We’ve all been spending a lot more time at home over the past 10 months. The same goes for pests. Pest behavior often mirrors human actions. So while you’re eating lunch and doing Zoom calls from your kitchen table, cockroaches, mice, or ants may also be working in your kitchen cabinets or under your sink.
Clark, your friendly pest, rodent, termite, and grounds care expert, knows quite well that kitchens are a prime gathering spot for pests, including ants, cockroaches, rodents, flies, and pantry pests.
Why are pests attracted to kitchens?
Clark says that, under normal conditions, pests have a love affair with kitchens, because these hubs of family life provide the essential elements pests need to survive – food, water, and shelter. Why would they go anywhere else?
The abundance of food and food waste in kitchens, coupled with the warmth and moisture provided by cooking appliances, make pests feel right at home. Cluttered pantries, the false bottoms of cabinets, and adjacent wall voids provide ideal nesting locations for rodents. A leaky faucet or condensation from pipes or appliances provides desirable moisture and attracts insects to the kitchen.
Under normal circumstances, the reasons listed here make preventing pests in kitchens a challenge. But with huge increases in the number of people working from home, attending school remotely, and eating at home more often, there is more food and food waste present – and pests couldn’t be happier.
Tips to prevent pests in your kitchen
The key to preventing a pest issue in the kitchen is to eliminate access to the food, water, and shelter that pests need to survive. This can be accomplished by following good cleaning practices and by taking care of basic home maintenance tasks.
- -Wipe up all crumbs and spills on the floor, kitchen counters, cabinets, and refrigerator in a timely manner. While a few crumbs on the floor from that chocolate chip cookie may not seem like a big deal, it serves as a delicious feast for an army of ants or family of mice.
- -Take out the trash on a regular basis and close lids on trash and recycling bins. Use airtight containers to store food.
- -Pay attention to food expiration dates and opt for products that come in sealed packaging, or transfer bulk-bin items – like grains, legumes, or spices – into sealed containers as soon as you arrive home from a shopping trip.
- -Keep the kitchen sink clean and free of excess moisture by routinely running the garbage disposal. Avoiding leaving dishes piled up for long periods of time.
- -Fix leaking pipes and unclog any backed-up drains to further avoid troublesome moisture buildup.
- -Seal cracks or crevices around the exterior of the home with a silicone-based caulk, exclusion material, or a combination of both.
- -Repair damaged screens and install door sweeps.
- -Carefully inspect all grocery or food deliveries for evidence of pests such as gnawed packaging, rodent droppings, etc. One of the most common ways pests gain access to a home or apartment is in packages.
Clark Pest Control remains committed to safeguarding your home from pests during these challenging times. Our service technicians use such personal protective equipment as gloves, masks, and respirators, they practice social distancing, they call ahead to notify you before a service, and they adhere strictly to all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines when servicing inside or outside your home.
If something is cooking in your kitchen that involves pests, call Clark at (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or send an e-mail to clarkcares@clarkpest.com
Until next time, the pest management professionals at Clark Pest Control thank you for helping to keep unwanted pests out of your home and yard.