I'm moving into the finished basement of my home, which hasn't been lived in for about 2-3 years. I've spent weeks cleaning it thoroughly using a mix of water and Pinesol, which I've heard helps deter bugs. After scrubbing, I applied Ortho around the room's perimeter. In the first few days, I found quite a few dead Waterbugs (black beetles that come out during wet times), which was expected. I continued the cycle of cleaning, spraying, and checking for bugs until I stopped seeing them. However, after two bug-free days, I started moving in and found some living Waterbugs and even centipedes last night. I've done everything I can think of to make it bug-free, including sealing doors and windows, spraying the unfinished closet around the water heater, and running a dehumidifier 24/7. There's some box clutter, primarily from my upstairs stuff. I'm feeling discouraged and stuck on what to do next—any suggestions?
2 Answers
Sounds like you’ve done a great job cleaning! Just keep an eye on any small cracks or crevices where bugs might be sneaking in. You might want to board up the unfinished closet completely until you are sure no bugs are coming from there. Regularly clean the area, and consider putting out sticky traps to monitor the bug situation. If you still see them after everything, it might be worth calling in pest control for heavy-duty action.
Waterbugs are tricky! Just to clarify, they’re often confused with cockroaches; make sure they’re not the latter since that requires different tackling methods. Try using a stronger insecticide specifically for waterbugs, and don't forget to check all hidden corners and spaces. Also, if you can, keep the dehumidifier running even more often. Sometimes moisture from places like the water heater can still attract them. Also, consider reducing clutter as bugs can hide in there too! Good luck!