Cleaning TipsKitchen Tips

How to Prevent Pest Infestation in the Kitchen

Prevent pest infestation in the kitchen is the best way to treat this problem. And if it’s too unfortunate and these pests made their way despite how we tried to prevent it, we need to know what causes them to invade our food sanctuary.

Though there are pest control companies that could handle this, it is vital to know the how-to and the best way to control the situation as a homeowner. You might learn some techniques, but this article will show you more essential points to prevent and understand the condition.

We must also bear in mind that pests are small but terrible beasts that should eliminate at all costs. Let’s all stop them from spreading troubles by identifying their threats and doing effective methods.

So why these pests love the kitchen?

It does amaze the homeowners why these pests are always in the kitchen. Why not in rooms, living room, or anywhere in the house? The answer is simple. The kitchen possessed the key features that pests love: water and food. We may notice them roaming around the house; however, in the end, it is always the kitchen.

Pets seek shelter, and when the temperature drops, the kitchen is the best place for them to the harbor. It may sound funny, but pests feel at home in the kitchen because it provides everything they need. The kitchen is the place where foods were cook and store. So, therefore, in just one move, pest got what they need.

Moreover, pests love the humidity and the dumping area. For them, the garbage and messy cabinet are the ideal nesting place and shelter.

How to Prevent Pest Infestation in the Kitchen-The Threats!

Pests can mainly contaminate food and could result in severe health conditions if not detected and cured early. These pests could make people sick, and worst case, they could die. Here is the list of problems that must vanish to give more detailed information about those tiny bacteria carriers.

*Flies

House flies are the carrier of 100 different infectious agents. They could give salmonellosis, tuberculosis, listeria, and typhoid. These flies and other relatives, such as filth fly and fruit flies, usually breed in manure or rotten garbage. It also loves a moist place and could quickly move back and forth to your food and breeding ground. The possibilities to transmit disease and contaminate food are very high. Yikes!

*Rodents

Rodents are considered one of the most troublesome pests. It couldn’t only give threat to health but also your home. Rodents include rats and mice, can destroy your stuff, bite them, and use it as nests. Another problem they could give is they urinate and excrete, which contaminates food and spread bacteria. It is a known transmitter of salmonellosis, leptospirosis, hantavirus, and more.

*Cockroach

This pest love to hide in cracks and cookers. For them, the warm temperature that the kitchen has is the best place for the harbor, so it is easy for them to spread bacteria. Cockroaches have known transmitters of 33 types of bacteria such as salmonella, parasitic worms, and Ecoli. It is also known for being an allergy trigger.

*Pantry pests

Typically, ants, beetles, and moths are known as pantry pests. Imagine that these pests came from decaying animals and manure, which soon go to your food. There is nothing grosser in that. These carriers can spread bacteria like cockroaches and rodents.

How to Prevent Pest Infestation in the Kitchen–Signs!

There are signs if there are pest invaders in your kitchen. If you can identify the symptoms, you can quickly make a step to control them. It is vital not to waste time before doing some action. Before everything gets worst, you better find evidence. We provide some signs that you must keep in mind. Read more so you’ll know if it’s time to take another step.

  • You will notice that dirt is escalating somewhere. Pantry pests love dark, damp, and confined places. Places like corners, edges of walls under the table, inside cabinets, and window frames are perfect for them. You might see the signs like food remains and dirt. These marks are the signs you have pest invaders.
  •  Rodents and rats could leave traces like dust in floods or on shelves. You can also see traces like lubricant came from their bodies once they rubbed themselves. When you noticed it, be observant, and you can finally see their presence.
  • One of the evident signs that you have pest intruders is you can see their wastes everywhere. If you find trash in a particular place, it means you are near the divine territory. Rats commonly left little or big evidence, while insects typically left some body parts like wings or part of their skin.
  • A pretty foul smell is evident too. Aside from body scent, pest’s unfinished meals brought to their secluded place would tend to decay, mostly if they didn’t finish it.
  • One sign that you have pest tenants are you may found some bite through your food. Maybe, this is their way to put a territorial message, but this is not funny. It means they invaded your food, and somewhere in your kitchen, they are hiding and waiting for the right time to get another chance.
  • Another sign is you will notice an awful smell that seemed these pests died behind the walls or in their hiding harbor. If this happens, ants and flies will get attracted, and possible infestation could occur.
  • Bite marks in wood, papers, fabric, and personal belongings are also signs of pest invasion. These damages aren’t superficial. They are big, comes with dirt and a foul smell. Smear and filth are also visible to the injuries they create. The worst is when these pests made fun of your new clothes; damages are possible before you could even wear them.

How to Prevent Pest Infestation in the Kitchen?

Now we know why pest loves to attack the kitchen it’s time to understand the first course of action to prevent this. As mentioned earlier, the risk in health that these pests could give us could lead to death, so before it’s too late, let’s found out the necessary actions to stop them.

  1. Do not buy ingredients in plastic. As much as possible, purchase condiments or food stock that are in a bottle. It is easy for pests to ruin the plastic or box packaging, so buy a bottle or hard one.
  2. Store your food in the fridge. This place is considering the ‘untouchable’ area for pests.
  3. If you have no fridge or your food isn’t advisable to put inside the refrigerator, consider putting it in an airtight container. In this way, the scent of food is not evident to pests and will not trigger to invade your kitchen.
  4.  Seal cracks walls and mainly damages around sink and stoves. It is the ideal place for pests to hibernate.
  5. Wash the dishes as soon as your meal finishes. If you let them sit for long hours, this will attract pests.
  6. Proper garbage disposal is essential. Also, use lids to prevent the scent of garbage attracts pests.

Other tips on How to prevent pest in the kitchen

One way of preventing pests in the kitchen is reducing the threats. If you cannot control it, then lessen the risks could be the first step to success. Here are the tips that could help you reduce the risks and maintain a pest-free kitchen.

  1. Cleanliness is one of the necessary procedures in reducing the threats of becoming a pest hide-out. After cleaning, sanitize the whole area. Do this daily and make it a habit. Pest is attracted to unhygienic places, and if your kitchen remains dirt-free, the chances of pest infestation could vanish.
  2. Do not forget to remove the trash from proper disposal outside your home. Trash bins with lids are helpful but bringing the garbage out is also one of the best ways to reduce pest infestation risk.
  3. Always inspect drainage and holes. See to it that this area are clean and rodent couldn’t infiltrate.
  4. Seal the doors and windows. Install screens, and it will surely help lessen the threat of flies invasion. Also, plants are home to pests, so as much as possible, minimize them too.
  5. Bulbs can also trigger insects and bugs, so the best way to lessen this threat is to choose the exact bulb that least invites pests.

Prevent Rodents Infestation

  1. Check your surrounding for holes that are possibly rodents’ passage or home. Seal them or patch them to keep them away. Also, do this inside your house.
  2. Do not feed animals outside while trying to solve your problem in rodents. Their food residue will attract these pests, and it would be hard to keep them away as long as there are foods that invite them.
  3. Remove all possible attractions for rodents, such as food and water. If you sealed their home, this would be the first step of keeping them away.

How to Prevent Pest Infestation in the Kitchen-Call an Experts!

Uncontrollable situations could need a professional. If this happens, the best one to call is the licensed pests professional. For cockroach service, the first thing they do is run an inspection and checking their hiding places. Some service uses electronic equipment to prevent them. A form of treatment, some cockroach service uses insecticides and baits. Others use a vacuum for a fast reduction process.

For ant control service, professionals also use bait insecticides, but first, they need to prepare for cleaning up spills and putting foods in the fridge. This process is useful and easy by placing the small beads in the area where ants usually trail. This bait could place on cardboard or any place that could be their bait station.

Furthermore, consider professional that only uses high-grade disinfectant and EPA-approved to kill the pests and the bacteria that these pests brought.

What is the most known method in pest control?

Control methods are one of the known ways use in pest control. Generally, this technique uses the behavior of the pests against them. Examples of this method are biological pest control that uses another organism to control insects such as mites. Also, mechanical pest control is considering under this method because it uses hands-on techniques such as fences, barriers, and wires. Another example is trap cropping, which uses the plant as bait to pests to attracts them.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Preventing pests are the way to control them, as mentioned earlier. As much as possible, do the tips and advice we said a while ago, and in that way, you won’t be needing an expert in treating your pest problems. Also, cleanliness is a critical factor in preventing pests. You must know what attracts them and what makes them away. Be hygienic. Avoid eating anywhere and attracts pests.

When everything goes out of hand and pest infestation are uncontrollable, call a professional. However, keep in mind that don’t forget to mention if there is someone pregnant in your house, allergies, or kids. They should inform beforehand of any crucial factors. This way, they will know how to handle it, and they know who should stay away from the area until the service was over.

Overall, this article serves as a guide in preventing pest infestation. Since we know the threats and risks of having a pest in the kitchen, we must be vigilant and prompt. Never ignore the situation, or we’ll be sorry.

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