Summer is the time of open windows, ripe fruit on the counter and barbecues in the garden. It's also the time when pests make their entrance. Warmth speeds up insect reproduction, ripe fruit ferments faster and open windows and doors provide easy access. With a few smart habits you can keep your home pest-free all summer long.
Store fruit in the fridge
Once fruit is ripe, it belongs in the fridge. Leaving it on the counter is the quickest way to attract fruit flies. Bananas are the exception: better kept outside the fridge, but in a closed fruit bowl or under a cover.
Clear away food scraps immediately
After cooking and eating, one rule applies: clear up straight away. Don't leave plates with leftovers, dry up spills immediately and put leftover food in sealed containers in the fridge. The less food available, the less attractive your kitchen is to pests.
Keep bins closed and clean
In summer, waste decomposes faster. Make sure your bin has a well-fitting lid and take out the rubbish more often. Wash the inside regularly and use a biological cleaner if needed to neutralise odours.
Check windows and doors
Open windows without fly screens are an open invitation for mosquitoes, wasps and flies. Invest in good fly screens or insect curtains. Also check the sealing around windows and doors for cracks and gaps.
Watch out for standing water
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Empty plant pot saucers, buckets, garden fountains and even a half-filled watering can can become breeding sites. Empty or refresh standing water at least once a week.
Keep your garden and terrace clean
Fallen fruit, compost and wet leaf piles in the garden attract pests that then find their way indoors. Clear up fallen fruit immediately, cover your compost bin well and keep the area around your home tidy.
Use preventive traps
You don't need to wait until you have an infestation. Fruit fly traps, food moth traps and fungus gnat traps can be used year-round as an early warning system. They catch the first specimens before a population has the chance to grow.
Pests in summer are not an inevitable fate. With the right habits and a little prevention, you'll keep your home clean and pest-free all summer long.