How to Identify the Signs That Pests are Present?

When we see dirt, grime, stain on the wall, kitchen cabinet, flooring or any furniture and fixtures, our first reaction is, home got dirty or stained due to old structure, poor facility maintenance or long term accumulated stains?

1.  Black “spots” or “dots” found in your kitchen cabinet or edges of counter top

Cockroach’s droppings are black to brown in color and may resemble as grounded black pepper or coffee seeds. They may also turn up as stains that are brown or black in color, which are easily mistaken as “dirt stains”.

Alert: while we take proactive actions to clean these poops, we may miss out the actual root cause danger of the start of a cockroach infestation. The usual spots that are stained with these droppings include drawer or shelves top, beneath kitchen appliances such as microwave oven or refrigerator, any cracks and crevices or grooves along kitchen tiles and floor.

2. Blood stains or spots found on mattress, bedsheets and upholstery

Easily mistaken for dirt stains or accidental prick that causes slight bleeding, the implication might be something more serious! Bed bug’s droppings which are made up of digested blood tend to appear as red tiny blood spots (sometimes dark red or black in color if they are dried up) or dots on your bed. These blood stains may also often found along curtain drapes, sofas, carpets, couches etc. 

Alert: your home may not be spared from a bed bug infestation even if it is kept spot and clean. Regular changing of bedsheets or dry cleaning of your curtains are diligent housekeeping habits, but these stains may spell a more serious pest implication.

Interesting reads: 4 interesting facts about how do you get bed bugs?

3. Your home is getting dusty especially along window sills and door frames

You suspected of a nearby home renovation and construction or could be due to air pollution and poor housekeeping that got your window sill and door frames or base dusty. 

Alert: these saw dust looking substance may spell some serious termite infestation in your home! Otherwise known as frass, these “saw dust” looking dirt are actually the droppings of drywood termite.

It is an indicator that your home may be infested with drywood termite infestation. It is not quite easy to know if your home has a termite infestation as they live within wood structures and unless it’s been detected through Microwave technology that are used by specialist. 

Interesting reads: how your home and furniture may be a victim to termite invasion?

4. White and grayish stubborn dirt stains that turn yellowish below your furniture

Because it’s white and grayish and some hidden blind spots are less exposed for regular cleaning, we may think it is some mold or fungi appearing due to long term negligence. As they get dried up and becomes harder to remove, they may leave after-removal stains that looks yellowish, and easily mistaken for food stains, grease or grimes.

Alert: your home may be harboring spiders! You usually will find them below furniture, dark corners or surfaces of tables. Spiders appear in your home because of presence of dark and low-activity spaces in your home, cluttered storerooms or homes with poor housekeeping that allows them to breed in the dirty space.

While it is a good practice to clean up stains and dirt, but it may be recommended to check further if those are really dirt or actually droppings coming from pests. Not sure how to identify them, there are pest specialists that are train to help you recognize them!