Category: BLOG

Owning a pet is all fun and games until grooming time. Other than battling to shower your dog, brushing the coat of your canine friend can get dramatic pretty quick. You have to be cautious with the tangled strands and be gentle with the brush. As the end of your grooming process, there are not only spills of water all over but worse, dog hair.

All dogs shed hair, but if you are lucky enough, you may land for a breed that does not shed a lot of hair as most do. Even then, it is not surprising that dog hair may not be a prime concern for typical pet owners like it is for families where allergies are a problem.

The battle, however, is in getting the dog hairs off of your floor. The last thing you want is to have dog hair spread all over your house, on couches, beds, and dishes. That said, every dog owner must have a way of cleaning their floors that works best for them. However, for owners with hardwood floors, there is more at stake. In an effort to protect the floor, here is a breakdown of the best way to cleat pet hair from your hardwood floor:

Reduce Shedding

The number one way you can keep your hardwood floor clean of any dog hair is to minimize shedding of your pet. Technically, all dogs and cats shed hair, but at different intervals, depending on the breed of animal, as previously mentioned. That said, there are a couple of tricks that come quite in handy for pet owners, to help them reduce the amount of shedding on their animal friends.

For one, regularly trimming your pet will help get rid of some unnecessary shedding, what happens is, if you let your dog’s hair grow out too long, then you encourage loose hair, which creates room for additional shedding. Make an effort to trim and groom your dog’s hair frequently. While at it, make sure you shampoo and wash your dog occasionally, and while at it, brush out the hair strands to get rid of tangles and loose hairs.

Secondly, train your dog to stay off of hardwood. Let your pet know that there are areas in your house where he is not allowed to sit or rest. This way, you can manage his movements on other parts of your home that are not entirely difficult to clean.

Lastly, make sure your pet is eating right. A balanced diet rich in protein will go a long way to maintaining a healthy and lustrous coat that does not shed without cause.

Using a Vacuum Cleaner

The use of a vacuum cleaner is the most common way of cleaning a floor of any kind of dirt. When it comes to getting rid of pet hair, you need a cleaning tool that will get to the tiniest hair bits without spreading them all over. A vacuum cleaner works great for daily cleaning that us hassle-free.

However, be particular with the type of vacuum cleaner you use on your hardwood floor. The different kinds of vacuum cleaners include handheld, upright, stick, canister, and robotic vacuums. Some vacuum cleaners have a hardwood floor attachment or a floor setting while others do not. The majority of them come with a two-part brush that is excellent in cleaning other surfaces, but not so much a hardwood floor. Choose one based on your preference and budget, but more so, based on functionality. While at it, look for one that features silicon brushes which are perfect for sucking up stubborn pet hairs without tangling around the brush.

Using Grass

At pupped.com, you will realize that several ways can be used in cleaning up a dog’s mess. Using grass is one of those ways, more especially when it concerns getting rid of pet hair off of hardwood floor. Once you are done cleaning your compound, don’t let the freshly mowed grass go to waste. Sweeping your hardwood floor alone cannot completely get rid of the tiny stubborn pet hairs. However, the damp grass or even a few damp leaves can do the trick. Get a handful of the grass then scatter it on the target area of your floor. The moisture from the grass helps pick up the small pieces of hair on your floor. From here, sweeping will not leave behind any traces of dog of cat hair on your floor.

Besides, the damp grass will go a long way in preventing the pet hair from landing on any other surfaces on your house, including the furniture.

Using a Dry Dust Sweeper

If you feel like there are some corners of your hose that are hard to get, do more than use a vacuum cleaner, a dry dust sweeper works wonders when it comes to pulling out the stubborn dirt and pet hairs on corners of a room. This is a great strategy for cleaning out beneath furniture, especially where your dog or cat likes to hang out.

Using a damp cloth mop

To complement your dry dust sweeper, you may need a damp terry cloth mop, particularly on corners of your room and underneath furniture. Be careful not to dampen the mop too much. The idea is to trap in enough moisture to attract the stubborn tiny hairs from the floor like a magnet on a piece of metal.

Utilizing a Humidifier

A humidifier is ideal for picking up stubborn pet hair because it helps prevent the hairs from clinging to surfaces of your hardwood floor. Even though this tool is pretty common in areas of cold climate, if you are having that much trouble getting rid of the dog hairs, then consider using it to keep your hardwood floors intact.

Using a Deshedding Glove

A Deshedding glove is a tool that is made for getting rid of pet hair on furniture and floors. Ideally. The device works by rubbing it over on the target surface to pick up any loose dirt on those areas. When it comes to cleaning pet hair on hardwood floors, you will find this method very useful, mainly when collecting the small pieces of hair on the stubborn corners of your room.

There are two kinds of people in summers: those who associate summers with never-ending sweating and harsh heat wave, and people for whom summer is all about party nights and backyard fun – like me.

So, the fun time of the year is here again – the bright sun is radiating energy, it’s all green outside, and it’s time to gather up friends and family. Some good food, fun activities, heartfelt laughter, and quality chit-chat is in the loop – oh yes, it’s party time!

But a worth remembering backyard party is not all about stuffing food and sharing some drinks. It’s also about pulling beautiful décor ideas, comfy seating, super functionality, outdoor lighting, and keeping the party alive with fun activities. You might think of skipping some of these must-haves, sure, but then don’t blame yourself if your friend’s party will be the talk of the town, and not yours!

If you want to throw the best party in town, then here is what you need to do:

Clear Out Clutter

Your backyard has faced winter spell – frost and storm – everything is cluttered, flowerbeds are dead, broken stool and other useless things are piled up in the corner. In short, it is depicting the sad tale of your months of neglect. Don’t let your guests hear this tale! Clean the trash, wash your outdoor sitting area, take care of flower beds, and redo outdoor furniture if it’s in bad condition.

Pest Control Spray

One thing that surely makes your summer parties a mess is the attack of pests – our unwelcomed summer guests. Nothing is more irritating during the party than a buzzing mosquito while you are enjoying your food. Or when a fire ant bite your ankle when you are about to sip your drink. And not to forget the bees and wasps that are a bigger threat than ants and mosquitoes. Save your invited guests from these uninvited guests! Call a professional power pest control service for a pest control spray so that your guests can have fun without any bugging mosquito buzz.

Create Entertaining Area

If you have a patio, decking or some other seating area, then it’s good. But there is always room to make your seating area more relaxing, entertaining and happening. Take out some time and easily manageable budget to add some more colors, fun, seats, décor, and flexibility in your sitting area. Even if you don’t have a large outdoor area, you can still find out ways to create a sitting area. Corner sofas, or benches, picnic-style ground rug sitting, and folding chairs are some of the options that can work for you in a small garden. It all depends upon your imagination and research skills to find out ways to create entertaining seating area.

So, this summer, ring party bells with some preparations and planning to spend some quality time with your family and friends and to restore energy for upcoming frosty winter days. Trust me, eating and drinking will be more fun this way!

Bugs are an unfortunate fact of life for any homeowner. Once they show up, they can be difficult to drive away. This isn’t to say there aren’t pest-killing solutions out there like a high-quality ant killer or ways to say goodbye to roaches for good, but when it comes down to it, the best way to keep your home pest-free is prevention.

Today, we’re going to give you everything you need to fortify your home against vermin of the six- and eight-legged variety. Prepare yourself!

Seal Up Your Doors

It’s really almost unbelievable how little space bugs need to move into your home uninvited, but the good news is if you know where to look on your doors, you can seal off these holes before they become a problem.

The bottom of the door is an obvious entrance for bugs, but it’s also an easy fix. Consider using a metal threshold under the door to seal up any gaps. You may also consider installing a threshold sweep for extra protection; brushes work nicely to sweep any unwanted visitors back to the great outdoors.

The Role of Rock

Mulch, shrubbery and other plants are obviously attractive and there’s something to be said for the value of curb appeal. The real trick is, though, that provides the bugs with shelter and possibly food. And if they’re moving in to the shrubs right by your house, it’s only a matter of time before they make their move toward your humble abode.

Keeping plants and mulch away from the house would be best if possible. Consider replacing the house-adjacent garden with stone or brick is the better move when it comes to keeping pests away.

Take Out the Trash

It’s no secret that trash attracts flies and all sorts of other annoying vermin. If you live in a situation that requires you to keep trash cans near your home, be sure the lids stay on tight. This keeps the pests out of the trash itself and makes the actual inside of the house a less attractive prospect for food and shelter.

If you have any debris on your porch or any outdoor sitting area, be sure to keep it as clean as possible. While this can be a hassle, especially after a storm or when the leaves start falling, the effort is worth it. Even a little bit of clutter can serve as shelter for pests and the less you keep there, the farther you keep sources of shelter away from your shelter, again, the less attractive your house will seem to pests.

Check for Cracks

Pipe installation, foundation cracks, utility lines and other common household quirks can be an entryway for pests. Depending on where the gap is, you could seal it off in a number of ways.

If there’s a crack in the foundation, some carefully applied mortar could be very useful. If there’s a gap in cabinetry or drywall where a pipe needs to come through, expanding foam can work like a charm. It should be noted that expanding caulk may not be the best choice as certain pests could chew through and make the potential seal completely useless.

More Screens

The spring and summer (even parts of the fall) are great times to keep the windows open and let in fresh air. It’s common sense to install screens on windows and doors to seal the way shut for pests while letting the fresh air flow.

However, there may be entrances you’re neglecting, particularly your vents. Screens in front of vents can prevent pest entry, and they’re sometimes overlooked.

Be sure the screens over your vents and other entrances are properly maintained. It’s easy for something as fragile as a screen to rip, and the faster you can replace or repair them, the better off you’ll be when it comes to preventing pests.

If you have a chimney on your place, make sure you have some sort of screen in place there, too. In addition to bugs, you could potentially let bigger vermin into your space, including but not limited to bats and squirrels.

Keep it Clean

This is another common sense point, but it’s still worth mentioning all the same. Though it’s difficult to squeeze a full house cleaning in to a busy schedule, clean a little bit at a time and as you go throughout the day. The less clutter you have around the house, the more exposed potential pests can be.

Remember, they need a place to hide within your home in order to thrive. If you find your rooms are getting a bit too crowded with the stuff we all accumulate, consider cleaning out what you don’t need. Besides, a more open space makes for a less stressful space, and couldn’t we all use a little more de-stressing?

Check the Drain

When was the last time you looked down the drain? When you lost something down it? When it was clogged?

Be sure to give your drains a look now and then and keep them as clutter free as possible. The moist, potentially dirty and somewhat hidden environment of a drain creates a potential breeding ground for small flies in particular. Keep an eye on them and keep them as clean as you can.

Seeing the Lights

Moths are attracted to lights, but so are other pests. However, it seems they’re only attracted to certain kinds of light. Halogen lights provide what we need to see around the house and our yard without attracting as many bugs as their incandescent counterparts.

If you can find lights that have subtle warmer colors like orange or yellow, they can help keep the bugs away. Try to keep exterior lights away from entrances, windows and vents if possible.

These solutions for pest prevention all take effort and they seem like chores, but the time is well-invested if you can keep unwanted animals out of your house.

Keep your home clean, keep your home decluttered and keep watch for holes and you’re well on your way to a pest-free place of your own.

You don’t always have to reach for the pesticide each time you notice a few pests in the garden. It’s advisable to seek other low-impact, and eco-friendly methods fight pest infestation in your garden. One way to do this would be by preventing an outbreak in the first place. Here are a few tips how:

Plant The Veggies In Ideal Conditions

Planting vegetables in less than ideal conditions will only attract problems, pests included. A good example of this would be planting sun-loving vegetables in a shaded part of the garden. The veggies will definitely suffer from severe mildew infestation. Growing the same plants in the sunniest part of the garden would however eliminate the mildew problem.

Go For Pest Resistant Crops

If your area is prone to a specific disease or pests, say nematodes, you should then switch to growing plants resistant to that disease or infection. An excellent example of this are tomato varieties resistant to nematodes, Fusarium, and verticillium.

Learn About Common Pests And Diseases In Your Area

Some areas are more prone to certain diseases and pests than others. Take some time to learn about the specific diseases and pests, then go for plants resistant to these. Some of these infections worsen if the foliage is wet. Readjusting how you water your plants, and ensuring they are dry for the better part of the day can help avoid such issues.

Ensure Your Plants Are Healthy

Keeping your plants healthy reduces the risk of infection. All you have to do is ensure they don’t lack any essential nutrients and are watered regularly.

Eliminate Hiding Places For Pests

Learn to keep your garden free of weeds, debris, and other elements that pests may hide in. Weeding and pruning your plants helps leave your garden clean and healthy.

Use Beneficial Insects

Not every insect or bug you see in the garden is dangerous. Some of these insects play a crucial role in decomposing organic material as well as fighting off the ‘bad guys’ from your garden. Beneficial nematodes help fight parasitic ones (other pests included) hence should be encouraged in the garden. You can purchase most of these ‘good guys’ from the garden stores near you, then introduce them in your garden. Growing plants that attract these insects would be a wise move as well.

Practice Rotational Farming

This method involves growing plants in various sections of the garden, then rotating them after each harvesting season. Rotational farming is a handy way of preventing pests that feed on a specific type of plant from thriving. It also prevents diseases and pest from spreading in the garden.

Be sure to use safer ways to get rid of persistent pests before resulting to pesticides. Introducing birds that feed on caterpillars, wasps, or even handpicking some of these pests is recommended. You could also use strong jets of water to knock off aphids and other insects from the plants.

Skunks and squirrels are harmless creatures, but their infestation can be a significant problem. They may carry fleas and ticks that can be transmitted to your pets. Squirrels often spray their urine and feces near their inhabitant. It may increase the risk of salmonella. A skunk bite may carry rabies. They are omnivores and can spend their life on human waste. Skunks often find their residence under decks and in yards. To avoid these problems, you have to remove these animals from your property. Here are some tips for squirrel and Denver Skunk Removal.

Remove Natural Food Sources

Skunks are foragers, so they will eat everything nutritious. If your garden or backyard has trees containing fruits, crabapples, berries, and nuts, clean them as soon as possible. These things can attract skunks and squirrels. Similarly, harvest ripe vegetables and fruits in the garden. Keep a tray under a bird feeder to catch maximum seeds, and frequently remove seeds dropped by birds.

Stay Calm for Squirrels

For squirrel removal Houston, you have to stay calm to avoid an aggressive response. The squirrel also wants to leave your house, so stay calm to prevent her erratic behavior. A squirrel may be rabid; therefore, you have to avoid any scratch or bite.

Try to isolate squirrel from your pets. A disease squirrel can spread diseases, ticks, and fleas. Your pets may get infected by biting or eating a rabid squirrel. Keep an ill squirrel away from your pets. Encourage squirrel to leave by providing a path of escape. Make sure to close all routes and leave one exit open in your house.

Close all hiding spots, such as cupboards, crannies, books, and drawers. A squirrel can make them her natural habitat. Remove all possible food sources because squirrel will not go in the presence of food. She can cut thick bags with her teeth, so hide everything.

Protect any Waste

Just like raccoons and stray animals, skunks and squirrels can survive on garbage. It is essential to seal trash cans properly. Feel free to buy locking cans for garbage. Store all bins in a shed because skunks can detect waste with its smell. Skunks eat old vegetables and fruits, eggshells, peels and other items in a compost bin. For this reason, carefully enclose your compost bins.

Install Lights in Yards

Remember nocturnal skunks will stay away from bright lights. If your yard has sufficient light at night, it will not attract skunks. Unfortunately, bright light can attract moths and crickets. Feel free to choose solar lights or an energy-saving bulb to decrease your electricity bill.

Repel Skunks and Squirrel with Chemicals

Skunks don’t like the smell of dog and fox urine. Feel free to buy special products with fox and dog urine from a hardware store. Spray this chemical in your yard to deter skunks. For squirrels, you can use cider vinegar. They don’t like the smell of vinegar, so soak a few rags in cider vinegar to put them in the room with squirrels. The smell of vinegar forces squirrels to leave your house. 

Rats are quite a destructive and stubborn plague that requires both determination and patience to eradicate. 

Here are a few tips for dealing with rats:

Rat Infestations

Rats can cause massive damage to property, cause huge damage to crops, and carry deadly diseases to humans. In the UK alone, their numbers have exploded to about 70 million and councils have now started to charge households for pest control. It is important to ensure that rats never become a problem for you.

How can you tell that you have got rats?

The simple answer is that you can tell that you have rats if you see them; if you see rats, you most likely have an infestation. Other tell-tale signs like rat runs, droppings, and gnawing of food are other key indicators. The trick is not attracting them in the first place so avoid leaving food accessible in plastic bin bags, putting meat into compost, or even allowing the accumulation of bird table spillages.

How can you eradicate rats?

Getting rid of rats is never easy. Rats are suspicious, ingenious, and usually move at night. However, they still need two things i.e. water and food. If you are able to cut off their supply to both, rats will disappear. Unlike mice, rats depend on a regular supply of water. If this isn’t possible, you will need to kill them.

How can you kill rats?

Poison

Poisoning rats is the most effective way to deal with a rat infestation. You can get rat poison at any garden or farm supply store check here to find out what is the best rat poison to buy. The best way to poison them is to put the poison in a series of rat boxes and place them between their holes and water or food source or where you see signs of droppings.

Rats tend to be suspicious and it could be as long as 1 week before they start accepting the box as part of the environment and begin using it. Check the poison every 3 to 4 days and replace as necessary. It is important that you keep the poison out of the reach of dogs, cats, and other animals.

Rats that take the poison will usually die in their holes, but if you find any dead ones, ensure that you dispose of them, preferably through burning. It is worth taking the poison to rats in some cases and the best way to do that is putting some poison in a ball of cling film, putting it into a hole, and covering the opening with a brick. Rats sometimes become resistant to poison, so try different products over time.

Traps

Traps should be baited for a week because of the suspicious nature of rats, but don’t forget to replace the bait since it is taken before you set the trap. Traps have the benefit of you not ending up with a dead, stinking rat under the floorboards. However, it is usually not a successful method if you are facing a serious infestation.

Other rat removal methods

Get a terrier: Terriers can be incredibly effective especially if used in conjunction with various devices for smoking rats out of their holes.

Get a cat: Cats can kill vermin but if you want to effectively get rid of rats, get a farmyard cat that lives out of the house and ‘works’ for a living.

Electronic Devices

Electronic devices for rat elimination emit electromagnetic waves and/or high-pitched sound waves that are inaudible to humans. It is still not clear as to whether or not they are effective and to what extent, but if you have an infestation, it can be a good idea to try them out. People actually swear by such devices.

It pains us to see our pets to be in such discomfort, battling parasites that inhibit their body and suck their blood.  Ticks are common parasites that target not only animals but humans as well.  In this segment, I will be discussing what you need to know about ticks, and the danger they cause at home.

These pests may be very small, but they are vicious creatures that spread diseases.  Did you know that tics are responsible for spreading life-threatening infectious diseases that trigger chills, nausea and fever?  If left untreated, it could cause death.  Tics are not actually insects, they are arachnids, related to spiders.  You cannot see it much because of their size, but if you come to look closer, they look much like a spider, except they have no antenna.  These creatures do not fly nor jump, much like the flea.  But they are very lethal, once they get in contact with the skin.

Tics establish their primary habitat on plants, grasses, and foliage where they wait for potential preys to come to pick them up.  Once a person or an animal gets in contact with it, it would be very difficult to exterminate due to their quick reproduction.  Scientists all around the world have found that tics can cause Lyme disease, an illness that can cause joint pain, inflammation of the brain, and more.  The species of tics called the Rocky Mountain wood tick, along with the American dog tick, and the brown dog tick, are very common all around the world, especially with their pets around.

These arachnids are very difficult to spot, especially that their larvae are potentially small.  It’s impossible to notice it even if it’s attached to your skin.  Then, it burrows its head into the skin and spits out numbing saliva that can even fight the immune system of a human being.  It will likely take 2 to 3 days before it can swell up and double its normal size.  That would be the right time for it to lay some eggs.

The diseases from tics are very difficult to control because they can spread multiple illnesses at once.  These arachnids are hosts to thousands of pathogens that the people from animals and rodents such as mice, rats, birds, rabbits, and deers.  As they change prey from one animal to the other, it picks up more bacteria.  Once spread among animals and humans, you’ll never know which one of them can break out your immune system.

If you have on the station that tics at home, take into consideration the peril it can bring.  The symptoms of the illnesses from these creatures take time to develop.  Most of it can come in the form of a mild fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches.  Some reported having acquired rashes and skin infections from it.  Forget what you think you know about ticks.  Once infested, take action immediately for the safety of your family and beloved pets. This is why you need to get rid of them immediately, especially when you have furry pets around. Lake Norman has some of the best professional tick exterminators in the country, you can always invite them over to inspect your home.

Silverfish (Lepismasaccharina) have been on the earth for more than 300 million years. They are of course classified in the same category as insects and not as animals. They do not have wings, but they are very fast in movement. Their fast movement helps them to take cover when an enemy predator is around. Unfortunately for them, they are easy targets for spiders. They are most active at night.

The name Silverfish originate from the fact that; their wiggling body movement resembles that of a fish. They are challenging to identify because of their silver-like body surface and very thin structure, making them opaque. Moreover, you find Silverfish in areas where our foot does not get to, humid environment and areas where there is plenty of food.

Furthermore, they are good decomposers. They also get their source of food through means by feeding on papers, books, dead insects, a good source of sugars and protein for them. They are easily stumbled upon in places like a bathtub, where there is always plenty of water. So because they do not have wings, they are stuck up there. Silverfish expected lifespan is between six to eight years if the condition is favorable.

Their juvenile develops into adulthood within a space of two years. The silverfish is of the male and female species. The females lay eggs in protected areas like; corners, cracks and under the carpet in large numbers. They are considered as a nuisance, but they do not bite, spread diseases. Still, some people are allergic to them, and they are hard to get off.

They belong to the order Zygentoma along with the animals commonly called Firebrats. Firebrats (Thermobiadomestica) and silverfish are technically different animals, and their names are often used interchangeably. Silverfish can nearly live a year without eating though. However, also parthenogenesis (reproduction of a female egg without fertilization from a male)  have been observed in some species. Unlike the silverfish, Firebrats tends to prefer warmer environments in our homes. 

Silverfish avoid light at all cost and will quickly scare into hiding if disturbed; in the wild, silverfish live in caves, woods, leaf litters and in a termite nest. Silverfish have been found living with Trichateluramanni (Tarantula). When they are in the company of themselves, silverfish can produce more than one hundred eggs in their lifetime after fertilization. Not all species of silverfish have been observed for reproduction method; silverfish eggs are picked up and fertilized by spermatophore; which is picked up by female silverfish after it has been deposited beneath the silk thread created by the males.

The females will lay their eggs 1 to 3 at a time in hidden places such under the rugs, and the eggs will hatch in 3-6 weeks. The babies are born looking like tiny versions of their parents and will molt as they reach adult size.

On average, silverfish are less than a centimeter in length. They can grow to be as big as 3 to 7 inch. Although that is not including their tail-like structures called caudal filaments. They can live up to four years depending on the species. Silverfish come in different colors, but many silverfish are silver in color. Silverfish have been around since before the dinosaurs. In fact, until 1926, the oldest insect fossil known discovered was from an animal from the zygentoma order. The good news is, you can find professional silverfish control operator near you to help you get rid of them, and live in a silverfish-free environment.