How to Keep Pests Away from the Kitchen

Chances are, you’ve seen it before. A resident lets dirty dishes or smelly trash pile up for way too long, and suddenly, there’s a pest crisis on the premises.

But let’s be real. Residents don’t bear the costs for inviting pests in—you do. That means there are a lot of opportunities for you to be left on the hook for thousands of dollars in treatment and clean-up.

Pest prevention in multi-family residences is a shared responsibility. One compromised kitchen is all it takes for an introduction to become a full infestation. And what’s more, this transition can happen astonishingly quickly, with bugs or rats taking up residence and multiplying before you even know they’ve arrived.

That’s why it’s important to educate residents on how to prevent these unwanted visitors early and often, before you end up with a major problem. If left unchecked, you could have multiple units brimming with ants, house flies, rodents, cockroaches and other crawling critters—none of which are pleasant roommates.

Prevention Tips

To help prevent regular calls and complaints, encourage your residents to stop pest activity in the first place. Share these simple steps for reducing pest “hot spots”:

1. Put Food Away and Clean Dirty Dishes: Even food that has been sitting out for just a few hours can attract pests.
2. Wipe Down Counters and Surface Areas: Clean these areas daily.
3. Clean Any Spills Immediately: Even if it’s just water.
4. Line All Trash Cans and Remove Trash Regularly: What is trash to us could be a gourmet meal to a pest!
5. Clean Refrigerators Weekly: Dispose of old food.
6. Keep Non-Perishables Tightly Sealed: Especially sugar, flour, and other items that may not close well in their original packaging.
7. Regularly Vacuum or Sweep: Clean the spaces next to refrigerators and in any cracks and crevices to clean crumbs that may attract pests. Vacuuming can also eliminate pest allergens and even pests themselves.

Residents who follow these simple steps can help make your building a safer and healthier place to live for everyone. Plus, each of these actions only takes a few extra minutes during their day. It’s a small price to pay compared to dealing with a swarm of pesky intruders.

Want more details about how to keep your residents in the know? Download “7 Ways to Keep Pests Out of the Kitchen” to learn more kitchen-specific pest prevention in multi-family units.