5 Ways to Keep Pests Away this Football Season

Football season is finally here and that means tailgating season is here, too! To celebrate, you’ve offered to host the first barbecue tailgate of the season and everything is ready to go. You’re in the kitchen putting your final touches on your famous homemade potato salad when all of a sudden… you see an ant. Then two. Then three. Before you know it, they’re everywhere.

Unfortunately, pests love this transition season from hot to “just warm enough” as much as we do. While dealing with pests outdoors is a pain, finding them rummaging through your kitchen is the worst. Luckily, our team of professionals at Clark Exterminating knows how to handle these pesky pests. Here are some preventative measures you can take to keep pests from sneaking inside, invading your space, and ruining the party.

1.Make Sure Everything is Sealed
And we mean everything. We’re talking entry points to your house and food too. First, check every corner and crevice for any possible gateway. No space is too small for a bug. In fact, did you know that scorpions can fit through a slit as thin as a credit card? Woah! Check behind furniture and appliances and seal up any cracks you find. Be sure to also check doors and windows, and consider investing in replacements if you find an opening that’s too big to seal on your own.

In addition to your doors, windows, and walls, it’s important to keep your food properly sealed. Make sure plastic containers have locking lids and plastic bags are fully shut. If you keep fruit in a bowl on the counter, check it regularly for any signs of decay or over-ripening. Fruit flies are experts at detecting and following the scent of fermentation. This can lead them right to your counter if your fruit has been there a little too long; those pests are hard to eliminate!

2.Tidy the Trash
Bugs love a good pile of trash. To keep them from following the scent to your kitchen, invest in odor-blocking trash bags and a trashcan with a locking lid. While these can mask the scent temporarily, the ultimate solution is to take the trash out. Be sure to do so regularly in order to maintain a clean, pest-free kitchen. When do you take out the trash, make sure your bag doesn’t leak across the floor! If possible, make sure your trashcan is stored away from the entry to your home (i.e. outside of the garage, on the side of your home, etc.).

3.Keep your Counters Moisture-Free
Food isn’t the only thing that attracts pests — they’re drawn to any type of moisture, especially water. That melting ice cube on the counter is an opportunity for pests to both hydrate and procreate. If you’d rather your kitchen counter not turn into an insect breeding ground, be sure to keep it free of wet spots.