How to Pest-Proof Your Kitchen

No one wants to work in a kitchen that has pests crawling all over the counter-top or in the pantry. Insects, rodents, and other pests that can contaminate food and cause damage and therefore it is very important to take measures to pest proof your pantry. Al Saqr has pulled together a simple guide to help you effectively pest-proof your kitchen.

1. Clean it up
2. Inspect and Discard
3. Seal Entry Points
4. Use Airtight container
5. Organize your pantry
6. Good hygiene
7. Regular monitoring
8. Natural deterrents

Let’s dig deeper into the above points

Clean it up

Before loading your pantry with food and food boxes, make sure it is clean and wiped using disinfectant or even plain soapy water. Dry out the racks and shelves to remove remnants of food from them. Check corners and crevices for hidden or stuck crumbs. Only start stacking once you have a spotless pantry.

Inspect and Discard

Before stacking back your cleaned pantry, check all food boxes and packets. If they have expired, they should go right into the bin. Take a wet towel and wipe all boxes with food in them. If you have cereal boxes, check for and bits and crumbs of cereal that may have fallen from the packet into the box waiting to be spotted by cockroaches. Discard these and make sure the packets are sealed shut.

Seal entry points

Sealing entry points is great way to deter pests from entering your property in the first place. You must seal all gaps, cracks, crevices to make sure these pests have no easy access to your home or pantry. Using caulk or weather-stripping to seal entry points is a common method to prevent pest infestations.

Buy Airtight containers

I know it is easier to leave food in the packets you bought them in. But not only are you leaving your food in not-so-great plastic packaging, you are also leaving your edibles at the mercy of pests that can easily chew through them. Rats and mice can easily cut through cereal boxes and plastic chips packages. Please consider investing in glass container that can seal shut tightly, also known as airtight containers. Get them to ensure your snacks don’t end up as snacks for pests in your pantry.

Organize your pantry

Organizing your pantry is a great way to minimize clutter. A well-organized pantry will not only help you easily access the items but also ensure you can spot any food spills or crumbs that may have fallen out. Then you can easily clean it out.

Also, store similar items together and make sure you use up older items first. That way your food won’t expire and invite pests.

Good Hygiene

Keeping your pantry clean isn’t a one-time effort. You need to keep on it. Regularly clean your kitchen and pantry. Wipe all boxes. Sweep the floor often. Throw out garbage regularly and keep trash can lids tight shut all the time.

Regular Monitoring

Regular monitoring for pests helps to nip the problem in the bud early on. This also prevents infestation to become severe or get out of hand. Contact a professional pest control company if you spot pests.

Using Natural deterrents to pest-proof your kitchen

There are many herbs, essential oils and plants that help prevent pests from making your home theirs. Consider using them. Here’s an article which discusses the different natural deterrents to keep pests at bay.