7 tips for keeping pests out of your home

A pest control company will work their hardest to keep your home pest-free, but there are so many ways you can control pests without having to call such a company to come to your house.

"I have been in the pest control industry for a total of 16 years," said Phil Nielsen, owner of Moxie Pest Control. "We have encountered really bad cockroach and ant infestations inside -- thousands upon thousands of pests -- to the point that it appears they are everywhere."

While the Moxie team was able to tackle the problem and eliminate the source, no one wants to have to make that call. By following these seven steps, you'll reduce the chances that your home becoming a pest horror story.

Pests love food just as much as we do. They are attracted to the same kinds of things we love -- greasy bacon, sugary cakes, salty chips. One of the easiest things you can do to keep pests at bay is to clean this food up when you're done with it.

Maybe you hosted a party or just made an elaborate dinner and are tired from all the cooking, but putting food away removes a major draw for pests.

And don't forget to wipe down your counters frequently. While they may look clean, counters quickly accumulate sugars, fats and grease from all the food you prepare and eat.

Storing dried goods in plastic containers will prevent bugs from catching the scent and being drawn towards food. This goes for everything from rice to cereal to sugar.

The next time you open that bag of sugar to make cookies, see how much spills out onto the countertop. Storing it in plastic containers will reduce unintentional spills and will help your food last longer.

One way to keep pests out? Make sure they don't have a way to get in.

This might seem like a no-brainer since you always close your garage door and the glass sliding doors at night. But pests are sneaking in through the smallest of places, and the weather stripping in your house is a prime location.

These materials wear out over time and provide benefits other than keeping bugs out. The materials to repair or replace damaged stripping are fairly cheap and readily available at your local hardware store.

Keeping landscaping at least 12 inches or more away from the house does a lot to dissuade pests from coming inside.

"During [fall and winter] we see spiders and American [large] roaches outside because of the wet and cold," Nielsen explained. "It's important to keep the outdoors cleaned up and make sure they don't have a way in through bad or damaged weather stripping."

Mulch is an attractive home for all sorts of pests.

It's important when laying down your mulch to keep it away from the foundation of your home. Once it's been laid, turning your mulch at least quarterly disrupts any pests that might want to live there and will increase the longevity of the mulch in general.

Turning it will also help reveal if you've attracted any termites.

A clogged gutter can be a breeding ground for the worst types of pests.

Clogs mean the water isn't flowing, which means mosquitoes, gnats and other bugs that love standing water.

Debris-filled gutters can also attract birds and small rodents that will use the debris to try and nest.

The old bins and boxes you've been meaning to clean out for years? Yes, another place for pests to hide in your home.

These areas tend to remain undisturbed for long periods of time and can be damp or humid, especially if anything is stored in a cardboard box.

Regularly clean these areas to avoid infestation and switch any cardboard storage to more versatile storage, like plastic bins.