeding, which can lead to additional mosquitoes in the garage.

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What Are Some Ways to Keep Pests Out of Your Garage?

From minor home repairs to keeping your garage clean and free of debris, there are many ways to keep pests out of your garage.

Repair Holes, Cracks and Gaps

Many types of small to medium-sized critters, such as flies, spiders, mice and even snakes, can make their way into your garage through small holes, cracks and gaps. Applying weather stripping to the bottom of entry doors and your main garage door can help seal up gaps, while applying silicone caulk to small holes, cracks and entry points can stop insects in their tracks.

Remove Old Cardboard Boxes

While cardboard boxes are helpful for storage, they can also serve as a breeding ground for insects. Roaches, moths and crickets are known to feed on cardboard boxes, while silverfish tend to create hiding spots in areas with little airflow. Consider swapping your cardboard boxes for plastic bins with removable lids.

Keep Garbage Sealed

If you store your garbage cans in the garage, it’s important to make sure the garbage bags and can lids are tightly sealed at all times. This can help prevent insects from invading the bags to go after food scraps and other tempting items. Keeping the lids secure is essential to preventing small, curious rodents from entering your bins.

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Prevent Pests Out of Your Garage in the First Place

There are several DIY options that can help keep a variety of bugs away.

Flypaper

This age-old remedy that consists of paper coated with sweet-smelling glue is a simple solution to prevent flies in the garage. Flies and other insects are drawn to the sticky paper and rendered immobile. The main drawbacks to flypaper are that the “stuck” insects are clearly visible, and the paper can dry out quickly and lose its effectiveness.

Bug Zappers

Bug zappers work similarly to flypaper, and they’re a bit more aesthetically pleasing. Bug zappers use electrical UV light to attract flying insects into the center of the light fixture. Once inside, the insects are trapped and eliminated by the electric currents.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a natural pest control solution that may aid in keeping insects like spiders, roaches, fleas and mites out of the garage. With a grainy, powdery texture, diatomaceous earth irritates insect exoskeletons and causes them to dry out. Sprinkling diatomaceous earth near your garage door or along other points of entry may help repel insects from entering and eliminate those that attempt to cross over the powder.

Peppermint and Eucalyptus Plants

While peppermint and eucalyptus are pleasing, fresh scents to humans, bees and spiders can't tolerate the smell of either plant. If you’re concerned about bees or you've seen an uptick of spider webs around the garage, you may benefit by placing a few plants near possible entry points.

When Should You Call an Exterminator for Unwanted Pests in the Garage?

If DIY remedies fail to keep flies, spiders or other insects away or you’re facing a severe cockroach or rodent infestation, it’s important to schedule service with a professional exterminator. Rodents and cockroaches can multiply quickly, and some rodents carry harmful germs. Beehives with live bees or wasps should also be handled by a professional bee removal service to prevent injury and ensure the insects are removed humanely.