Pest Preparation:
Opening the pantry door to see a pest of any kind is not how you might want to start your day. These pests can get into the boxes of your food and leave behind gifts that can make you sick and that will make the pantry dirty. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to keep insects and other critters out of your pantry and food storage.
Cornmeal or Flour
You’ve probably made bread or muffins with cornmeal or flour. These ingredients can also be used to keep away ants and other small insects that tend to invade your pantry when you’re not looking. You want to put the products on the shelves of the pantry or cabinets. It will attract the pests because it’s sweet and has a delightful taste, but the insects aren’t able to digest the cornmeal and flour. This means that they will die as a result of eating it along with the family as well because they will take the food back to their home.
Professional Pest Control
If there’s an abundance of insects in the pantry or there are larger pests that you can’t get rid of, such as mice, then you might want to contact a professional. The pest control services, such as those from A-Alert Exterminating Service Inc, typically have equipment that is safe to use in the home for all family members while getting rid of the annoying critters that you see. With most companies, only traps, and natural repellants or bait are used to get rid of pests.
Essential Oils
There are several essential oils that you can put inside the cabinets and the pantry to keep pests away. A benefit of the oils is that they will make your pantry smell good. Peppermint, eucalyptus, and lemon are the best oils to use. All you have to do is put a few drops on a cotton ball for the smell to deter the pests.
Borax
This is an idea that your grandparents likely used to get rid of pests in the house. You want to make sure it’s out of reach of children, so it’s best to put the boric acid in a small container that is placed in the corner of a cabinet. The pests will eat it and become poisoned.
If you’re like most people, you enjoy being able to look inside the pantry without seeing a mouse dropping or a line of ants. If you can see the pests soon enough, then it’s easier to get rid of them and keep them away with natural repellants. A pest control service is an option if you aren’t able to control the pests with other products.
