The common idea about pests is people do not have to worry about any of them until winter. Granted, most pests would look for a shelter to live in during the cold weather. Pests such as cockroaches, ants, termites, mice, and rats are called winter pests because they are unlikely to survive the cold.
However, in North Carolina, we should not disregard the ever-growing need for local pest prevention expert in North Carolina even in the summer. Although they might not infest as much as they do during the winter, there are factors that can aggravate the occurrence of the situation. For instance, when the homeowners neglect to maintain a clean and tidy environment, there is a huge possibility that pest infestation could worsen.
There are also instances when pests have already established a secure habitat right under the homeowner’s nose, increasing the population of pests inside or outside the house. These are the reasons why it is important to maintain a clean environment at all times.
In this article, I will be introducing to you a daily schedule for a tidy and pest-free home. There are several reasons why people neglect to maintain a clean home. Sometimes, because of their busy schedules, they take their homes for granted. Others even disregard making their bed in the morning because of the idea that they will get ruined by night. There are some who only clean their houses once a week, or once in two weeks.
At first, it might seem okay. But do not wait until it is too late. Well, there is a rational explanation as to why homeowners neglect their responsibilities. But they could never understand the consequences of not being able to maintain a clean environment. Dirt and garbage alone can cause illness to human beings. It weakens the immune system and it posits a greater possibility to acquire diseases. If these attract pests, it is a greater reason to be worried about your health as a family. Especially when you have newborns, infants, and toddlers at home, you would not want to take health for granted. This can save your children’s lives, and yours too.
Observe Cleanliness At All Times Using These Common Chores
Actually, with the right schedule, it does not have to take so much time to clean the house. As long as you have commitment and responsibility, you can maintain a clean and tidy environment with the strength of character.
Before I introduce you to a schedule, let us first discuss the importance of the most basic chores at home:
Making Your Bed In The Morning
This may sound like a cliché to most people. But you would be surprised about knowing the number of people who do not fix their beds when they wake up. Granted, I was one of them a few years back, but I had to learn it the hard way.
This is the first and most important responsibility of the day, and it does not take as much as 5 minutes. Had I known it beforehand, I would have saved myself the humiliation of having the worst pest encounters of my life. When I was in college, I was very negligent to my health and hygiene. I was always haggard because of my requirements. During my free time, I would be in the bar, shops, or arcades playing my eyes out just to get some stress off my back. I did not even open my windows in the morning. Much less fix my bed. I was going to sleep on it the next night. So, why bother?
As I was sleeping soundly, I noticed a slight itch on my neck. Of course, I did not bother enough to wake up and check on it. It was probably just an ant or a loose fiber. I ignored it until I felt it move right across my nape and to my ears. I was too tired to even give a second thought. So, I kept sleeping. Until a pang of pain seared through my ears like wildfire. It was so painful, I jumped right out of bed, calling my mom for help at two in the morning
I asked her to get the flashlight and use it to inspect my ears. To my disgust, there was a tiny cockroach in there! I jumped, squabbled, and shouted my lungs out. But still, there was no improvement. I was still in pain and I knew I had to go to the doctor the next day. Guess how many points I missed in my biology class!
Fixing the bed might be very basic to do, but only a few manage to do it every morning. If you do not want to suffer the same fate as I did, you better check your sheets daily. It starts by making your bed.
Was Your Dishes
The second chore you must always do is wash the dishes, especially at night. We have discussed in several articles that cockroaches and other pests are attracted to moisture and leftovers. When they smell the aroma of food on the sink, it attracts all kinds of pests, including flies, mice, and many more. It pays off to wash the dishes every after meals. It can help you prevent the infestation of pests at home.
Clean As You Go
“Let me grab a quick sandwich from the table and come right back.” This is probably one of the most common sentences I have heard over the years. It could also be other foods like chips, crackers, or even beverages. Every time you have the urge to leave tables, chairs, and compartments untidy, push yourself to clean it before you go. Whenever you spill something, or you mess up a place, do not settle on the word “Later.”
You have no idea how much pests can move at a hungry rate. Did you know that pests their own communication system? When one finds something to eat, it calls for his companions for a feast. Pretty soon, they will be enjoying a boodle fight on your very own table. Afterward, they will all be brooding in a crevice or an unused compartment somewhere, reproducing, and attracting more of their kind.
Sweep Your Floors
The fourth most important chore is sweeping the floors. Do this regularly and make sure you do not disregard the far and unused areas of your home. You never know what kind of eggs you will be swept off of your house. Although this does not get rid of existing pests inside your home, it helps ward off other potential threats to your safety.
Do Your Laundry
The last chore is to wash your clothes regularly. Avoid scheduling your wash once a week. To save time, you can hand wash some of your clothes one day after the other to avoid accumulating dirty clothes in your room or laundry area.
Cleaning Schedule Towards A Pest-Free Home
Now that we have been made aware of the importance of common chores, let us get you a schedule to fit everything in despite your busy load. There are seven days in a week. And in those days, you need to maintain a consistent schedule that will maintain the cleanliness of your home in a way it does not compromise work or school.
However, never forget to observe the aforementioned chores. They are implied in the schedule I am going to introduce below:
- SUNDAY – Since most of us have our day offs during this day, I want you to start the week by conducting a general check-up of your home. This includes checking all the compartment areas, floors, ceilings, walls – everything from the exterior to the interior portions of your home. From your observations, list down everything that needs to be done for cleanliness and safety from pests. This could take around an hour or two. And then, you can take the rest of your time off.
- MONDAY – For this day, the activity is to fix your things and put them in order. Get an unused box and go around your house. Everything that does not belong to certain compartments must be put in the box and then rearranged afterward.
- TUESDAY – During Tuesdays, focus on the ceilings. Remove unnecessary dirt from it. This includes dust, cobwebs, and many more.
- WEDNESDAY – For this day, remove the dust from ever compartment using a duster or a wet cloth. Whatever you use is up to you, as long as you remove the dust from your belongings.
- THURSDAY – I want you to do a complete sweep or vacuum all over the floor. This includes moving some stuff around such as cabinets and sofa beds, just to reach every part of the floor. This will take you about 15 to 1 hour, depending on the area of your floor
- FRIDAY – For this day, check on your clothes compartments and check the tidiness of your clothes. If you have unfolded laundry, this could be the best time to do it to relax.
- SATURDAY – For this last day, focus on your activity outdoors. If you have a garden, take the time to check on your plants and your soil. Trim the grasses if possible or use pesticides or other DIY treatments for lawn pest control.
It does not really matter what time of day you decide to do all these things. What matters is that you do. Cleaning does not take much effort. It only needs patience, will, and control. If you really want to maintain a clean and healthy environment for your family, you would want to do these things and more. Remember, invest in safety because it is the most important form of wealth.