Dec 16, 2015, 13:03 PM by Fred Speer

Tips for keeping your home pest-free through the holidays.

Holiday decorating can enhance a home’s aesthetics, warming it up with festive lights and greenery. But could jovial decorations be inviting in more than just friends and family to stop by for a cup of holiday cheer? Did someone say pests? Say it isn’t so, Mr. Grinch!

Pests prefer to hide in out-of-the-way locations, where they are unlikely to be disturbed and can tend to their sometimes destructive ways. These locations include attics, closets, crawlspaces, storage sheds, and garages – all places where people store their holiday decorations 11 months out of the year.

Boxes of fabric decorations, artificial trees, and wreaths make ideal pest harborage locations, because they provide shelter and are easily accessible, unless they are stored in tightly sealed boxes.

To evade unwelcome houseguests such as rodents, spiders, moths, and more this season, the Clark Man encourages homeowners across California to examine holiday décor for signs of pests before decking the halls.

The Clark Man recommends you carefully inspect boxes before taking them out of storage. Look for signs of pest infestation, including rodent droppings and gnaw marks or spider egg sacs, and if you spot something that looks suspicious, take the box outside for further inspection before unpacking the decorations.

If you are bringing live greenery, including trees, wreathes and holiday plants into your home, give them a good shake outdoors before bringing them in. You don’t want a mouse or spider pulling a Trojan horse trick on you and sneaking inside your home.

To make your family’s holiday arrangements stress-free, the Clark Man offers these tips to keep pests from dulling the shine of this year’s décor:

• Shake off trees and garlands. Carefully inspect them for pests or eggs that can hide in branches before bringing them indoors.
• If copying a DIY natural decoration from Pinterest or other craft site, inspect all foliage outside the home before beginning projects.
• Store firewood on raised structures located at least 20 feet away from the home. Inspect firewood for pests and brush it off before bringing it indoors.
• After pulling decorations from storage, unpack them outdoors to check for pests like mice. Look inside boxes for droppings or gnaw marks. Examine string lights to ensure that wiring is fully intact.
• When storing décor after the holidays, use durable, sealed containers that pests can't chew through instead of cardboard boxes or plastic bags.

Remember, if your home as a problem with pests during the holidays or any time during the year, call or text (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or drop me an email at clarkcares@clarkpest.com.

Until next time, I’m the Clark Man, and thanks for helping me keep unwanted pests out of your home.