The holidays are a time of Christmas cheer where not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Wait! That is a line from a fictional story, but it may not be true in your house! The bliss of family get-togethers and Friendsgivings can go south quickly if there’s a bug or rodent infestation in your home. And, with all the sweet treats being served, why wouldn’t bugs and rodents want to indulge? Let’s cover a few essentials to ensure your friends and family are the only invited guests in your home this holiday season.
Storage Solutions
Does this chaotic scene sound familiar? You’re ready to set up Christmas, you enter the attic, and it’s like an epic quest where the reward is hidden behind tangled lights and misplaced ornaments. Imagine the unsung heroes of post-holiday cleanup, bravely battling against the forces of disorganization and exhaustion. After all, who had the time or energy last Christmas for proper storage when the tree is down, and the shreds of wrapping paper are playing hide-and-seek? It makes for a festive fiasco worthy of a sitcom episode this year!
If this scenario is also true in your home, don’t despair. A simple fix can make next year much easier–and keep out any uninvited pests and rodents! Instead of stowing unmarked, cardboard boxes in the attic, take a trip to the store and purchase some plastic containers. Seal and mark them with the contents of the box. This will keep spiders and other creepy crawlies from slipping in and mice out. Imagine the time you’ll save next year when you don’t have to sift through unmarked, beat-up cardboard boxes!
Culinary Cleanliness
While not all of us are Martha Stewart or Julia Childs, and won’t be whipping up divine dishes worthy of the next Good Housekeeping cover, there are things we can all do to keep unwanted pests from devouring our dishes.
The holidays are a time of endless baking and dirtying every pan we own; but, it doesn’t have to be the time to invite ants and other pests to taste test our tasty treats.
Make sure you’re cleaning as you go to prohibit sugar and other tasty ingredients from falling to the floor and being tracked through the house. Giving the counters a good wipe down after cooking is a given, but we also suggest wiping down the microwave, and door handles of the fridge and cabinets, and rinsing the rag well. Using a 1:1 water and vinegar mixture is a safe, effective alternative to chemicals and will detract bugs while leaving your surfaces shiny.
Household Helps
It’s important to keep your house clean and dry and although that can be quite the task, it’s achievable. Household chores can be divided up by days to make light work. For example, on Mondays wipe down showers and anywhere mold can grow. On Tuesdays wipe all the surfaces of the kitchen. On Wednesdays mop the floors and on Thursdays vacuum the rugs. Easy, right?
By doing this, you attack the trouble areas weekly, prohibiting mold growth, tearing down spider webs, and getting up any food particles that invite the critters in. And, you also have a home that’s ready to invite holiday guests in without a lot of preparation.
Cheers to Your Holiday!
Bugs and rodents never stop working here in the Southeast, but infestations don’t have to be imminent. By following these tips, your home (and your holiday decorations) can be free of bugs and rodents, giving you more time to say ‘Cheers!’. If you find yourself saying ‘Bah HumBUG because of an infestation, Call Waynes and we’ll have you celebrating in no time.
