Garage gyms are great. You have your own private facility with all of the equipment you personally want to use (or need) and best of all, you don’t need to wait in line to use any of it!
For all of the great benefits of owning a garage gym, there are some downsides. No, we don’t mean trying to keep it cool in the summer or warm in the winter – though these are common issues – but rather the fact that you can often get some unwelcome guests…
In this article, we’ll show you how to keep bugs out of a garage gym. Bugs making their way into garages are common issues for any homeowner but this becomes more annoying when they nest around your best equipment! So, It’s better to be preventative than reactive so we’ll look to cover both strategies below.
How to Keep Bugs Out of a Garage Gym
To keep bugs out of a garage gym you need to identify the type of bugs getting into the garage, where they are getting in from, and what’s attracting them. To prevent this, you should seal all doors and windows, fill in any gaps, remove food sources and lay some pest control traps.
The above is of course a very simplified version so below we’ll cover these factors in more detail with a simple step by step process.
Step 1) Identify the Bugs
Whenever you have an infestation that you want to get rid of, it’s best to figure out what kind of bugs you have before you come up with a plan of attack. Different methods will be more effective with certain bugs than it will with others. The most common bugs in a garage gym are:
- Ants
- Bed Bugs
- Beetles
- Cockroaches
- Crickets
- Fleas
- Flies (including mosquitoes and fruit flies)
- Silverfish
- Sowbugs
- Spiders
Step 2) Consider the Vicinity and Who Will be There
The kind and type of substances you use will depend on how nontoxic you want to do things. For instance, if children and pets will be in the garage gym with you, then harsh chemical repellents should be your last ditch effort when all others fail.
Also, if you have immediate neighbors, avoid using things like extermination bombs, especially in the case of cockroaches and fleas.
They will scurry over to their houses and will create more problems than you hope to resolve. If you do end up using something like a professional extermination service or a bomb, it’s best if you speak with your neighbors along with any other affected parties.
Step 3) Clean the Garage Gym
Prior to applying any treatments to keep bugs away from your garage gym, you should clean everything from top to bottom. Unless the infestation is really bad, always clean first. Ensure you remove any food, standing water, or other things that attract bugs to the premises.
Use things like bleach or baking soda and vinegar to clean and disinfect the area. Not only will this rid the bug’s temptations, but it will prevent them from returning.
Cleaning regularly can also help prevent any bugs from making themselves comfortable so check out our guide on how to keep a garage gym clean.
Step 4) Remove or Forbid Food
The best way to keep bugs away from your garage gym is to remove any foodstuffs from the area. Then, from here on out do not allow anyone to bring in food. Any amount of food crumbs will attract any number of bugs. It’s usually the number one culprit for why an infestation occurs in the first place.
Step 5) Substances to Kill and Repel Bugs
Always begin your approach with a natural, safe, and non-toxic method before going for harsher chemicals. A good catchall for most insects is diatomaceous earth. It’s inexpensive, effective, and safe for pets and children. It destroys almost any insect from the inside out and prevents bugs from returning.
You simply use a bellows or blow off the dust from a sheet of paper. Do this in such a way as to cover the entire area evenly and thoroughly.
For Spiders Only
In the case you just have spiders, make a white vinegar solution with hot water. You can put it in a spray bottle and cover the affected areas around your garage gym.
A Natural Recipe
Another good repellent for many insects, including bed bugs and ants, is to create a solution in a clean spray bottle with the following ingredients:
- ½ cup 91% Rubbing Alcohol
- 1/8 Cup Neem Oil (carrier, not essential)
- 1/8 Cup White Vinegar
- 10 drops of each essential oil (you can do all or a combination) – Lavender, Clove, Cedar, Orange, Lemon, Eucalyptus, and Tea Tree
Shake well and spray the entire area. This will not only kill all kinds of bugs but will also keep them away.
Step 6) Attention to Frequency
Depending on how bad your infestation is, you will have to apply your chosen method either every week or every other week. Also, do not neglect to do the same treatment on the outside of the garage. This will ensure they stay away entirely.
Step 7) Check for Gaps and Cracks
Once you have everything under control, inspect doors, windows, and the garage door for any open areas. If there are gaps around the windows and doors, seal them with something like silicone caulk or use adhesive sealing strips. There are also weather stripping and rubber seals that are very effective.
This way, even if a crumb or two falls to the floor of your gym, it will be more difficult for the insects to get in. In most cases, bugs go for what they can access easily. If they can’t get to the food they smell, they will move elsewhere.
Step 8) Lay Traps
For some insects, such as bed bugs or cockroaches, it will be wise to purchase commercial traps or make your own. Place them in strategic locations, especially in the places where you found most of them. While your formulations and spray solutions will work like a charm, using a trap will provide the ultimate protection.
You should check the traps once every few days at first and replace them as needed. Then, reduce the frequency the more confident you are that the bugs are no longer an issue.
Final Thoughts
One of the worst things about training in a garage gym is that – as with most garages – you’re susceptible to numerous critters and bugs making themselves at home. In fairness, some people don’t mind the presence of bugs and can easily ignore them but for others, they are a cause of serious frustration.
Keeping bugs out of your garage though doesn’t need to be a particularly time-consuming or expensive task. The simplest way to keep bugs out of a garage gym is to:
- Identify the type of bugs getting in
- Clean the garage from top to bottom removing any sources of food or hiding places in the process
- Seal any doors or windows and fill any holes that could be used as a way for bugs to get in
- Use bug repellent and traps to initially get rid of most bugs and pets
- Clean regularly to ensure they don’t come back
- In worst-case scenarios – you might need to get an exterminator to deal with the problem if it’s persistent and a real issue
