SPRING CLEANING
Spring cleaning helps reduce pests?
As a kid, I’d rush home from school on a beautiful spring Friday anxious to finally start playing outside with the warm sun on my shoulders. I’d sling the door open, toss my book bag into the corner only to catch the most horrific sight out of the corner of my eye… Mops, buckets, rags, scrub brushes and a pile of other assorted cleaning supplies. MOM had other plans for my weekend. Spring cleaning time.
After over 11 years of work in the pest control industry, I now see the beauty in this annual event. Let’s look at this simple IPM (Integrated Pest Management) procedure and see how it benefits you beyond just having a fresh clean and shiny house.
KITCHEN:
Moving the fridge, we find spilled Kool-Aid. Ant’s thrive on sugar.
Moving the stove, we find pasta and rice bits. Meal moth food.
Moving the microwave, we find a french-fry. 1 is enough to sustain an army of roaches.
PANTRY:
That box of gram crackers that you haven’t touched since last summer’s camping trip could be eaten up by weevils, grain beetles or Meal Moths.
LAUNDRY ROOM:
You find lint built up behind the dryer. Not only is this a huge fire hazard, but Carpet beetles are usually at home in this type of environment.
A slight water leak in the washers water supply line provides ample moisture to sustain a wide variety of pests that find way into your home.
BATH ROOMS:
You find lint built up behind the dryer. Not only is this a huge fire hazard, but Carpet beetles are usually at home in this type of environment.
A slight water leak in the washers water supply line provides ample moisture to sustain a wide variety of pests that find way into your home.
Blinds, undersides of furniture, sofa cushions… Spiders camp out in these dark hidden area’s and lay egg sacks that will soon emerge.
LIVINGROOM & WINDOWS:
CLOSETS:
That sweater you haven’t worm since Christmas 1996 or those blankets that haven’t been touched in years, Cloth moths can reach epic numbers building up in these items until they finally spread out to your everyday wardrobe, tapestries or rugs.
Not to mention the damage rodents may have caused chewing out holes behind furniture or stored items. Nesting comfortably in a box of photo albums. Or termites that have hollowed out a collection of books on a shelf.
I think you get the point. Bottom line is, Mom was doing a lot more than just ensuring everything looked nice, she was making sure nature didn’t show up unexpected and unchecked. So, clear the weekend schedule, organize the troops and get out those scrub brushes! The sooner in the spring you get started, the less chance eggs and larvae have of breaking out into infestation levels!
