How To Bug Proof Your Shed
Bugs can turn your shed into something out of a horror movie. Besides, this can spread unclean conditions and put your health at risk.
Food, water, and shelter are needed for bugs to survive, and sheds provide all three. Unfortunately, once bugs have gained access to your shed, they can breed, lay eggs, and contaminate most of what you have in there.
Understanding what attracts bugs into your shed can be the most effective technique to control them and prevent you from inadvertently inviting bugs inside.
However, you can get rid of these parasites by taking a few simple precautions and steps. In the simplest form, to keep bugs out, remove their food source, cut down on moisture, and restrict hideouts.
In our guide, you can learn more about bug proofing your shed or storage unit. By the end, you’ll know how to seal entry points, what you can leave inside, and how making clean shed can be your next home improvement task.
How Do I Make My Shed Bug Proof?
Here are the first set of tips you need to follow on how to bug proof a shed or even any outdoor structure you have.
#1 Keep a Clean Environment
At least once a week, vacuum, clean, or sweep out the shed. Bugs prefer places where there is little or no human activity. A bug-free shed is easy to come by with a clean structure.
#2 Use Mesh for Shed Bug Proofing
Install a 20-mesh screen on windows and doors to let the shed breathe properly. Ventilation is necessary to avoid moisture buildup and guarantee proper airflow into the shed.
#3 Upgrade Your Lights
Improve the lighting in your shed. Design an electrical system to illuminate the shed’s every nook and cranny. It keeps bugs away and is safer when working with tools.
#4 Fill Bug Size Holes and Cracks
You can use silicone caulk to fill gaps in the walls, windows, and the shed roof of 1/8-inch or larger. Install aluminum or steel thresholds at the entry to stop bugs from crawling beneath the door.
#5 Keep Soil Outside
Outside your sheds is where to keep compost, potting soil, and sawdust. You’ll find these are favorite places of bugs to lay eggs and will help them to multiply quickly.
#6 Lock Up Food
Any foodstuffs must be kept in sealed, airtight containers and checked regularly. To confirm bugs are there early on, look for larvae, droppings, or holes in packages.
#7 Use AirTight Containers
Clothes and blankets or camping gear need storing in sealed containers. To keep bugs away from fabrics, use mint, lavender, and other natural smelling items rather than mothballs.
#8 Clean Equipment
Ensure you clean all your gardening equipment or kitchen appliances before taking them into the shed.
#9 Keep Trash Outside
Don’t keep garbage cans inside your shed as this is a bad idea. Garbage is a food source for flies and other bugs.
#10 Use Bug Traps
To catch and kill bugs, set traps. You can make your own by half filling a glass jar with beer. Place this in the soil or in areas where there are bugs. The beer attracts bugs, and when they fall in, they drown.
How Do I Keep Roaches Out of My Shed?
Besides the above tips, you need to follow more pest-proof shed strategies to keep bugs, rodents, and other pests from crawling into your storage shed.
Seal Cracks
How do bugs, rodents, snakes, and other pests get into your garden shed?
Through the cracks in the siding and the floorboards. Seal any visible cracks in your shed with construction caulk to prevent an open invitation.
Securing your shed windows and doors is undoubtedly one of the most challenging aspects of creating a bug-proof shed.
The most effective way to keep bugs out of your shed is to seal all of your windows and doors to make them airtight and use mesh when they are open.
Lockup Plant Stuff and Seeds
Many bugs prefer to live in flowers and leaves because of the shelter, food, and water.
Keeping bugs away from the shed could be troublesome if you have plants nearby as they stray inside your garden shed.
If you’re going to grow vegetables, keep these away from your building exterior. Besides this, you can find rodents and pests invade if you have open containers of such things as grass seed. Don’t keep open seed bags as it is an easy meal, and rodents can quickly chew through wood to get to these seeds.
Keep Your Shed Watertight
A leaky roof means you have holes, and besides pests crawling in, rain can do considerable damage. You can patch leaks, yet it can be as quick to give your shed a waterproof roof.
Heavy-duty green mineral felt doesn’t cost much and doesn’t take long to install.
Mineral felt is durable and won’t need replacing as often, thus helping to get rid of leaks and bugs.
Treat Yourself To a Well-Built Shed
Perhaps your shed is old, and it takes more to keep pests out each year. One of the best ways to deter pests and keep all types of insects, rodents, or other things out is to start with a shed built to last for many years.
Spray Insecticides
Spraying insecticides is another way of bug-proofing sheds. Both garden centers and hardware stores should carry a variety of brands and varieties that may be used on various materials and insects.
Remove Permanent Light Sources
If your shed is located near an outdoor light or has a light source inside the building, you must use it as little as possible to avoid attracting a swarm of moths, flies, and other light-loving insects.
Use Peppermint Oil
Spiders hate the smell of natural oils and will stay away from them. Peppermint is a top choice and is easy to find. Mix 10-15 drops of oil into a small water bottle and add to a spray bottle. Spray everywhere you can have spiders to help prevent bugs from venturing into your storage shed.
Become an Exterminator
If you plan on storing garments or blankets inside your shed, mothballs can help keep moths at bay. Also, to keep bugs out of your storage shed, try using herbs like lavender, mint, and tansy.
Purchase a bug zapper, even if it is a cruel way. This will drastically reduce the bug population on your property.
Insect Proof Shed Summary
Before storing garden tools in your shed, make sure they’re clean. For example, there may still be bugs on the shovel after digging using a shovel. Cleaning your tools before storing them is the best way to prevent bugs from getting into your shed. Shed bugs will be attracted to even the tiniest crumbs.
Look for any small gaps inside, cracks, holes, or other entrance points in the shed’s doors, windows, and exterior.
Fill up any small holes inside your shed using silicone caulk. Then, install weather-stripping around the door to seal gaps to keep spiders and other insects out.
Sweep, vacuum, or hose down your shed frequently. Any webs, eggs, or wandering spiders should be vacuumed away, and insects should be swept up from the floor.
Pests are forced to live in an unwelcome environment by removing hiding spots.
Tim Graham
Tim Graham is the yard and gardening guru! He loves spending time outside, getting his hands dirty, and being surrounded by nature. When Tim is not writing about his passion for gardening and yard care – it’s a wonderful life! Read more by Tim at yardandgardenguru.com
