To maintain a pest-free environment indoors, it's important to learn how to keep bugs out of the house. Not only do they create unsanitary conditions, but they are also just plain annoying, from the buzz of a fly to the itchy bite of the mosquito. Adopt these preventive measures to keep your home safe and away from pests and insects. 

Material required:

Deep clean the house: Vacuum your interiors regularly, remove hanging cobwebs, pest droppings and do not let any clutter pile up. Since pests usually breed in dirty, unkempt, damp and dark spaces, one must keep the area under the bed, refrigerator, lofts and other hard-to-reach areas clean so that it does not attract pests.

Clean the trash bins: Clean the dustbin regularly and use a wet and dry bin to dispose off waste.

Natural pest-control methods: Plants like mint, tea tree, citronella and lemongrass can be kept near the entrance or windows as these release a strong odour which repels pests and prevents them from entering the home.

Add 1/4 tsp essential oils like peppermint oil or eucalyptus oil into a cup of water, transfer into a spray bottle and mist it around the house to reduce the number of flies, mosquitoes and ants. Keep the home ventilated by regularly opening windows to prevent any pests from breeding.

Seal the cracks and holes: Maintain the home regularly so that all the wall cracks are sealed. There should be no gaps between the door or window frame and the wall as these areas form potential entry points for pests, termites and small insects. Close the gaps around utility pipelines, ducts or openings of the exhaust fans.

Keep the kitchen clean: Make it a point to clean the kitchen (countertop, floor and cabinets) and tidy up after meals. Do not keep dirty utensils in the sink overnight and store all the kitchen ingredients in airtight containers. Inspect and clean the sink and floor drains regularly as these areas accumulate a lot of gunk and food debris which attracts pests and insects. Use a combination of baking soda and vinegar to form homemade drain cleaner to flush out clogs within the drain by a foaming reaction.

Trim the outdoor plants: If you have plants or shrubs that lean outside the home, trim them regularly as it can work as a connector for the pests to travel from the outdoors into the indoors.