Bring in the New Year, Not New Pests
You thought all the guests had left when you finally retired to bed in the wee hours of New Year’s Day. Everyone certainly enjoyed the party—they danced to the music, gobbled up the snacks and guzzled all the champagne. When the ball dropped at midnight, not a single person went un-kissed. Your guests finally all headed out into the snow, leaving you with wonderful memories and a mess you decided to leave until morning.
Unfortunately for you, however, there were still some revelers you didn’t know about—pests looking for snacks and shelter from the elements.
Not on the Guest List
In the dead of winter—right around New Year’s—New England’s frigid temperatures push all sorts of vermin indoors; including mice, rats, ants, flies, spiders and cockroaches. All these critters will be more than happy to keep the party going long after you’ve gone to bed, especially with all the treats you left out for them to enjoy.
These pests and the wintertime infestations aren’t just an annoyance or embarrassment, either. Many of them pose legitimate risks to your health and your home. Rodents carry and can transmit diseases to humans; including hantavirus, Salmonella, rat-bite fever and, still to this day, plague. Not to mention, they’ll gnaw away on your house’s wiring and other infrastructure until you have to pay an electrician or remodeler to come in and fix all the damage they’ve done.
Flies and other insects spread all kinds of nasty bacteria around, like salmonella, E. coli and listeria; many spider species have poisonous bites, and cockroaches spread similar diseases to flies and can trigger allergic reactions in many people.
Have a Plan for Parties… and Pests
It’s far easier to take steps to keep pests out of your home than it is to try and get rid of them once inside. Holiday get-togethers are the perfect time to practice these techniques, since often parties and their aftermath are what cause the pest problem in the first place.
Start by not making the mistake of leaving messes—especially food messes—overnight, even if your plan is to clean up first thing in the morning. You want your home, and especially your kitchen, as clean and tidy as possible to prevent cockroaches and other bugs. Rodents love almost every category of leftover human food, including vegetables, grains and seeds, fruit, nuts, meat, and even pet food.
Almost just as important, standing water attracts ants and other pests, so make sure none of your toilets, sinks, tubs or spigots are leaking. Make sure any spills are quickly mopped up and all liquid containers, like soda bottles and drink mixers, stay sealed when not being used.
Regardless of how well you clean up after your guests this holiday season, it’s best to be proactive with pest control for ultimate peace of mind no matter the season.
Check out our Home Protection Plan for professional year-round pest protection.
