Summary: Since Thanksgiving is a food-filled day, it’s easy to see why pests want to invade our homes this holiday week! This blog details 12 tasks that will keep a tidy home and prevent pests from taking over. The tasks are divided into 3 sections: before, during, and after Thanksgiving Day. Romney Pest Control provides thorough inspections and efficient treatments that target Texas pests.
It’s finally Thanksgiving week, and there’s still plenty to do before the finished dishes are placed on the dinner table. Ingredients have to be purchased, dishes have to be washed, bedrooms have to be cleaned so your eccentric cousins have a place to sleep, and so on. The key to success with this holiday is preparation in every department.
If you’re hosting the big dinner this year, you likely have your to-do list at the ready (if not, we suggest making one now). One area that might be lacking on this list is pest prevention. Pests never take a holiday, so it’s important to stay one step ahead of these pests at all times. We’re dishing on our best prevention tips for before, during, and after Thanksgiving dinner, so let’s dive in!
Before Thanksgiving
There is no such thing as being “too prepared” for Thanksgiving, in our experience. The precursory days and weeks are spent on the smaller tasks that don’t have to be done on the big day. These duties are not only important for your gig as host, they’re also great ways to get ahead of any pests that might be trying to sneak into your inviting home.
Inspect Food Packages
This is a good habit to have every time you go grocery shopping, but we wanted to emphasize it as we near the most food-centric holiday in America. As you grab each item on your list, give it a quick check to make sure there aren’t any holes, rips, leaks, eggs, droppings, or bugs. Small pests can sneak inside flimsy or opened containers, so you want to make sure that the ingredients you’re purchasing are free of hungry pests.
Store All Ingredients Properly
Whether you’re cooking the whole meal yourself (kudos to you!) or you’re hosting a potluck, there’s probably a lot of food items taking up space in your kitchen. Pantry pests can easily chew through flimsy packaging and hide within the food, so we recommend storing it all properly. Keep all ingredients sealed and off the ground before you need them. If you notice any signs of pantry pests, throw out the item and replace it with a fresh one. Keeping dried goods in the fridge is a great way to protect them from pests!
Do Yard Work Beforehand
It may not sound like this has anything to do with the holiday, but it’s a good idea to keep a tidy yard. Trim tree branches, bushes, and plants back from the house to eliminate pest pathways. Rake up and dispose of the leaves before they become a hiding spot for spiders and rodents. If it rained recently, empty all yard items of rainwater to remove water sources for pests. A clean yard often results in a pest-free yard, for the most part. Plus, the family football game is a lot more fun when there’s not a bunch of leaf litter in the way!
Seal Cracks in House
Pests don’t typically waltz through the front door when they invade, so it’s important to fortify the house against invasive species. Check the exterior for any cracks or gaps that are the result of age, bad weather, or both. Seal small cracks with waterproof caulk, and fill larger holes with steel wool or copper mesh before lining with caulk. Also, check the doors and windows for any torn screens or warped weather seals that need to be replaced.
On Thanksgiving
Now that you’ve done all of your prep work and Thanksgiving Day is here, it’s time to buckle down for the big meal. Your focus is (understandably) on the delicious food and cozy table setup, but it’s still important to prevent pests from inviting themselves to your feast. You have enough to do without worrying about a bunch of extra chores, so this section is more about the little details than the big tasks. After all, the pests are in the details!
Keep Doors Closed
Depending on the weather, your guests might be dividing their time between the backyard and the house. It’s redundant, but make sure to always keep the doors closed in between people entering and exiting the house. Roaches, flies, and spiders easily sneak through cracked doors, especially when they have the motivation of a food-filled shelter on the other side! If you notice a few flies buzzing around the kitchen, you can create a game for the younger kids by having them squash the contaminated pests.
Cover & Contain The Food
Everyone’s Thanksgiving setting is different depending on the home’s layout and the number of guests. Whether your dinner is served in a buffet line or a slow hand-off around the table, keep all food contained to the kitchen and dining areas. When food is in the back areas of the home, it’s tougher to find the crumbs before pests do. Keep all dishes covered in between servings — this also helps keep them fresh — and in their designated dining area.
Clean Crumbs And Spills
Speaking of crumbs, it’s best to clean up major spills when they happen, rather than let them sit. You don’t have to disrupt your day by picking up every single crumb, but an accidental drink spill or plate drop takes precedent. Ants, roaches, rodents, and flies all have keen senses of smell that lead them straight to a forgotten food source. Use your cleaner of choice to remove food spills before they set into the carpet or rug, and plan to do a thorough cleaning of the dining areas (more on this later).
Take Care Of The Trash
Pests love the same food that we do, but they find it even better when it’s left in the trash to ferment (gross!). Flies, ants, gnats, and rodents all enjoy food that sits out for too long, and a full trash can is their paradise. Take out the trash as soon as it’s full, and keep the lid (if there is one) closed when it’s not being used. Food remnants that don’t make it into the can are easy targets, so make sure any little ones have help with scraping their plates clean.
After Thanksgiving
The meal has come to an end, the guests are stuffed full of comfort food, and everyone is leaving with Tupperware containers packed with leftovers. Now what? Well, now’s the time for cleaning and putting everything back together. These tasks are all about keeping pests away by eliminating any attractive food sources. We suggest doing these immediately, but if you need a day of recovery before you dive into the deep cleaning, we completely understand.
Store All Leftovers
The leftovers are some people’s favorite part of Thanksgiving — the turkey sandwiches are tough to beat — but it’s all for nothing if some hungry pests find the food first. The great thing about leftover Thanksgiving food is that it all needs to be refrigerated, so you’re good to go once you put all of the containers in the fridge. Use secure containers with good lids to keep everything fresh, and make sure that no food is left on the counter overnight.
Check For Leftover Dishes
Despite your best efforts to keep the food contained to certain areas, you might find a crumb-filled plate or two in other areas of the home. After everyone leaves, we suggest going through the house and looking for any discarded plates, cups, mugs, and napkins. Make sure all dirty dishes get into the kitchen and any trash is thrown out. Also, shaking out the tablecloth outside is an easy way to remove crumbs before throwing it in the laundry basket.
Deep Clean The Kitchen
This room will feel like a mountain of chores waiting to be completed, so take a deep breath and do it one step at a time. Your goal is a tidy, sanitized kitchen, so do whatever chores will get you to that point. Some are best done on Thanksgiving night, while others can wait until tomorrow.
Our recommended chores post-Thanksgiving are:
- Seal and store all leftover ingredients
- Sanitize the counters
- Clean the stovetop
- Wash delicate dishes by hand
- Load and run the dishwasher
- Throw used towels in the dirty laundry basket
- Wipe up all crumbs and spills
- Mop/sweep the floor
- Take out the trash
Clean The House
The tasks in this category might feel more possible over the weekend, so just make sure to clean the rooms that were used by your guests at some point. Some pests (like carpet beetles) are too small to see at first glance, so cleaning is an easy way to remove hidden threats. One of the most important chores is cleaning the floors, especially if everyone left their shoes on. If you had any overnight guests, wash the towels and bedding.
Remember: pests are not a sign of a dirty house, so don’t panic. Bed bugs are expert hitchhikers that thrive in the holiday season, thanks to all of the travel. If you’re worried about bed bugs, dry all of the used towels and bedding in high heat and thoroughly vacuum the house. If you think you have an infestation, calling professional pest control is your next step.
Rescue Your Thanksgiving With Romney
These tips are specifically for Thanksgiving hosts, but pest prevention is essential regardless of whether or not you’re cooking the celebratory meal. Pests are desperate for shelter now that the weather is cooler, so it’s important to block them out with the help of Romney Pest Control. Our licensed technicians know the usual hiding spots of Texas pests, and our thorough inspections get to the root of your pests issues ASAP. We provide long-term solutions — not temporary fixes — for every pest issue that arises. Contact us to learn more about our effective treatments that ensure your only Thanksgiving guests are the people sitting around your table!
Citations
Noll, M. (2024, November 6). Our stress-free guide to hosting Thanksgiving, from planning to meal prep. Real Simple. Available at https://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/thanksgiving/first-thanksgiving (Accessed on November 11, 2024).
