Hanging out by your pool is a great way to spend the summer. Unfortunately, some bugs feel the same way. Whether they crawl over your pool rafts or leave you with itchy bites, these pests can ruin your outdoor fun. Thankfully, there are things you can do to keep your outdoor space bug-free. Check out a few tips to help keep bugs away from your pool.
Take Care of Your Yard
Bugs hide in overgrown vegetation and tall grass. Mow your lawn regularly and keep your bushes and plants trimmed. Pay attention to vegetation close to your pool. Any pests hiding there are just a few steps away from your pool. You’ll also want to remove yard debris including leaves and weeds.
Keep the Area Around Your Pool Clean
Keeping the space around your pool clean can help prevent pests. Pool toys and rafts are great hiding places for bugs. Store your toys and rafts when you aren’t using them. Clean up trash, crumbs, and sticky residues. This will help you avoid attracting bugs including ants, flies, and stinging insects.
Minimize Moisture
Bugs, especially mosquitoes, love moisture. It’s important to reduce moisture build-up in your yard. Make sure water isn’t accumulating on your pool cover. Empty water from wheelbarrows, toys, and flowerpots. Keep the water fresh in water features. Repair or replace leaking hoses and spigots.
Use a Pool Cover
Pool covers are a physical barrier that helps to keep bugs out of your pool. You’ll want to check covers regularly to ensure water isn’t gathering on it. Keep the cover clean and free of leaves. Examine your cover for tears or areas where water is seeping through.
Turn Off Pool Lights
Pool lights are great for an evening or nighttime swim. However, lights can attract unwanted guests. Don’t leave your lights on when you aren’t in your pool. This will help to reduce the number of bugs buzzing around your pool.
Enclose Your Pool
Enclosing your pool can help ensure you aren’t bugged while swimming. Screen enclosures and glass enclosures can help keep pests out. You’ll want to make sure there are no gaps, tears, or holes in your screen.
Cook on the Grill
Grilling doesn’t just give you a tasty meal, it can also help prevent bugs. Some pests don’t like the smoke emitted from grills. Fire pits can also help deter pests. If you want to make it even more effective, try adding herbs. Herbs like sage, rosemary, mint, and thyme are known to help repel pests.
Check for Signs of Pests
Taking the time to check your yard for signs of pest activity can help you catch a problem early. Examine your yard for anthills and stinging insect nests. Many anthills look like mounds of soil with a hole at the top. Stinging insect nests are often found in trees, shrubs, or at the base of trees. If you spot an anthill, you can treat it with a plant-based insecticide dust like our Spider & Insect Dust. Our Wasp & Hornet Killer can be used to treat stinging insect nests.
Create a Protective Barrier
Spraying your yard with a plant-based insecticide spray can help to keep your space bug-free. Our Yard Bug Spray kills common outdoor pests on contact and has repellent properties. This residual repellency acts as a barrier helping to keep bugs out of your yard. It doesn’t leave behind harmful residues, which means you can enjoy your yard without being bugged by pests.
Whether you enjoy splashing around or lounging on a raft, you don’t want bugs interrupting your fun. Taking a few preventative measures can help keep bugs away from your pool. If pests are giving you a fit, we’re here to help! For a more environmentally and family-friendly solution, check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective™ Pest Control products.