Four common pesky kitchen pests and how to get rid of them
If you’ve ever woken up for a midnight snack and made eye contact with a roach, you already know just how creepy and generally unpleasant some household pests can be.
And while most household pests will shy away during the day, others, such as flies, will rudely interrupt your lunch-making time without much of a care in the world.
We all know cleaning is crucial for a healthy home environment, and two places in all homes require the most in terms of cleaning, sanitizing, and degerming; the bathroom and the kitchen.
But however diligent you are, there are times when regular cleaning just isn’t enough to rid your kitchen area of pests that can eventually overrun your entire home. So, in this article we have listed the four most common kitchen pests and how to get rid of them effectively.
1) Flies
Flies are among the most annoying and pesky of all household pests around, competing closely with mosquitos. Unfortunately, flies are exceptionally easy to lure into a kitchen, even if you take several measures to keep your kitchen clean. So, if you need to get rid of flies, you should focus on sanitizing all kitchen surfaces, cupboard inners, and even the floors.
If you have a garbage bin inside your kitchen, make sure it seals properly and consider spraying the inside with a repellent every so often. In addition, you can consider natural scents that flies find repelling, such as citronella oil and other lemony fragrances. Moreover, it is best to keep all food sealed properly and stored correctly to avoid attracting flies.
2) Roaches
Getting rid of a household roach infestation can be an absolute nightmare. Unfortunately, it will be a lot harder to rid your kitchen and home of roaches than flies. You will need to consider eco-friendly approaches, especially if you have pets sharing your home with you. With that said, locating the nest is crucial, and for this reason, it’s generally a wise approach to consult an expert pest control service to mitigate the issue.
3) Ants
Ants are among the few pests that don’t raise health risk concerns. These tiny pests intend to clean up food messes and gather enough to keep themselves fed well over ice-cold winter periods. However, ants can be unsightly, and they can make quite a mess in your kitchen, land up falling into drinks and meals, and causing other minor annoyances.
The best approach is to locate the nests and make use of an eco-friendly ant killer. You will need to spray the nests a few times to ensure your efforts are successful.
4) Rats and mice
Unfortunately, rats and mice carry a seemingly endless list of diseases that have led to plagues in the past. And for this reason, you never want to share your home with them.
And because most commercial rat poisons and traps are inhumane and harmful, it is wiser to consult a pest control service. Rat and mice infestations can be challenging to control, so it’s best to leave it up to the professionals.
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten
