Every household across the country will strive to keep the kitchen free from common pests. This is however extremely difficult and no matter how hard you try there will always be some unwanted visitor that makes its way into the kitchen. So, what are the common pests you should keep a lookout for? As with all pest problems, if you know what to look for and the common signs, then you may be able to prevent a full-blown infestation.

Housekeeping

Cleaning is the main activity that you can do to keep your kitchen free from pests. Insects and rodents will always be very interested in food and food sources to maintain their survival. In a lot of cases, it’s the quantity of food source that will temper the speed of the infestation. When we talk about food sources we are not talking about a dinner on the side or a biscuit on a tea plate, it can literally be some crumbs under the toaster.

Keeping a clean and tidy kitchen will mean you are less susceptible to having pest problems. A lot of insects can smell a food source from a long distance and be attracted to it. Just by doing the basics such as wiping surfaces with antibac wipes, cleaning the floors, emptying bins, and washing up will have an immediate effect. A good habit to get into is to wipe up any spillages before they get forgotten.

Rats and Mice

Rodents normally break into a property to get out of the cold. Once they are in, one of the first things they will do is look for possible food sources. The kitchen will always create food smells just from the very nature that that’s where the food is. Rodents have a fantastic sense of smell so when they are on the move, they will no doubt pick up on underlying food smells. They use the pipes, cable and wires to get round the property and they will always find easy access to the kitchen as you don’t know what is happening behind the units.

The obvious signs of rats and mice in the kitchen are droppings. A mouse can drop up to 80 times a day and a rat about 40 there for that will soon leave a clue for you. Then other signs such as smells, nibbling of packets, to the extreme of seeing them run about.

Flies

Flies are a common problem in a kitchen, and it is very common to find them in your kitchen. They love a nice full rubbish bin as it gives them the perfect place to lay their eggs. Before you know it, maggots will be getting everywhere. By regularly emptying the bin and cleaning it if there are any spillages from the bag will stop fly infestations breaking out. If you have lots of flies in the kitchen you may want to investigate if you are attracting them in or the start of an infestation.

Ants

Ants are a common visitor to a kitchen on their search for carbohydrates and sugars. This is to feed their colony. Once the scouts find a good food source, they communicate to the rest to follow them. They then form a long convoy moving the food back to the nest. They will travel a long distance if they find a good source of food. By removing their food source and cleaning, it should reduce activity and have an immediate effect. If there is still activity after this, then gel baits and ant powder is an option that you can consider.

Silverfish

Silverfish are scavengers but they are on the hunt for a different food source. They like damp and mould which is why they are often found in the kitchen. Generally, it will be around the sink area as that’s where the hot and cold water is and possible water leak. If you find you have silverfish in your kitchen, then we suggest you investigate it further as you may have a leak or damp issue present.

Cockroaches

The two main species of cockroach in the UK are German and Oriental. Oriental are drain dwellers and poor climbers. Germans climb with ease and like heat, so hang round electrical items such as kettles, microwaves, and fridges. They come out at night in search of food. If you find a cockroach, we strongly recommend you get a professional to help eradicate this pest as soon as possible as an infestation can grow quickly. This is due to the high numbers of young that hatch at one time. There are other species of cockroach in the UK.

Stored Product Pests

Stored product pests covers a wide range of pests found in the kitchen living amongst store products such as flour and wheat. They get into cooking products or similar and then bread. Because the food source is plentiful, you may not realise you have a problem until it is getting out of control. By containerising your packet foods into tupperware could reduce the chances of getting an outbreak. Stored product pests can get into the product at the point of packaging which can be common and then infest other products when in your kitchen cupboard.

These pests can range in size but commonly the weevils and beetles’ range in the 3mm to 7mm size so identifiable by eye. Some are a lot smaller. If you find you have an issue, we recommend you chuck away all contaminated product and containerise the remaining items. Then clean up with a detergent spray and cloth. Ensure all contaminated products go in an outside bin so there is no chance of reinfestation.

The best way to keep your kitchen free from the common pests covered above is to ensure you clean regularly and be thorough. This will reduce the chance of an infestation outbreak and will ensure you don’t encourage anything in. If there is no food source, they will go elsewhere in their quest to find food, leaving you with a pest free kitchen. If you’ve tried solving the problem yourself and are still faced with a pest infestation, a professional pest control company is your best option. They will be able to provide expert advice and resolve the issue if needed.