Keeping the (Real) Pests Out of Your Kitchen

Frustrated when a roommate leaves dirty dishes in the kitchen sink?  Do your kids leave a mess in your home’s kitchen?  Maintaining a clean home environment is everyone’s responsibility.  And, it’s important so that pests don’t make your space their home.  

“Pests such as ants, cockroaches, house flies and rodents attract to homes for the easy access to food, water and shelter,” said Dr. Zia Siddiqi, Director of Quality Assurance for Orkin, Inc.  “Pests are often initially drawn to a home because of food odors, which may be undetectable to humans.” 

Instead of simply hoping that you never see a pest, prevent their arrival altogether in just a few extra minutes a day.  Orkin recommends these simple steps for reducing pest “hot spots” in your home:

* Put away food and clean dirty dishes – even food that has been sitting out for a few hours can attract pests. 
* Wipe down counters and other surface areas in the kitchen daily. 
* Clean any spills immediately, even if it is just water. 
* Remove trash daily – what is trash to us is a gourmet meal to a pest! 
* Line all trashcans tightly.  
* Clean refrigerators weekly and dispose of old food.  
* Keep non-perishables tightly sealed, especially sugar, flour and other items that may not close well in their original packaging.  
* Vacuum regularly in the spaces beside refrigerators and in any cracks and crevices to clean out any food that may attract pests.  Vacuuming can also eliminate pest allergens and even pests themselves.  

Following these simple steps helps keep pests far from your home.  Your messy kids or roommates?  That’s another story.  For more tips, visit www.orkin.com or www.orkincommercial.com.