In this article, we’ll preview the seven most common kitchen care mistakes that lead to insect infestations.
One day, you have two gnats flying around your fruit bowl. The next day, there’s a full population in your kitchen, and you don’t know where they’re coming from!
Well, the reason these gnats are there is probably something you did unknowingly. It can be a forgotten rotten fruit in your bowl or a rotten plant that you don’t want to throw out.
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The 7 Most Common Kitchen Care Mistakes
Although the reason for the insect infestation may not be something you did, you’re probably helping it increase by something you’re doing. Being aware of these kitchen care mistakes will prevent you from doing them later on. And hopefully, the insect infestation won’t return!
Kitchen Care Mistakes – Mistake 1: Leaving Your Dishes in the Sink
What’s the worst thing that can happen when you leave your dishes in the sink? Well, aside from having to wash them later on, you may be exposed to a gnat infestation. And contrary to common belief, they’re not drain gnats. Drain gnats usually appear around empty sinks because dishes will block their exit.
However, fruit flies and gnats get attracted to the leftover food in the dishes. So, it’s better to wash all your pots, pans, and plates once you finish your meal. Or else, they’ll keep coming, increasing the infestation in your kitchen.
Mistake 2: Spraying Ants
What’s the first thing you do when you see a trail of ants coming out of your pantry? You grab the insecticide lying around, and you spray the life out of them. I’m telling you, you probably made the problem even worse.
You likely don’t know this, but only 10% of the ants’ colony get outside for food. That means the ants you just killed are nothing compared to the actual number inside. Whatever their source is, there are probably hundreds of ants, and some of them will be back for food in a few days.
The best thing you can do is to use indoor baits and traps. When the ants carry the food back to the colony, the trick will get rid of them.
Mistake 3: Mixing Between Insects
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This is a mistake we all make. You see a couple of cockroaches in your kitchen, you spray them with whatever pesticide you have, and you think they’re gone. Well, I’m here to tell you that they’re not. Unless you see their source and deal with it, they’ll keep coming. Plus, the wrong pesticide may not even kill them.
You’ll need to identify the type of insects you’re dealing with. With spiders and cockroaches, it’s easy enough. However, we can’t say the same about gnats and bugs. There are fruit flies and drain gnats, and they look exactly the same with a few differences. There are also eye gnats, which you won’t like being present in your house.
So, when you see an insect infestation in your kitchen, firstly identify its type, then deal with its source. If you need, seal all the gaps around your windows, seams, and doors. You can also lay some traps to get rid of the insects.
Mistake 4:Storing in Cardboard Boxes
Many people use cardboard boxes for storage, but these boxes have more disadvantages than benefits. They’re only good for delivery, but they’re corrugated. They can easily attract all kinds of insects to live inside, including ants, gnats, and cockroaches.
It doesn’t stop here. These insects breed inside the boxes, leaving their tiny invisible eggs in the grooves of the cardboard. When these eggs hatch, you find yourself facing a whole insect infestation.
The best thing to do with cardboard boxes is to recycle them once you get them at your door. Storing them in your kitchen will end up in populations of insects living inside. If you have gnats in your pantry, there’s a high chance a cardboard box is the reason.
Mistake 5: Placing Your Traps Incorrectly
Placing your insect trap in the wrong place and waiting for it to work will get you nowhere. Bear in mind that the insects won’t go to the trap by themselves; you’ll have to bring it to them if you want to lure them away. You’ll want to place it according to two factors, the location and the time of the day.
For example, there won’t be insects in the middle of the room. They’ll be closer to the windows and doors. In the kitchen, they’ll either be around the sink, the windows, or in any grooves in the walls. They may also be in the pantry, which is their favorite place in the house. There’s one less common place they may be, which is behind the fridge.
Placing the trap on the counter will hardly catch anything. Putting it in any of the previously mentioned places will ensure you catch a good amount of them.
Furthermore, there’s one thing you should keep in mind. When the trap catches some insects, don’t remove it immediately. Instead, wait until the young insects get caught too. These usually wait till the mature ones bring them food, so they won’t see the trap until later.
Leave the trap out for a week or more, so the infestation goes away.
Mistake 6: Waiting Till the Infestation Goes Away
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Most people are convinced that an insect infestation will go away if you wait long enough. Well, sorry to tell you this, but it won’t. Unless you treat the source of the infestation, the insects will just keep coming. They may decrease in numbers, but they won’t completely dry out, especially if they laid eggs.
There’s also a common misbelief that the bugs will leave your house alone when the weather gets cold. Not all of them will. This may be true about ants, for example, but the gnats will stay where they are.
At the first sign of an insect or a gnat infestation, treat the source and take care of your kitchen. If you can’t solve the problem on your own, you can always seek professional help. Just don’t leave the insects to eat away in your kitchen.
Mistake 7: Leaving Your Kitchen Uncleaned
Insects love messy kitchens. Sinks full of dishes are their favorite place to be, and the crumbs on your counters help them stick around. Sweeping the crumbs every day and taking the trash out will leave them with nothing to look forward to. Plus, vacuuming regularly and keeping your kitchen empty of dust will prevent new insects from coming.
You should also avoid leaving food uncovered. It’s their favorite thing ever, especially if it’s a fruit bowl with a couple of rotten apples inside.
Kitchen Care Mistakes that Lead to Insect Infestations – Final Thoughts
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So, maybe you’re not the reason for the insect infestation in your kitchen. But there’s a high chance you’re doing something that’s keeping it going. The key to dealing with bugs is to kill them whenever you see them.
Don’t wait it out, and don’t let them keep their favorite places. Clean out your pantry regularly and avoid leaving food outside. Hopefully, the gnats will leave you alone!
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