Your pantry. It’s the place you keep all the sugary breakfast cereals. It’s where you go to grab the microwave popcorn for you movie night. It’s where the kids sneak to snatch a cookie after school. Your pantry houses much of your snacking, baking and meal making essentials. It is a source of comfort when you have the munchies or on the flip side, it can cause an immense amount of stress when you discover pests have invaded your precious space. When you grab for the box of crackers only to find them spilling out the bottom where chew marks have appeared, your anxiety rises. Instantly you feel extremely violated and grossed out. Those are YOUR snacks. It’s time to protect yourself. It’s time to fight back.

Protect your goods

The second you notice signs of pests in your kitchen, you must take action. Take these precautions and steps to a pest free pantry:

• Call the professionals. This must be your first step. When it comes to pests in your home, how can you ever be sure you have removed every last one? Professional pest control with Green Pest Services is guaranteed so we promise to remove every snack stealing pest.
• Seal your food in containers. While you wait for us to arrive, it is imperative that you put all food in airtight, plastic containers. Most pests cannot penetrate these types of containers. It is a good idea to put cereal, crackers, grains, flours, cookies and any food in a bag or box, in a plastic container. Rodents and cockroaches especially have a harder time breaking into these tightly sealed bins.
• Throw out contaminated foods. If you see that pests have gotten into your food, do not save anything if you suspect contamination. These types of pests carry diseases in their saliva, feces and urine. When they get into your food, they spread their bodily fluids all over the food they are eating. Do not take any chances. Throw any suspected contaminated food in the trash.
• Clean up any crumbs. Even if you have sealed all your food, any food residue can be consumed in desperation. Sweep up crumbs in corners and wash shelves to remove any food sources.
• Disinfect your pantry and cupboards. As mentioned before, these pests spread their bacteria easily. Once discovered, it is essential to clean and disinfect any area where these pests have been to avoid transferring these germs onto your hands or food.

Schedule routine inspections

After the invaders have been caught and removed, it is important to schedule routine pest inspections to make sure they stay out. Pests are desperate for food, warmth and shelter and your home provides all three of those vital needs. They will stop at nothing to enter so professional pest inspections will ensure they stay out. Our technicians are thorough and use the most effective, safe treatments to keep your home pest free all year long. Call Green Pest Services in Arlington today to keep your goodies safe from dirty pests.