15 Pests Your House Attracts From Having Excess Junk
Dirty homes are more likely to provide a buffet for various pests. Excess junk in a house offers pests food, water and shelter. Food waste (organic waste), trash, paper, and moisture attract pests such as rodents, cockroaches, ants, and silverfish. Vacuuming, organising, managing food properly and sealing cracks can keep vermin away.
All Gone Rubbish Removals help households to declutter and eliminate potentially pest-friendly items. To avoid the build-up of materials that may attract pests, regular waste collection is essential. Clearing excess junk cuts pests off their food sources and breaks their lifecycle, making infestations less likely.
Why Excess Junk Increases Pest Infestations
Shelter and Breeding Grounds: Houses with stacked cardboard boxes, books, paper, and other items are especially attractive to many pests because they provide shelter while the pests breed. A dirty home protects an animal from the elements and shelters it from many predators.
Food Sources: Overlooked food remnants and organic material in junk heaps represent a major attractant and food source for pest species. When not managed appropriately, these materials decompose and emit odours that attract pests and insects from far distances.
The 15 Most Common Pests Attracted to Household Junk
1. Rats and Mice
Rats and mice are major pests capable of invading homes, endangering public health, and ruining property. They can destroy sensitive habitats, native plants and animals, crops, property and food supplies. There are estimated to be over 500 million just in Sydney, Australia.
2. Cockroaches
Cockroaches can threaten human health through food contamination and the indoor environment. Do you know cockroaches can live without heads for weeks and don’t have mouths to breathe? Moreover, these pests harbour 33 different types of bacteria, six parasitic worms, and seven human pathogens.
3. Termites
Termites are social insects residing in colonies and eating through piled timber woods. They are often called silent destroyers because they can secretly flourish within a home before damage is visible. Termite queens have the potential to lay eggs at an astonishing rate. Some species lay 15 to 25 eggs per minute, totalling more than 40,000 eggs daily! The cost of termite damage to Australian homeowners is around $1.5 billion yearly, affecting nearly 180,000 Australian homes annually and costing about $1.3 billion in repairs.
4. Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are a common pest found in Australia, often invading homes, hotels, motels and dormitories, particularly in couches and mattresses. Cimex species feed on human blood, leaving behind itchy bites and potential skin irritation. One report noted that infestations of various Cimex species had increased by 4,500% in all states. The continent has two main bedbug species, namely, Cimex lectularius (common bed bug) and C. hemipterus (tropical bed bug)
5. Spiders
Spiders are arachnids, not insects, which means they have two body parts, eight legs and special spinnerets that spin silk webs. There are more than 3,000 known species of spiders in Australia, both venomous and non-venomous. There has only been one death from a spider bite in Australia in the last forty years since a Funnelweb antivenom was developed. The most common types of house spiders in Australia include Cupboard, Daddy Long Legs, Black House, Huntsman, Redback, White-tailed, and Garden Orb Weaving spiders.
6. Silverfish
Silverfish are tiny wingless insects in Australia, with either silvery or grey bodies and long antennae. They are usually found in kitchens and bathrooms since they like moist or humid environments. Although they don’t bite, sting or directly threaten your health, they pose a danger to your belongings by eating starches and carbohydrates. Similar to moths, they feast on books, clothes, and foodstuffs. Damage to items in closets or bookcases can signify silverfish infestation.
7. Ants
Australia hosts approximately 100 genera and 1,300 species and subspecies, accounting for around 15% of ant species worldwide. They invade buildings and properties looking for food, water, or places to nest, which are not only annoying and damaging. Red imported fire ants (RIFA) are among the worst invasive species that have invaded Australia and were first detected in Queensland in February 2001. On 19 January 2024, the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) confirmed the detection of red imported fire ants at Wardell, 85 km south of the Queensland border.
8. Mosquitoes
Ross River virus carriers in Western AustraliaIn Western Australia, 30 mosquito species are known as major pests and/or potential vectors of the virus, including the Ross River virus. Ross River virus infects about 5,000 people annually. Though not typically deadly, the disease can be disabling.
Mosquitoes in NSW can also transmit other viruses, including Japanese encephalitis and Barmah Forest, Kunjin, and Murray Valley encephalitis. Northern Queensland mosquitoes can spread dengue fever infections. They usually breed in open containers and tyres with stagnant water.
9. Flies
There are over ten thousand different species of flies in Australia, so many that they’re just as annoying as the mosquitoes that all Australians love to hate — but unlike mosquitoes, only a few dozen or so fly species are known to cause harm. They can transmit more than 200 species of parasites and pathogens to humans, as they frequently come into contact with rotting food, decaying animal tissue, feces and trash.
10. Fleas
Fleas are little, wingless, brown, oval-shaped insects typically between 2 and 4 mm long. They have six spiny legs — strong back legs allow them to jump more than 200 times their body length. Fleas are identifiable by their small antennae and mouthparts that are specialised for piercing and sucking — used to feed on the blood of humans and animals. Flea eggs might be dormant in carpets and fabric items, where clutter provides the perfect place for them to hide.
11. Ticks
There are more than 70 types of ticks in Australia, but only 17 that suck human and animal blood. Ticks are often found in humid, moist, bushy environments (bushland/scrub) and long grassy areas where they wait for a host to pass. Ticks feed on humans, and four-legged pets transmit diseases. Excess junk piles and unmaintained yards are also easy targets for ticks to thrive. In Western Australia, peak tick season is between September and April.
12. Moths
Clothes or pantry moths can do a lot of damage to your property if they are not dealt with correctly. Clothes moths are destructive insects that can ruin materials and fabrics. These moth larvae eat animal fibres, such as wool, fur, silk, feathers, felt, and leather, as they are rich in keratin, a protein they can digest. Clothes moths are sensitive to light, thus favouring dark environments that are less disturbed (closets, basements, and attics).
13. Fruit Flies
Fruit flies are common household pests in Australia, and they are attracted to any form of ripe, rotting, or fermenting fruits and vegetables. Dispose of unwanted produce by microwaving, boiling, freezing or sealing in garbage bags left in the sun to kill any maggots. Keep fallen or unwanted fruit off the ground to remove breeding sites.
14. Carpet Beetles
Carpet beetles are a common pest in Australian homes and can damage many fabrics, including carpets, clothes, curtains, and upholstery. The larvae eat carpets, wool, felt, rugs, furs, clothing and other dried protein materials that you can see. Common signs of a carpet beetle infestation include damage to rugs or carpets in dark, out-of-the-way places and small piles of bristled skins in the damaged areas.
15. Earwigs
Earwigs are pests in Australia, as they can damage plants and crops and enter houses and gardens in large numbers. Although most earwig species occurring naturally in Australia are not regarded as serious pests, they can be an annoyance if present in very high numbers, and some have been known to secrete a toxic, noxious fluid in their defence. They thrive in moist, dusty environments; a messy garage or basement is an ideal breeding ground.
Prevention and Removal Tips
Regular Decluttering
Unwanted guests, such as pests and vermin, can also be dealt with, as monthly decluttering can significantly reduce habitats and food sources and promote a cleaner environment. Pests find shelter and breeding grounds in a mess, while dirt and crumbs provide food and nutrition. Decluttering regularly won’t make your home a happy place for pests to stay and live.
Proper Food Storage
Food storage is critical for pest prevention, as it removes food sources and provides access to homes that can serve as potential infestations. Effective storage practices deter pests and ensure food remains safe to eat.
Inspect and Repair
Cracks and openings in walls or pipes provide easy accessibility for infestations. As a property owner, you must repair any openings that pests may use to cross into your home. These vulnerabilities can be fixed, preventing unwanted pests from accessing these homes.
Professional Rubbish Removal
All Gone Rubbish Removals provides same-day rubbish removal services. Call us today at 0420 102 118 and book before 2 PM for your area's best-priced same-day rubbish removal service! We can remove large, unwanted excess junk quickly to minimise pest-friendly hiding spots.
Don't worry about the lifting; we take care of all of it!
How All Gone Rubbish Removals Can Help with Your Excess Junk
Contact All Gone Rubbish Removals to learn about our comprehensive waste removal services. We can tailor our clearance services and other work to any job at any scale, in homes, gardens, offices and more. Our professional team will come at a fixed time to verify the quotation and collect or dispose of the waste.
We believe timely excess junk removal is a major step in preventing pest infestation in your home, business, or property. All Gone Rubbish Removals provides same-day rubbish removal services across Sydney, the Central Coast, Gosford, Newcastle, and the Gold Coast. Call us today at 0420 102 118 for your area's best-priced rubbish removal service and claim your FREE quote!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which types of excess junk are most likely to attract rodents?
Rodents are attracted to food sources, like grains, seeds, fruits, etc., and food not properly stored. Another contributor to rodent infestations is clutter, paper, cardboard, fabric, and other materials that could be used for nesting.
2. How often should I declutter to keep pests away?
Pest prevention is best achieved through regular cleaning and seasonal decluttering.
3. Does All Gone Rubbish Removals handle hazardous materials?
Yes. All Gone Rubbish Removals provide hazardous waste removal and can remove hazardous waste such as chemicals and batteries.
4. Do I need professional pest control before removing excess junk?
Excess junk removal can be daunting, so it is usually best to vacuum as a professional pest control service before or after the process. This will help prevent pests from spreading and ensure a cleaner environment.
5. Can donated items carry pests to new homes?
Yes, donated goods can spread pests, like bed bugs, into new homes. Donated items should be closely inspected, and measures should be taken to prevent pests from entering your home.
Driven by a passion for helping customers achieve clutter-free spaces, All Gone Rubbish Removals has become a go-to resource for waste management, featuring over 100 expert articles on rubbish removal and sustainability. Aaron’s dedication to efficiency and customer satisfaction ensures his business remains a leader in the industry.
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