Today marks the first official day of the Spring season! As the weather becomes warmer, many homeowners will take the next few weeks to tackle their spring cleaning tasks. When we think of Spring cleaning, we think of organizing our closets and cleaning out old clothes. It’s important to also address the pest hotspots around your home.
Here’s a guide of specific tasks to keep Spring pests away:
Kitchen:The kitchen provides pests with easy access to to food and water sources, making it a popular places for ants to infest. Although you may make the effort to clean your kitchen on a daily basis, things can go unnoticed, like residue from liquid spills and over ripe fruit sitting on the kitchen counter.
Spring cleaning tip:
Remove all items from your cabinets and pantry. Throw away anything that has expired. This includes spices and baking ingredients like flour. Wipe down the inside of all cabinets and replace shelf liners with a new sheet. Pull out all appliances and vacuum behind them. Lastly, give the countertops and floor a good scrubbing.
Bathroom: Pests like cockroaches and silverfish are attracted to moisture and are often found in bathrooms. These pests cannot survive 1 week without water so it’s important to eliminate the source.
Spring cleaning tip:
Wash the shower curtain and the liner. Remove all items from the medicine cabinet and wipe it down. Do a thorough scrubbing of the tub and the floors, keeping an eye out for moisture issues from leaky pipes or faucets.
Basement:The basement provides dark corners and clutter, providing an ideal home for rodents and spiders.
Spring cleaning tip:
We have a Spring cleaning rule: if you haven’t seen or used the item in 1 year, toss it. Go through those old boxes collecting dust and discard of any items that fit that criteria. Eliminating clutter is step 1 in preventing pest infestation. Next, replace any cardboard boxes with plastic bins and seal any cracks with caulk. Mice can fit through an opening as small as a dime!
Outside: Once you’ve mastered the inside, evaluate the outside of your home for potential damage that occurred over the winter. Clean out any clogged gutters and downspouts. Replace any ripped screens or damage windows that may be a point of entry for pests. Remember our previous landscaping tips! Keep bushes trimmed and as far away from the home as possible.
A new season brings new pest problems. Take advantage of the Spring cleaning trend to ensure your home is safe and pest free. If you do notice the presence of pests in or around your home, contact Knockout Pest Control immediately.