Pest Precautions for Wintertime

Wintertime and Pests

Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean your pest problems have vanished. Depending on the type of pest, they might migrate like birds, enter diapause (the insect version of hibernation), or hide away inside the comfort of our own homes. To avoid the latter, we recommend watching out for these conducive conditions that encourage pest problems during the winter.

Watch What You Bring Inside

Pests love to hide and, unfortunately, both the boxes that we often store holiday decorations in, and our storage areas such as basements, garages, attics, and sheds, are all ideal hiding places for pests. When retrieving holiday items from these areas, be sure to check boxes for pests that are either on the containers or tucked away with your décor. From dead spiders to mouse droppings, these nasty, unwanted additions to your holidays can end up in your home if you aren’t careful. However, there is one thing you can do to significantly reduce your chances of such an unwelcome surprise: plastic containers. By utilizing durable plastic containers with good sealing tops instead of cardboard boxes or bags, you will not only avoid these holiday-time shocks the following year, but you will also prevent the opportunity for pests to make their nests and breed within your home via your storage.

Another hiding place that pests love is inside firewood piles. With the chill of winter, may of us are collecting piles of wood for those fun days by the fireplace. Cuddling up by the fire with a warm cup of tea or hot chocolate and a blanket is one of the highlights of snowy weather, but that collection of logs can potentially cause you some serious pest problems. If you do not inspect your firewood before bringing it inside, you could be at risk of hiding place that pests love straight into your home.

Keeping Kitchens Clean

While keeping your kitchen clean year-round helps with controlling pests, it becomes increasingly important during the winter months. At this time of year, access to food outdoors becomes very scarce, causing our food indoors to become even more desired by pests. Furthermore, the holiday season often comes with a lot of extra cooking, which can lead to more messes, food sitting out, and a relaxation of care in food storage practices. To avoid attracting pests into your kitchen over wintertime, be sure to follow these easy steps:

• Don’t leave out dirty dishes
• Sweep up crumbs
• Mop the floor regularly
• Immediately clean up any liquid spills and grease splatters
• Ensure garbage can has a sealable top and that it is regularly taken out
• Consistently check for and dispose of spoiled food
• Clean under and behind appliances occasionally
• Ensure all food is properly sealed in airtight containers
• Consistently sanitize all surfaces both in the kitchen and dining room

Stay Pest-Free this Holiday Season

At Green Pest Services, we do not provide temporary fixes, we provide long-term solutions and pest control is a battle that needs to be fought in every season. A good treatment in the winter will drastically improve our ability to more quickly control the pests that emerge in the spring. Call us today to get your home secure and protected from these pesky pests this holiday season.