At GreenSeasons, we kill bugs everyday, but we know pest control in Baton Rouge, Louisiana can be a real problem in some homes and businesses. Sanitation should always be the first step in both home pest control and commercial pest control. The methods below are what every property owner in Baton Rouge should know about keeping pest out of their house or business. 

GreenSeasons is the professional pest control provider for Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We provide pest control services in the greater Baton Rouge, greater New Orleans, Slidell, Prairieville, Walker, Denham Springs, Gonzales, Baker, Zachary, Hammond and Covington areas. If you need pest control service, just click here for a free quote  and we will give you a call. 

If you would simply like some advice on bugs, please contact us and we will be more than happy to help.  

A lot of home owners have a similar question at some point in their lives, "Why is my house turning green and how do i fix it?"  Chances are the green on your home is green algae, moss or mildew.  The good news is it is fairly simple to clean.

Here's what you will need:

• Safety Glasses
• Chemical Resistant Gloves
• Water Hose with Nozzle
• 1 Decent Size Bucket
• 1 Cup of Bleach
• 1 Tablespoon of Dish Soap
• 1 Gallon of Water
• Long Handled Nylon Brush
• Plastic Tarp (to cover exposed plants)

Cleaning Algae from Small Areas
Mix the ratio of bleach, dish soap and water in a spray bottle.  Wet the area down with a hose.  Spray it with the cleaning solution.  Let it sit for three to five minutes.  Scrub it with a brush or simply wash it with a hose and repeat if necessary.

Cleaning Algae from Medium Areas
Wear your gloves and glasses.  Add water to the bucket.  Add in your dish soap and bleach and mix it with your brush. Test a small to make sure there is no discoloration with your particular brick or siding.  Spray the dirty area with the hose to loosen the mess.  Use your nylon brush to scrub the area on the wall with the mixture.  Wait three to five minutes until your see the green starting to run.  Spray off treated area with your hose.  If there is staining or if there is more algae, moss or mildew, simply repeat the process.  You can use this same method on fences also.

Cleaning Algae from Large Areas, Like Your Entire Home
If you have a large area that needs to be clean, like your entire home, do the following:

Either rent a pressure washer with an exterior cleaning solution or hire a professional.  Hiring a professional could end of saving you in the long run, especially if you have brick exterior. Bricks and especially the mortar between them can be damaged by using a power washer incorrectly and the repairs on that will be far more expensive than the cost of hiring someone to take care of it for you.

Sunlight
Areas with a lot of sun will be more likely to grow the green stuff.

Water
If the area it is growing is constantly damp, there is your problem.  Make sure there are not irrigation nozzles facing your home. Check to see if the area holds water.  If it holds water, you may want to create a small trench to drain the area or install some drainage. If it is a continuous problem, you may want to invest in gutters for your roof to divert water away during storms.

Dirt
Believe it or not, dirt can be the culprit even when everything else has been taken care of.  Dirt is able to hold enough water to allow your algae infestation to take hold.  If this is your problem, you should look into having your home power washed.  A good preventative measure for this would be storm gutters for your roof.  Another helpful, and cheaper, option would be mulching the beds near the problem area to prevent rain from splashing dirt onto the wall.

Plants
Plants can leave sap and living tissue on your home.  Algae loves this stuff.  Keep your plants properly pruned away from your home.  If you are planning a new landscape bed, try and keep a good distance from your home.  One mistake a lot of people make is they plant shrubs and trees a good distance from their home at the size the plant is when they put it in the ground.  Unless you transplanted the shrub or tree full grown, you will have a problem with it in a few years.

Air Flow
Areas of your home's exterior without proper airflow usually retain moisture.  Keep plants pruned in these areas and try to place structures or decorations where they do not prevent air from moving freely in these problem areas.

Dust mites reside mostly in your carpets, rugs, drapes and central air ducts.  Their basic diet consists of pet dander, pollen, fungi and your skin.  Don't worry about the skin thing, it is only your dead skin that has fallen off of you and onto the floor.  You lose about an ounce of skin per month and dust mites just love it.  Since you can't change this, you have to find a different way to get rid of them. If you or a family member have a dust mite allergy, you know they are everywhere.  If you don't have allergies then you really shouldn't be too worried about them.

Pets leave dandruff for dust mites to eat, and they leave a lot of it.  The longer they are in an area, the more dandruff they will leave.  It is best to have them sleep in a room other than a bed room, especially one with carpet.  The best place for them to sleep would be a room with wood, concrete or tile floors. Create a comfortable location on the floor with a washable pet bed so they will leave most of their dandruff there and not on your furniture, which you will have more trouble washing.

Use your vacuum on carpets, upholstered furniture, mattresses and curtains regularly.  Wash and rugs, sheets and blankets routinely.  If you have a dog, be sure to keep him on a regular schedule for cleaning.  Doing these things will remove some of the dust mites, but the real goal is to reduce their food supply.  This will reduce the number of dust mites.

Turn on your air conditioner, yes even in the winter, for a day or two, during the day while you are gone. Lower your humidity to 50% if you have the option on your central air unit.  The combination of cold air an low humidity will both freeze and dehydrate them dust mites.  The reason this happens is dust mites absorb water through their skin from the air instead of drinking it.