You haven’t finished your spring cleaning until you’re confident your home is free of harmful pests. Unfortunately, Arizona is home to a variety of different pests – from bed bugs and roaches to the venomous Bark Scorpion. These creatures can be hard to find and even more difficult to eradicate, however there are several effective options available for each.

Tony and Aaron Gonzales are the co-founders of Scorpion Repel, a revolutionary treatment that blocks scorpions from entering the home. For more information on Scorpion Repel, visit scorpionrepel. They share advice on spring cleaning pests from your home amidst a spike in scorpion stings.

Bark Scorpions

The Bark Scorpion is a common Arizona pest who’s venomous sting can lead to serious symptoms such as pain, swelling, numbness and difficulty breathing. In 2020, it was reported that scorpion stings were up nearly 20 percent, and with more people staying inside their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, where nearly all scorpion stings occur, it’s likely this will continue to be a problem. Scorpions enter a home by climbing in, so one of the most effective ways to combat them is with Scorpion Repel – an innovative clear coating that is applied to the home and makes entry impossible. This treatment requires no chemicals and does not change the appearance of the home.

Termites

Termites are extremely prevalent in Arizona, and without fast and effective treatment can cause extensive, costly damage to your home. There are four different types of termites in Arizona that can cause destruction to a building – Arid-land Subterranean Termites, Desert Dampwood Termites, Desert Subterranean Termites and Western Drywood Termites. There are several options for treating termites including a liquid treatment that’s applied to the soil outside the home or placing termite baits around the home to lure and kill the termites. These treatments are best implemented by a professional.

Bed Bugs

Bed Bugs are difficult to exterminate and can plague even the cleanest homes – often transported by luggage, clothing and used furniture items. Bed bugs bite their victims for blood to survive, creating itchy welts. To eliminate bed bugs, you can clean your bedding and linens in hot water and vacuum your mattress. However, this still might not be enough to eradicate all bugs after an infestation. A professional in bed bug control can use heat treatments and insecticides to clear them out effectively.

Other Pests

Other pests, such as roaches, ants and fleas can be managed with regular pest control visits where a professional will spray an insecticide. We recommend having a pest control professional visit once a quarter to ensure a pest-free home.

General Tips

To help prevent any pests from occupying your home, it’s best to keep your home as clean as possible by disposing of trash regularly and removing clutter. This gives pests fewer places to hide and makes pest management more effective. You should also avoid leaving uncovered food out as this can attract and sustain a variety of different pests.