Keep Your Kitchen Pest-Free This Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a time to cook/bake, enjoy tasty food, and spend time with loved ones. At the end of the day, you’re left with dirty dishes and leftovers. As you are tidying up your kitchen and storing food, are you careful to not leave any crumbs behind? If not, this is your chance to change that habit to ensure your home stays pest-free this Thanksgiving season. Here are some tips to keep pests out of your kitchen and a few pests to be on the lookout for.
Like humans, pests need a food source to survive. This puts a direct target on your kitchen’s back… especially during Thanksgiving. Keep pests away by:
- Wiping and vacuuming all crumbs or spills on countertops, floors, and tables.
- Not letting dirty dishes pile up.
- Running your garbage disposal.
- Storing leftovers in airtight containers.
- Taking out the trash.
Ants
Ants are known for their ambitious appetites. The kitchen is an ideal spot for these pests due to the endless options of food and moisture. The most common ants within homes are odorous house ants, Argentine ants, and pavement ants. Their preference in food can vary depending on the species. A likely location for them to hide is near sinks and water pipes.
Rodents
These pests are another common kitchen invader. Similar to ants, they are attracted to a variety of foods including nuts, meat, grains, sweet fruits and even pet food. House mice and Norway rats are the species of rodents to be on the lookout for. It’s important to note that these pests can spread diseases such as salmonella bacteria and hantavirus and they can carry other disease-causing pests such as fleas, ticks, and lice.
Flies
Fruit flies and house flies are pests that we have all encountered at least once. Fruit flies are attracted to sugary substances and overripe fruit, while house flies prefer decaying organic filth such as rotting meat. Once they catch a whiff of their preferred food source, these unwelcomed pests can squeeze through miniscule cracks and window screens to get to it.
Stress less about pests this Thanksgiving by following these tips and contacting Bug Zero for your preventative spraying options.
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