Pests are a nuisance and often present a risk to your health. You don’t need to be in direct contact with most pests in order to catch the bacteria they are carrying. This is because many pests will avoid humans. Pests such as ants walk through bacteria, which is then spread across any surface they have access. That could be in your bed or across your kitchen surfaces.
When you prepare food on those surfaces, the food will become contaminated and potentially make you ill. That’s why you should get pest control experts into your home the moment you suspect you have an issue. You can click here for more info on your local experts.
Wipe Your Surfaces
Wiping your surfaces won’t necessarily prevent pests from coming into your kitchen, but it will help to ensure that you’re killing bacteria before it gets the chance to spread. The best approach is to use a disinfectant spray and quickly wipe down the surface before you prepare food and drinks. This will help to keep the bacteria away from you and your family.
Keep It Clean
Another golden rule is to keep your house, and particularly your kitchen, clean. By wiping all surfaces after you have prepared food you are not leaving any crumbs to attract pests. It’s important to note pests are attracted to your kitchen for warmth, food, and water. Deprive them of food and they will look elsewhere.
Alongside wiping surfaces clean after use, make sure all dishes are washed up straight away. You should also sweep and vacuum the floor daily to eliminate crumbs. Don’t forget, a crumb is insignificant to you but a feast to a pest.
Keeping it clean includes keeping the garbage in a sealed bin and emptying it regularly. When you take a bin bag outside make sure it goes into another sealed container and is as far away from your home as possible.
Storage Containers
Some pests are very good at chewing through food packaging. This gives them access to your food and ruins the goods for your consumption. You can eliminate this attraction to pests by placing all foods in sealed containers. Plastic, glass, or metal will suffice. The container masks the food’s aroma, making it less likely that pests will come looking. It also makes it much harder for them to get to your food. In short, they will go elsewhere as there are always easier targets.
Seal Up Entry Points
To help keep pests out of your kitchen, you should consider how they are getting in. Walk slowly around your kitchen and the rest of your home, inside and outside. You’re looking for any gaps and cracks that could let a pest in. Don’t forget, mice can squeeze through a hole as small as a pen! If you see any holes, fill them with sealant or another appropriate substance. It will make it much harder for pests to get into your kitchen.
Image Credits: Marek Studzinski
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