Fruit flies. Ants. Roaches. Silverfish. Mosquitos. If you’re like most people, when you hear these words, your immediate response is “Yuck!”
It’s only natural. Nobody wants to think about these little critters. And you especially don’t want to think about them in your home.
But it does happen.
Luckily, there are some things you can do to help prevent pests from taking up residence in your home.
Eat in one spot
It can be tempting to let the kids take a snack to their rooms. Or, maybe you’ve had dinner in the living room while you watch a movie or ate your lunch in your home office. But when you allow food to be brought to different areas of your home, you open yourself up to more rooms where there is the potential for pests. Limit meals and snacks to one area of the home, most likely your kitchen table, to help keep pests at bay.
Keep your floors clean
Floors get messy. Things get spilled, and dirt gets tracked in. But it’s important that you keep them clean. Regularly mopping and vacuuming floors is a necessity. This may mean that you have to do it daily to keep pests away.
Clean spills immediately
Who hasn’t spilled something? And if you have children, it probably happens more than you care to imagine. But it’s essential that you don’t let spills sit as they just attract bugs. Clean them quickly and make sure you’ve gotten every last drop to avoid any problems.
Wash those dishes
A sink full of dishes is like an engraved invitation for pests! And while you may not feel like washing them after a big meal, you definitely don’t want to let them sit there – even just to soak. Wash them and go to bed knowing that bugs will not be enjoying a midnight snack!
Clean your garbage disposal
Garbage disposals are great. They’re extremely convenient. They reduce trash. And they help protect your kitchen drains. But if they’re not cleaned regularly, they become very attractive to bugs. Thankfully, garbage disposals aren’t difficult to clean, plus when they are cleaned regularly – they can make your kitchen smell nice and fresh.
Take out the trash regularly
Do you regularly let the trash pile up until it’s practically spilling out of the bin? Does everyone in the house seem to walk by it – and never take it to the receptacle outside? Then your home is just like everyone else’s. But letting the trash sit inside is just another way to bring those unwanted pests inside your home. If you have children, taking out the trash is a good chore to help them develop responsibility and contribute to the family.
Store your food properly
What do your kitchen cabinets look like? And your pantry? Are they filled with open boxes? Chip bags that aren’t sealed? Open flour and sugar bags? Then it may be time to invest in some storage containers – or even just baggies with zippers. When you properly store food, pests will be less interested in seeking it out for a snack!
Avoid standing water
Some bugs are attracted by water or moisture (such as mosquitos and silverfish). Do what you can to avoid having standing water so that critters such as these aren’t hanging around your house.
Check your screens for needed repairs
It’s nice to occasionally open the windows and let the breeze blow in – if you have screens to stop the bugs. Of course, even screens can get rips and tears. Be sure you check them to see if repairs are needed. (Your local home improvement store most likely sells screen repair kits so that you don’t need to replace the entire thing.)
Keeping your home clean is the priority when it comes to keeping pests away. Mini Maid’s residential cleaning teams would be happy to come to your house and do the heavy work for you! We’ve been providing cleaning services for decades and pride ourselves on delivering excellent service. Get a quote today or call us at 352-374-4141.
