Thanksgiving is a day when the family gets together to watch football, eat a lot of turkey and perhaps plan for Black Friday shopping. While you may enjoy having your relatives and friends over to share in the day’s festivities, there may some uninvited guests that you don’t want at the dinner table. How can you make sure that this year’s Thanksgiving stays free from pests?
Make Sure That Food Is Stored Properly
The first step that you need to take is to make sure that your food is stored properly before, during and after it is cooked. Mice like to get into cupboards while ants will look for any signs of sugar that they can find. This means that you should keep your turkey in the freezer, the condiments sealed tight and any bag or dough containers should be emptied fully into an airtight container if you are not going to use the whole thing in one sitting.
Don’t Let Your Leftovers Sit Out Unattended
You should make sure that the plates are free from scraps and that any leftover bones or pieces of meat are put in the trash or compacted in the garbage disposal. Dishes should be washed and the trash should be taken out as soon as dinner is over. This will remove the chance that insects or rodents will pick up on a free source of food and go in for a nice meal of their own.
Clean Out the Fridge Once the Leftovers Are Mostly Gone
While having leftovers is one of the joys of Thanksgiving, make sure that you dispose of them within a few days of the big meal. Keeping potatoes or stuffing in the refrigerator for longer than that will make it more likely that the food will start to rot and grow mold and mildew. Furthermore, the strong smell may attract a variety of pests that can make your kitchen and the rest of your home unsanitary to live in.
Ask Friends or Family Members to Take Food Home With Them
The easiest way to get rid of food during Thanksgiving is to have your guests take home some food with them. This reduces the amount of apple pie, turkey and gravy that you have to contend with in your home. Better yet, have guests bring their own meals and have them take home the leftovers when the gathering ends. There is a good chance that there are some teenage relatives who had to work or others who would love to eat whatever you didn’t get a chance to finish during that family dinner.
Mop the Floors and Vacuum the Carpet and Couch
One of the best ways to dissuade pests from entering your home is to make sure that the floors are mopped and the carpets are vacuumed. This will get rid of excess sugar that may make the floor sticky or any crumbs that you may have left behind during any pre-meal snacks. Getting crumbs out of the couch cushions is imperative as this is a prime spot from many insects and even mice to snack if there is food available.
Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate your blessings and the bounty of food available. However, you don’t want to offer unwanted pests to enjoy your bounty as well. Therefore, make sure you are keeping food properly stored and keeping sugar and crumbs to a minimum if you want to avoid an infestation this holiday season.
