Kitchens are often the room in the home where everyone gathers. Whether you like to have your friends over for a cup of tea and some cake, enjoy large family meals together, or simply find that the kitchen is your favorite room in the house – there is usually someone in there bustling about.

That being said, it is not only humans that love to meet in the kitchen. No, there are several pests that also want in on the action of this bustling spot, especially because it is usually the place with food. Perhaps not so different to humans after all!

No one wants pests in the kitchen. At best, they are tolerated by softies who do not have the heart to deter them when they are not causing too much of an issue. At worst, they are going through all of your food, chewing holes in the upholstery, masonry, and often a favorite – electrical wires. They will also be leaving feces and urine everywhere and encouraging their little friends to come and join in the party, which can pose a big health risk to humans.

Because of this, many people have to take action against the little critters to ensure that their home remains safe and secure.

This piece is going to take a look at how you can keep your kitchen pest free and ensure it is a safe gathering space!

Read on for some top tips!

Clean Up After Yourself

There is not much a rodent loves more than the odd couple of crumbs that have been dropped from your breakfast pastry or the fragments of pizza that have found their way onto the floor after last night’s dinner.
In fact, rodents such as mice do not need too much to live on at all! Just a couple of crumbs can sustain them for a whole day, which means that they will keep coming back for a full day’s worth of food without you even having to try.

Every time you eat, be sure to clear away properly. This includes plates and other utensils that have been used for cooking food, and also any crumbs or spillages that have taken place while eating. The last thing you want to do is open up an all-day buffet!

Keep Your Kitchen Patched Up and Secure

One of the easiest ways to make sure these pests do not enter your home in the first place is to make sure you have everything possible patched up. Mice, rats, and cockroaches can squeeze their way in through the tiniest of holes, which means it is up to you to be alert to where there may be a gap in the masonry.

Steel wool can be an excellent tool to create a temporary quick fix if you need to do something immediately. However, depending on how many pests you have loitering and how many entrances you have in your kitchen, you might want to consider a full remodel to ensure it is rare that something like this happens again.

It might be that remodeling your kitchen is more cost-effective than trying to repair all of the damage you find, and it will also ensure that it keeps them out next time they try to get their next meal!

Head over to nonpareilsolutions.co.uk to discuss a new kitchen remodel that will not only keep the little scamps out of your home but will also look incredible too. A win all round!

Keep Food in Airtight Containers

It can be very easy to leave bags of cereal, dog food, or other grains opened in their original packaging and find that a little critter has managed to make its way into it. It would not require much effort since rodents' teeth can chew through concrete, and cockroaches appear to be indestructible. There are also little pests that you want to keep an eye out for too to prevent food contamination. Fruit flies, lice, mites, and weevils can make their way into your food and appear when you least expect it.

Not many people want a mouthful of bugs with their cheerios in the morning or to find that their baking supplies are infested. The best way to prevent this from happening is to invest in airtight storage containers for packaging that are safe from having a hole chewed through them.

Get Rid of Trash and Run Your Garbage Disposal Regularly

It makes sense that you do not want to leave your trash bags hanging around, as this is just an invitation for pests and other animals to tuck in. Not only can this encourage a mess in your yard that you will have to clean up, but it can also tip off the little critters to keep coming back to see what is available. Outside pests are not the end of the world, but it will most likely not be too long until they work out that the good stuff is on the inside.

Your garbage disposal can also omit some whiffs of what promises to be tasty treats to pests as well. Their sensitive noses are designed for moments like this, so make sure you run it regularly and clear it out to help prevent odors that act like a siren that says, “Food here!”.

Not only this, but it will also make sure that your garbage disposal avoids blockages and other issues that can cause you to have to replace it.

Invest in Natural Repellents That Are Safe for the Kitchen

Certain herbs and natural scents can act as a deterrent to pests in the home but cause them no harm or interfere with your food. Bay leaves are an excellent option as they have a pungent smell that is not appetizing to many animals. You can also use garlic, onion, and sage for similar reasons, but be careful where you put it, as you might end up only tasting and smelling these in your cereal or pantry foods!