Periodic cleaning of every nook and corner helps control pests.

Hire a fumigator once in six months. Yellow Pages has a list of pest control companies.

Be ready to bear the noxious smell and fumes and empty all the shelves and cabinets.

Some companies use chemical compounds, some a compound of chemical and herbal preparations.

Periodic cleaning of every nook and corner of a house is definitely the best way to keep harmful pests out. Traditional households have a system of preservation of food items that automatically discourages pests from entering the kitchen. Wheat for the year is coated with castor oil, rice and pulses are stored along with special pellets, and many spices are roasted lightly to make them pest-proof. While these methods are time-tested, safe for humans and economical, they are labour-intensive.

The city has several pest control companies, listed in the Yellow Pages, that keep your house pest-free. They usually charge per square foot area of the house and fumigate all the rooms. While this does keep the pests out, it also forces you out of the house because of the noxious smell and fumes. Some companies use a mixture of herbal and chemical compounds in the fumigation. The synthetic chemical compounds are less expensive than the herbal preparations.