You love snacks, we love snacks, but you know who also loves snacks? Little critters. Ants, mice, flies and more love those tasty morsels left out on the countertops and sinks. And while they’re buzzing around having a food party, you’re coming home to a critter fest and reaching for the bug spray. So how about eliminating the problem in the first place? Here are some tips for getting rid of those obnoxious insects in your home.
Flies
Left-overs in a sealed container may look tasty to you, but left-overs in a garbage bin look like an endless buffet for flies. And if you have that bin in your kitchen, look out. How do you get rid of flies in your home? Wash dirty dishes immediately, invest in closed-lid garbage cans (and buy smaller bins so you toss the garbage quicker), and keep a tight lid on any compost containers around your house. Flies love creating homes in old fruit and meat, so the less access they have, the better.
Ants
The thing with ants is that once you see one, you know there are dozens, if not hundreds, more waiting to march into your home. The buggers love sweet things, like ice cream left in bowls in the sink, latte residue left in cups in the bedroom, and cookie crumbs left in tins on the counter. So when you’re looking to get rid of ants in your home, start with the dishes and get friendly with food storage bags—especially during the warmer months. In winter, you can get away with leaving out a candy bar and coming back later, but in spring and summer, wrap it up.
Mice
You know how Fido loves his dog food? Well Mr. Mouse does too. Vermin adore nothing more than a big bag of dog food left for feasting. They also love any easy-to-nibble-through bags of grains and snacks in the garage or other areas. To prevent this, keep people food and dog food in tightly sealed containers.
Fruit Flies
Have you noticed that fruit flies are almost as annoying as actual flies? Those little buggers are nearly impossible to swat away and they come in droves. The trick for getting rid of fruit flies is keeping ripe pieces of fruit away from them, such as putting bananas in a bread box or apples in the fridge. You’ll also want to keep garage bin lids closed and dirty dishes cleaned.
After you’ve cleaned up the crumbs and taken out the trash, you might be asking yourself if your home could use a deep clean. If the answer is yes, give The Maids a call! You don’t build a prestigious 30-year reputation of perfect cleaning without being able to impress. Call us at 1-800-THE-MAIDS. While you’re out enjoying your day, we’ll get your home in tip-top shape.
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