Having your closest friends and family members over for an evening of food, drinks, music, and good conversation can be some of the best (and most relaxing) times of your life!
When the party ends, your emotional levels are at an all-time high, but then you realize one important oversight — now you have to clean up.
Cleaning your home thoroughly is extremely important because failing to do so could be the reason why you develop a future pest infestation.
Start Where the Food Was Prepped and Cooked
If there’s one thing almost every pest has in common, it’s their never-ending search for a quality food source. For a large majority of pests (like ants, mice, cockroaches, etc.), they will be drawn to your home if you have crumbs or spills that remain uncleaned.
This is why you need to focus on cleaning the kitchen (and the grill outside if you used it), ensuring there are no food scraps, crumbs, or spills left out for pests to consume.
- Place all of the big food scraps, loose packaging, disposable plates and cutlery, and anything else that isn’t going to be saved into a sealable trash bag.
- Wash the dishes (or place everything in the dishwasher and run it) as soon as you can. Allowing dirty dishes to sit in the sink can have the same effect as leaving them out on the countertops or table.
- Wipe down the countertops, appliances, and grilling area to remove any spills and small crumbs.
- Break out the broom and begin sweeping your floors to remove any remaining crumbs from the floor. (Keep an eye out for any spills on the floor as well.)
- If you used your grill, spend some extra time to ensure it has been cleaned, covered, and the area around it is spotless. Leaving even one food scrap behind will grab the attention of EVERY nearby pest in the area — this includes both small pests like ants and flies, and BIG pests like opossums and raccoons!
Get the Bathrooms Back In Order
Most of the people at your party are going to use the bathroom multiple times throughout the day/night (with more than one bathroom being used on occasion). Your next step should be to inspect each bathroom in your home and give them a quick cleaning.
- Clean up any water that might’ve splashed onto the floor or around the sink. Many species of pests are constantly on the lookout for water sources (and moist environments in general).
- Check the floor for any food crumbs and check the trash bin for any thrown away food scraps that guests might have chucked here before using the toilet. The last thing you want to do is give some pesky pests a meal while they’re searching for a water source.
Bonus Tip: Remember to check other areas like hallways, entryways, and guest bedrooms (if you’re entertaining guests all weekend).
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When you throw a party, be prepared to do a bit of cleaning afterward. Of course, you want your home to be clean, but it’s crucial for avoiding serious pest infestations.
If you happen to discover a pest infestation, call your local pest management professsionals ASAP. The last thing you want is to live in a house of bugs or rodents…
