Pests rarely settle anywhere by chance. They look for spots that are warm, damp or dark, with food or a place to lay eggs nearby. If you know where those spots are, you catch an infestation early. These are the seven places to check first.
1. The sink drain
Fruit flies like to lay their eggs in the damp film of food residue and grease in the sink drain. Flush the drain regularly with hot water and scrub the plughole clean. More on where fruit flies lay their eggs.
2. The food caddy and the kitchen bin
The bag gets emptied, but the rim, the lid and the bottom often stay dirty. That residue attracts fruit flies and ants. Empty the food caddy more often in warm weather and wash the bin out once a month.
3. The soil of your houseplants
Potting soil that is too wet is where fungus gnats breed. The larvae live in the top few centimetres and are hard to see. Let the top layer dry out between waterings and catch the gnats with yellow sticky traps.
4. The food cupboard
Food moths come in with a bag of flour, rice or nuts and spread through open packets. Their caterpillars pupate in corners, joints and the holes for the shelf pins. Store dry food airtight and vacuum those cracks. More on the pantry moth life cycle.
5. Behind and under the fridge, cooker and dishwasher
Warm, dark and rarely cleaned, with crumbs and grease that end up there by themselves. Ants and, in the worst cases, cockroaches find food and shelter there. Pull the appliances out a few times a year and clean the floor and the back.
6. The bathroom
Silverfish live in cracks behind skirting boards, tiles and sealant, where it stays damp. They eat mould, skin flakes and hair and only come out in the dark. Ventilate after showering, fix leaks and seal open joints; below a humidity of about 50% they no longer feel at home. More on how to recognise and tackle silverfish.
7. The bedroom
Mosquitoes that bite at night rest during the day in dark, cool spots: behind curtains, under the bed, in a wardrobe or in a corner near the ceiling. They breed in standing water outside and come in through open windows in the evening. Window screens and a mosquito net keep them out. More on what attracts mosquitoes.
Pests do not choose their hiding place at random. Keep these seven spots clean, dry and well sealed, and the chance of an infestation drops considerably.
