When it comes to New Year's Eve, there are some weird traditions around the world. Here in America, of course, there are costume parties, noise makers, the tradition of watching the ball drop in Times Square, singing Auld Lang Syne, and of course, the eating of food. Lots of food! In Ecuador, they burn scarecrows and photographs of things from the past year, and they eat food. Lots of food! In the Philippines, it is customary to wear things that are round; this represents coins and wealth and is a promise of prosperity in the year to come. There is also food. Lots of food! And, as you may have guessed, those foods have to be round.
In most cultures around the world, no matter what the unique traditions, they always include food in the festivities. From the tradition of eating twelve grapes, one at each ring of the midnight bell, in Spain, to wearing red underwear in South America, to smashing plates against your friend's front door in Denmark, all these countries also include eating to welcome in the New Year.
Where there is lots of feasting, there are bound to be lots of spills and crumbs. However, when it comes to New Year's food spills, Switzerland definitely takes the cake, or most specifically the ice cream. In this country, people celebrate by dropping ice cream on the floors the whole night! Sounds kind of crazy to us, but they love it. Nothing says, "Happy New Year," like slip sliding on a layer of ice cream.
Now, you might be wondering what any of this has to do with pest control. Well, it is simple really; where there are food spills and crumbs, there are bound to be pests! And, where there are pests, there are bound to be issues. In this blog, we will tell you a bunch of things you can do to make sure pests are kept outside, even if there is lots of feasting and spilling going on inside.
Twelve Great Pest Control Tips
- Clean gutters and divert water away from your home.
- Prune trees and bushes away from your house, at least several feet.
- Make sure there is no standing water near your home.
- Check to make sure your foundation vents are operating correctly for ventilation. Make sure any crawl space doors and windows are sealed tight.
- Do not stack firewood close to your foundation.
- Seal gaps and cracks in your foundation.
- Get rid of any standing water in flower pots, old tires, or anything else that collects water.
- Make sure all your garbage cans have tight fitting lids.
- Only put pet food down at mealtimes.
- Keep all stored food in the refrigerator or in tightly sealed containers.
- Thoroughly clean your kitchen. Pay close attention to hard-to-reach spots such as under the fridge, inside the toaster, and between the stove and counter where food matter tends to build up.
- And last but not least, clean up any crumbs or spills immediately--especially sugary, sticky things, and especially if you are from Switzerland and it is New Year's.
The Best Pest Control Tip of All
If you want to ring in the New Year right, why not make 2016 the year you start living pest free. Here at Parkway Pest Services, we have been in the business of making homes pest-free since 1932. That's a lot of New Years that we've seen come and go. Our PestGuard program includes over 30 common pests with unlimited service calls for $40 per month. Give us a call today, so you can drop all the food you want and not have to worry about pests in the New Year.
Happy New Year, Everyone! From all the staff here at Parkway Pest Services.