5 Common Kitchen Pests And Tips To Prevent An Infestation

As the place where food is stored and delicious dishes and treats are prepared and served, the kitchen has no problem attracting family members and guests. It can also easily draw unwanted visitors – the kind that you never want to have in your home.
What can you do to protect your kitchen from unsanitary critters that won’t just eat your food but can also spread germs around your home? You can start by knowing the common kitchen pests that you may encounter, along with tips for preventing an infestation.

Cockroaches

Roaches are easily attracted to food debris, grease, clutter, and heat – items that they can find in the kitchen. They can enter your kitchen by crawling through cracks, crevices, and holes from adjoining areas or from the outside. If you accidentally bring items inside the kitchen with roaches, these pests will soon multiply in your home.

To prevent cockroaches from invading your kitchen, always check the room and immediately seal cracks, crevices, and holes you see. Keep this area always clean. In case you already have roaches in your home, use baits and other eco-friendly pest control treatments.

Ants

Ants are also drawn to kitchens since there is food, moisture, and grease in this area. They also come through the kitchen by entering through small openings from outdoors or nests found in wall voids.
To control ants, find and seal entry points quickly. Spray outside foundation and use baits indoors and outdoors to get rid of these insects.

Flies

Fungus gnats and vinegar and drain (moth) flies are some of the usual flying insects that can be seen in kitchens. Again, the presence of grease, moisture, food, and other organic matter will attract these insects to your kitchen.

Flies will enter the kitchen through sewage and drain pipes, cracks, and holes in the floor or wall.

To prevent flies from multiplying, locate and eliminate their breeding site. It is also important to regularly sanitize drains, equipment, and trash cans or dumpsters. You can also use microbial foams, gels, liquids or sprays and insecticides labeled for kitchen use.

Rodents

Food and clutter are the main reasons why the kitchen easily attracts rats and mice. They can access the kitchen through holes or gaps in foundations, walls, windows, and floors.

To control and prevent rodents from entering your home, find and seal entry points immediately. You should also set traps inside and rodenticide baits outside your home.

Pantry or stored product pests

Moths, Indian meal moths, saw-toothed grain beetles, and rice weevils are pests with an appetite for dried and processed foods such as cereal, flour, uncooked pasta, nuts, dried fruits, and dry pet foods – items often found in pantries.

They can get into the kitchen by hitchhiking on packages of food you bring into your home. They can also fly into open windows and doors.

You can keep your kitchen free from these pests by keeping your pantry and other storage areas clean. You should also eliminate the food sources responsible for the infestation and treat cracks and crevices with insecticides safe for kitchen use.

If your kitchen pest infestation problem is serious, get help from experts quickly. They will use the necessary equipment, tools, and products to get rid of these pests effectively and safely.