With warm weather comes birds, flowers, and light jackets. But, now is also the time to say hello to the multiplying pests of spring and summer. Are you prepared to keep pests out of your kitchen?
Start by keeping your kitchen clean and clutter-free. Organize the shelves and floor of your pantry so that everything is neat and clearly visible; dark, out-of-sight corners make great havens for pests to hide and breed in, especially when they’re surrounded by food. Always clean up spills and crumbs as soon as possible, and don’t leave overripe produce to rot in a display bowl, the back of a cupboard, or the bottom drawer of your refrigerator. Even a small mess can provide a lot of food for a hungry pest, and overripe fruit and vegetables attract pests like fruit flies. Take out your trash often, and keep it securely covered and inaccessible to pests.
Food storage and packaging are also important factors in keeping your food safe from pest infestation. Pest experts recommend storing food in glass, plastic, or metal containers to prevent pests from sneaking or gnawing in. Additionally, when you purchase food at grocery stores, it’s not a bad idea to check for any suspicious holes in the packaging. If you find any, do not buy the affected food item.
Finally, people with pets should avoid leaving pet food on the floor all day and night. Rodents will find your hospitality irresistible if they have constant access to your pet’s food.
—Katie Heil
