The holidays are on their way and with it will come all the parties, get-togethers and seasonal events that will have you busy in the kitchen. Before you start baking, prepping, and cooking for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and any other holiday you may celebrate, it’s time to do a deep clean in your kitchen. This will make everything look nice and clean for your guests, but it will also keep pests at bay.

We’re sure rodents and ants are the last guests you want at your holiday table! Here are some tips.

Start With the Pantry

After the busyness of back to school and fall festivities, your pantry and cupboards are probably in disarray. It’s time to take stock of what you have and what you will still need to pick up for your recipes. Take this time to also wipe everything down to prevent pests from joining you. Vacuum up all the crumbs, wipe up the spilled spices, and for Pete’s sake: make sure your sugar is securely sealed!

Full-blown infestations can happen in an instant in the insect and rodent world. Throw away expired items, and make sure all your baking ingredients, including flour and oats, are neatly stored in airtight containers. Take out the trash every night and don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink.

Store Holiday Decorations Properly

Kitchens and living rooms happen to be the two most common places where people decorate for the holidays. If you’re like most people, you store your decorations in boxes in the attic or basement. Before you take them down to your kitchen for decorating, inspect each item and throw away anything with evidence of water damage or mouse droppings. You don’t want to unwittingly unload decorations with insects in them, so be careful as you go through everything.

Ideally, you should be storing your seasonal décor in bins with tight fitting lids, not cardboard boxes that are barely held together. Mice will make a home in anything, including cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, fabric, and even pine cones. Silverfish thrive in nooks and crannies, and spiders will lay eggs and make webs in your stuff. So, be sure to store childhood artwork, handmade decorations, dolls, and ornaments in durable plastic containers with lids.

Seal Cracks and Crevices

If you can see light or feel drafts around your windows or doors, these are possible pest entry points for critters such as mice. You wouldn’t believe the tiny spaces they can squeeze through!

Use caulk and door sweeps to seal up those gaps, and inspect exterior doors, garage doors and windows. Insects and rodents tend to crawl from the ground up, so don’t forget about those window wells.

If you do come across any pests in your pre-holiday inspection, call a pest control company in Nashville to get the problem well under control by your holiday feasts.

PureGuard Pest Solutions in Nashville TN

Look no further than PureGuard in Nashville to solve your holiday pest problems. Just contact us today at 615-502-2855 for a free quote and inspection. Nashville to Clarksville, TN areas