EXTERIOR & INTERIOR CARE — 3
80
2008 IMPERIAL
Fruit
fl
ies invade the motorhome by attaching
to fresh fruits and vegetables. Determine what
food items are generating the
fl
ies and discard
that item in an outdoor trash receptacle. Fruit
fl
ies can be eliminated with a homemade trap.
Pour a few ounces of vinegar into a cup and
cover the cup with plastic wrap. Secure the wrap
with tape or a rubber band and poke a ¼" hole in
the plastic. Place the trap in the area where fruit
fl
ies are present.
Ants live in colonies. Only a fraction of the
ant colony will leave to seek food. Spraying
pesticides will only kill the ants that are away
from the colony. The colony must be destroyed
to eliminate all ants. Keep ants away from the
sewer hose by spraying the hose ends with a
soap and water solution.
Fleas can be removed by properly treating pets
with a veterinarian approved treatment and by
thoroughly cleaning the motorhome. Vacuum
vinyl areas and tile
fl
oors to remove dust,
fl
ea
larva and
fl
ea eggs. Follow by thoroughly
washing those areas with soap and water.
Carpets must be vacuumed and treated with a
residual
fl
ea control product labeled safe for
indoor carpet and furniture use. Perform the
cleaning treatment daily for three days to ensure
that all
fl
eas have encountered the treatment.
Flying outdoor insects are attracted to
bright light. Yellow porch light covers on
the motorhome work to discourage insect
invasion. During nighttime hours insects will
be attracted to docking lights, or other bright
exterior lighting.
If the presence of moths is detected inside
of the motorhome, usually by holes appearing
in material, clean the affected clothing and all
other items stored in the same area.
Follow by completely cleaning the closet,
dresser or storage area. If cracks are detected,
seal the cracks and treat the area with a properly
labeled indoor pest control product.
Birds:
Even birds can be considered pests,
particularly when the motorhome is parked in
the
fl
ight path of a
fl
ock. Bird droppings are
hard to remove and will leave stains. Prevent
permanent staining to the motorhome roof by
regularly cleaning the surface to remove all
bird droppings.
Damage from Pests:
Lizards have been known to crawl into the
inverter and short out the circuit board. Lizards
can be captured using glue traps. To remove
the lizard from the trap, dissolve the glue with
vegetable oil and release it outside and well
away from the motorhome. A scorpion will
glow blue-green in UV light. If the presence
of scorpions in the motorhome is suspected,
investigate with an UV black light during the
nighttime hours.
Best sources of information about common
household pests:
The Internet is a great place to
fi
nd
information about common pests. The
National Pest Management Association
website can be useful resource about common
pests. Another good source for information
are colleges and universities with entomology
(study of insects) departments.
Electronic pest control devices can be
costly and most likely will not work on all
types of rodents and insects. When calling
on the services of a professional to combat
pest infestation, call a reputable business
that is licensed in handling pesticides. Check
references. Explain that you are seeking
assistance for a motorhome, as treatments may
differ from standard household jobs.
If a pest problem is suspected in the motorhome,
consider professional pest control help.
The following guidelines can be used for
selecting a pest control service:
Seek referrals from those who have used
pest control services. Inquire about the
type of pest problem encountered and if
they were satis
fi
ed with the service.
Membership in the national, state or
local pest control associations is a good
indicator that the company has access
to modern technical information and is
committed to further education.
Reach a complete understanding with
the company before work starts;
fi
nd
out what the pest is, how the problem
will be treated, how long the period of
treatment will be, and what results can
be expected.
Be sure to understand what is guaranteed
and what is not.
