We've made it to the big week, and Thanksgiving day is almost here! Your mind is likely busy with preparations for guests, how to cook the perfect bird, and...your pest control?
Don't worry, we aren't expecting your pest control to be the first thing on your mind this holiday season. In fact, it might not even cross your mind at all! However, there are some things that you can do to "help" out your routine pest control treatments and make sure they are as effective as possible all year long, but especially during holidays when pests can become a big problem very quickly.
The best part? Lots of these tips are things you will be doing to prepare for guests and dinners in your home anyway, so you're serving "double duty"!
So what are our Thanksgiving tips for supporting your pest control?
Hidden Risks
Ever gotten ready to put in your turkey and pies and realized just how nasty your oven had becoming over the course of a year? Your response is usually to clean it ASAP. However, an area that can often go unnoticed is the area around your stove, and behind the unit as a whole. Think about it for a second: you are constantly using your cooktop, and things get splattered or dripped on the stove top and the counter space around it. Where do the drips go if they make it in between the counter space and the cook top? Yep...that's right. They drip down and get all nice and gross down the sides of your oven unit. Sometimes they even reach the floor. Add that to all the crumbs, dirt, dust (and the occasional Lego, if you have kids) and you have a recipe for one disgusting sight when you pull your oven out from the wall. This is practically an invitation for ants, roaches, and other creepy-crawlies that you don't want anywhere near your kitchen. Take a few minutes to pull your stove out this year and do a quick sweep and mop of the floor, and wipe down the sides of the unit. You'll be glad you did!
The same concepts ring true for your fridge where things can spill or leak, and where crumbs and dirt hide out. Run the vacuum underneath and clean out that fridge before you start on the holiday cooking marathon!
That's Garbage!
Cleaning your garbage cans, especially the large one outside your home, is something often overlooked by homeowners, but is very important around the holiday season. Food spills and leaks can end up making your garbage can not only incredibly smelly (and not welcoming to your guests at ALL) but can also be appealing to insects. For your indoor trash cans, periodically wash them out, and for really tough smells/stains, soak them in a bleach solution.
Your outdoor garbage can (for those who live in city limits with trash pickup) can also be a breeding ground for insect activity, but can also attract rodents and the occasional stray if you aren't careful about keeping food spills cleaned up. Make sure your garbage is tied well, and if you have a leaky garbage bag, consider putting it inside another bag before throwing it into the main can. If you do end up with a nasty outdoor garbage bin, hose it down inside and out and let it air dry for a day or so. It will make taking out your garbage a lot less of a drudgery if it doesn't smell as awful!
Wrap It Up
This is true for any time of year, but especially the holiday season when food is abundant. We can not stress enough how important it is to properly wrap/seal/contain food. Use heavy-duty ziplock storage bags or plastic containers for things that will be left out on counters or placed in pantries. For ingredients like sugar, baking mixes, chocolate chips, etc. make sure you follow these same steps to keep insects out (and the food safe). As much as possible, keep leftovers in the fridge to put yourself at the lowest risk of insect activity.
We hope these tips will have you thinking this holiday season! If you do end up with a pest emergency in the greater Polk County area, you know who to call! Country Boy Pest Control will make sure your holiday celebration doesn't have any unexpected guests!