It’s strange to think that during the most joyous time of year you might encounter an infestation of unwanted pests. But, bugs can pop up at any time of the year. Especially when you’re not expecting them, because that means you’re not looking for them. The fat is, these unwanted pests can come in with your Christmas tree, especially if it’s a real one. But that’s not all! They can also come in with your decorations! To help you prepare for decorating season, here are some helpful hints from your Spartanburg exterminator to keep in mind:

Always check the tree for unwanted pests before you bring it into the house. Shake off the branches. Brush through them with your hand. You may have to put gloves on for certain types of trees, to avoid getting pricked. But make sure that nothing is clinging to the branches waiting to invade your home. If you have a fake Christmas tree in the basement or attic, do the same. Take it outside and shake it off. If you’re buying a new fake tree this year, you probably don’t have to worry. The box will be sealed. But, you can open it outside just to be safe. It doesn’t hurt to keep unwanted pests out.

The next precaution your Spartanburg exterminator suggests is to take with the Christmas decorations you’re pulling down from the attic, or up from the basement. If you store your decorations in boxes, then it’s common to find that unwanted pests have crept inside. After all, they don’t want to be spotted. The fabric that wraps around the bottom of the Christmas tree is common to attract silverfish. They aren’t too bad of a pest, but still rather an unwanted pest. Especially if there are many!

So, there is a process to checking all of your decorations before putting them up on your tree. First, your garland should be taken outside and shaken off. It’s common for things like spiders to hide, attached to the garland. You don’t want unwanted pests hiding in your decor. Next, it’s time to unwrap all your glass ornaments. Of course, you don’t want to unwrap all of your glass ornaments while you’re sitting outside in the cold.

Instead, sit in the kitchen, at the table. You want to unwrap everything over a flat surface that is well-lit. This gives you the chance to see if anything is falling out of the decorations. Hopefully you won’t find anything, but it’s just better to be safe. If there are hollow parts of your decorations, make sure to look inside of them too. Unwanted pests tend to hide inside of things and you don’t want pests to ruin Christmas.

The same goes for all your Christmas decorations. Whether it’s going up on the wall, or around a door frame, or on a coffee table. The only time you don’t need to check for bugs is in the outdoor decorations. But your Spartanburg exterminator suggests that you be sure to check those when you’re bringing them back inside! You want to keep your decorations free of unwanted pests when you put them away too! In fact, you might consider wrapping your Christmas ornaments in sealed containers, instead of boxes. They prevent most unwanted pests from getting inside.

Make sure you’re keeping the area around the Christmas tree clean. You should find yourself pest-free for the holidays! If you do notice unwanted pests, call your Spartanburg exterminator, Gotta Bug Call Doug at 864-582-DOUG to eliminate unwanted pests (ants, rodents, mosquitos and termites) and for your personalized treatment plan.