Having your family and close friends over for an evening of food, drinks, conversation, music, and games is a great way to entertain and it may provide for some of best times you’ll ever have. One thing we often don’t think about is “what do we do when they all leave?” When the party ends, you’re usually still wound up and possibly exhausted from all the activity. Unfortunately, now you must clean up.
Cleaning up your home after entertaining is a very important step and one you won’t want to overlook. Failing to do so can lead to a future pest infestation! Following these steps can help prevent any issues in your home:
Food Prep Area – Start here!
- One thing most all pests have in common is their relentless search for a quality food source. For a good number of common pests like ants, mice, roaches and others, they can be drawn to your home if there are crumbs of food or spills that go uncleaned and left behind for the critters and bugs to find.
- Clean the kitchen, your outdoor grill space, counter, and bar tops to ensure no food scraps, crumbs, or spills are left for potential pests to consume. Wipe down all surfaces, too.
- Put all the big scraps into a sealable trash bag. Paper plates, plastic-ware, and anything else you’re not saving should go in there as well.
- Wash all the dishes! Allowing dirty dishes to sit in the sink or the dishwasher is the same as leaving them out on the counter. If you put the dishes in the dishwasher, go ahead and run it. The sooner the better.
- Sweep, Swiffer®, mop, or vacuum the floors to get any fallen crumbs or spills there, too. Use whatever works best for your floors (hardwood, laminate, etc.) and the spills you’re dealing with.
- If you used the outdoor kitchen or grill, keep in mind the ants, flies, raccoons, and opossums that live out there. Spend some extra time looking for and cleaning up out there. Any food scrap that remains is an invitation to every pest in the area.
Restrooms
- Depending on the size of your group and the length of your party, you can bet that most of the people there used the restroom multiple times during their visit. You’ll want to inspect each of the bathrooms in your home and give them a quick clean.
- Clean up any water splashed out around the sink or even the floor. Many pests need a moist environment and they will be out looking for a good water source. You don’t want it to be your bathroom.
- Be sure to check the floor for food crumbs and the trash for any food scraps that your guests may have tossed in there. Those pests looking for water would love to have a snack while at it, I’m sure.
Other Areas of the House
- Be sure to scan the guest bedrooms, living areas, hallways, and entryways in case a plate was left behind or a spill went unnoticed. Maybe even unreported…
- Not so much this time of year, but when weather allows, almost all our family and friend gatherings are held outside, so check the patio and around your lawn for leftover drink cups, plates and food scraps. This is always on my list of afterparty cleanup tasks.
No matter how you entertain, I’m sure that you want your house to be clean before everyone gets there. Just keep in mind the cleaning up afterwards is crucial to avoiding a potential pest invasion.
Of course, if you happen to ever discover pests in or around your home, calling Atkins is always a good first choice. We’re here to help. It’s what we do!
A Columbia native, Shaun Henry found a home at Atkins in 2000 when he started his career as a turf technician. Shaun holds a commercial applicator’s license through the Missouri Department of Agriculture and is a member of the National Association of Landscape Professionals, the Mid-America Green Industry Council, and the Missouri Green Industry Alliance. Shaun strongly believes in the importance of a great customer experience where the Atkins staff knows their clients and anticipates
their needs accordingly. Shaun is an MU alumnus and has a degree in plant science.
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