It’s no secret that a pest’s favourite room in our homes is in fact the kitchen. The possibility of food scraps and crumbs, numerous places to hide, like under the sink or the appliances, and the potential to find water near your dishwasher or the kitchen sink. It makes sense when all of a pests’ needs are in a close radius, but how can you make your kitchen a place that deters pests? Here’s how you can pest-proof your kitchen!
Refrigerate More Foods
Those bananas and avocados ripe and ready on the counter are a dinner bell for rodents and bugs. It’s tempting to have fruits and veggies out and ready to grab, and while they’re ripening, that’s the time to let them sit! As soon as they start to smell delicious, stick that produce in the fridge! Tortillas, nuts, bread and condiments, particularly sugary ones, can also switch to the fridge.
Airtight Storage
It’s nice to have a pot of sugar right by the coffee machine for your morning Joe, but if you seal it in an airtight container, pests are much less likely to come over for a coffee date. Make sure you’re sealing pantry items too, including cereals, oatmeal, flour, sugars and other baking ingredients. Mice will chew on anything and a cardboard box is no match for these critters, so anything like crackers, pasta etc, can and should be sealed in airtight containers.
Neat and Tidy
Removing crumbs and spills on your counters is another surefire way to deter pesky pests. Wipe your counters and kitchen surfaces down often and if you want an extra layer of help, try using a vinegar cleaning solution. Vinegar is a foul scent for mice and other bugs, making it an excellent cleaning tool that doubles as a repellent! Empty garbage and recycling bins frequently and if you don’t have a lid for your garbage can, now is a great time to get one. Sweeping and mopping floors as a routine is also a good idea and if you have pets, make sure that you’re removing uneaten food left out overnight as this will attract hungry pests.
Don’t Let Them In
The absolute best way to keep pests out of your kitchen is to not let them into your home in the first place. This means sealing entry points around the foundation of your home as well as fishers and openings around vents, chimneys, windows doors and utility lines. For all those small gaps, waterproof caulking will do the trick, but for anything larger than a dime, you’ll want to use steel or copper wool. Mice won’t chew through these!
Keep pests out of the kitchen by applying these tricks and you’ll be home-free! If you notice the presence of pests, however, don’t be afraid to give us a call at 403.262.1666 and we’ll be sure to figure out the best option to keep your kitchen, as well as the rest of your home, safe!
