7 Secrets to a Pest Free Deck to Try Today

Has it become too difficult for you to spend any time out on your home’s deck due to the presence of flies, mosquitos, and other pests?

If so, it’s definitely time for you to take back control of your deck. There are a handful of steps you can take to make your deck area pest free both now and in the foreseeable future.

Whether you’ve had your deck for quite some time now or you just installed a new deck and can’t wait to start using it, eliminating pests should be an ongoing effort for you and your family. Here are 7 secrets to a pest free deck that you should try immediately.

1. Clean Your Deck on a Daily Basis

If you’re planning on spending a lot of time eating and relaxing on your deck, you’re also going to need to plan to clean it on a daily basis.

The smallest spill on your deck could serve as an invitation for pests. If you accidentally drip ketchup on your deck or forget to wipe up crumbs, you’re going to find pests and animals gathering on it before long.

By sweeping your deck and cleaning up spills from it each and every day, you’ll cut down on your chances of attracting pests. You’ll also be able to inspect your deck carefully for any signs of trouble while you clean.

2. Set Up Citronella Candles Around the Perimeter of Your Deck

Citronella is known to drive away flies, mosquitos, and other pests from a deck. From the minute you light up a citronella candle, you’ll notice a drastic reduction in the number of pests surrounding your property.

With that in mind, you should find some spots to put citronella candles around the perimeter of your deck. By strategically placing the candles, you’ll be able to blanket your deck with citronella and avoid inviting pests to come and visit it.

3. Surround Your Deck With the Right Herbs and Flowers

While citronella candles have proven to be effective when it comes to keeping decks pest free, they’re not your only option when you’re trying to pest-proof your deck. You can also plant different herbs and flowers around your deck in an effort to keep pests away.

Garlic and rosemary, for example, can be used to cut down on the number of biting insects surrounding your deck. Chive and lemongrass plants are also deterrents for many pests.

There are certain types of flowers that will also block pests from wreaking havoc on your patio. Marigold flowers will usually turn biting and stinging insects away.

If nothing else, these herbs and plants will look great when you plant them around your deck. But they should also help you fight off a pest problem.

4. Change the Bulbs in Your Deck’s Lighting Fixtures

Do you have bright white bulbs in the lighting fixtures near your deck? Believe it or not, they could be attracting a lot of mosquitos, flies, and more to your property. Take a look at your lighting fixtures the next time they’re turned on to see how many bugs are flying around them.

Rather than relying on white bulbs, give yellow ones a try. They don’t always look as nice as white ones do, but they shouldn’t attract as many insects and other pests, either.

There are also some special “bug lights” that have been created specifically for keeping bugs away. Give them a try if you don’t have much luck with yellow bulbs.

5. Spray Your Deck With Essential Oils

If you’re going to be spending time outside when there are a lot of pests out and about, it’s a good idea to spray your skin with essential oils to keep them away from you. Lavender and eucalyptus are just two of the essential oils that you can try to prevent getting bit by bugs in the summertime.

You can also take it a step further and mix essential oils with water before spraying them around on your deck. That could make a big difference in the number of pests surrounding your deck.

6. Seek Professional Help for Bad Pest Infestations

There are going to be times when, despite your best efforts, pests just aren’t going to leave you alone. They’re going to invade your deck and refuse to go away no matter how hard you try to fight them off.

This goes for both insects and the different rodents and other pests that can invade your deck. And if the problem gets to be bad enough, you’re going to need to call on professionals for help.

Seek the services of a pest control company if you notice a bad outbreak in, under, or somewhere around your deck. They can send someone out to eliminate your pest problem once and for all.

7. Continue to Keep an Eye Out For Pests

Once you get rid of a pest problem, either on your own or with the help of the pros, you might be lulled into a false sense of security. People sometimes stop worrying about pests once they appear to be gone.

You should remain vigilant and look for signs of pests near your deck at all times. It’s a lot easier to take care of a small problem than to attack one that has spiraled out of control. So continue to keep an eye out for pests for as long as you own your deck.

Pest Free Is the Way to Be for Deck Owners

All deck owners should strive to be pest free. If you’re going to own a deck, you should take good care of it and keep the pests away so that you can enjoy being on it.

You should also consider replacing a deck if pests have compromised the stability of it or ruined its appearance in any way. You can find great composite decking options these days that will both look great and ward off pest infestations.

Have you been thinking about installing a new deck on your property? Contact us today to learn more about the superior decking products that we have to offer.