Household clutter is an ideal breeding ground for those unwanted insect guests. Accumulated piles of items, untouched areas of storage, and debris offer perfect hiding places, breeding places, and food sources for pests of all kinds. When homes are cluttered, they also inadvertently attract other kinds of brier insects searching for shelter and sustenance.
Pest infestations occur in homes that are cluttered 25% more than in homes with proper organization. Keeping your living area clean is vital to pest prevention. If your home already has an insect problem due to clutter, contacting a professional might be your best option. Buffalo Grove Exterminator Services provides pest eradication but also shares tips on minimizing clutter to avoid future infestation. Getting to know the connection between clutter and insect attraction is the initial step to creating a pest-free home.
Why Cluttered Spaces Attract More Insects?
There are a few interrelated factors that make cluttered spaces the perfect habitat for insect populations to flourish. Clutter offers many hiding places in which insects can go undisturbed first. Piles of newspapers, cardboard boxes, and a heap of clothing all create dark, warm spots that many insects will naturally seek out for refuge.
Another element is accessibility to food. Messy kitchens can also have food residue in hard-to-reach areas. Researchers from Cornell University found that even small amounts of food waste in disorganized places can sustain large insect populations for weeks. Also, since fluids spilled in disorganized places can go undetected, water sources are an insect’s lifeline.
Mess makes it impossible to do a proper cleaning. A survey from the Cleaning Institute found that 78 percent of homeowners say they clean at clutter-free spots less often, so dust and organic matter build up. This dust is food for dust mites and small insects, which attract larger predatory insects.
In addition, clutter increases humidity levels in microclimates. Items piled against walls or boxed up trap moisture, creating humid conditions preferred by many insects. Cockroaches, for example, thrive in relative humidity levels higher than 50 percent, something cluttered areas frequently sustain.
And, of course, cluttered spaces are more difficult to watch, which can mean insect populations grow unchecked until they become an issue.
Tips to Declutter
Here are some of the tips you can implement to ensure your home is clutter-free and no pests come near.
Organize Your Kitchen
- Wash countertops every day and wipe down surfaces to eliminate food scraps
- Keep food in air-tight containers instead of original wrappers
- Use clear containers that seal tightly to organize pantry shelves
- Cut out appliances you don’t need that create difficult-to-clean spaces
Storage Area Management
- Replace cardboard boxes with plastic storage bins with secure-fitting lids.
- Use shelvings to keep stored items off the floor
- Regularly rotate stored items to break potential insect breeding grounds
- Storage tips for a mess-free home with box containers
Paper Control Strategies
- Put junk mail in the trash immediately:
- Take documents due soon and digitize them as much as possible
- Develop a filing system for important papers
- Create a recycling area for paper waste
Organize Your Closet
- Store seasonal clothing in vacuum-sealed bags
- Add extra shelves or organizers to avoid items being strewn across the floor
- Make a charitable donation of unused clothing items frequently
- Inspect dark corners occasionally for pest activity
Garage and Basement Tips
- Avoid placing items on concrete floors; use shelves to store items
- Hang tools and equipment on pegboards
- Plan quarterly cleanouts of these sometimes-neglected spaces
- Repair any moisture problems right away, as wet areas draw more bugs
Cleaning experts say that just 15 minutes of decluttering each day can decrease potential insect habitats by as much as 70 percent. Households that routinely declutter report 60% fewer pest problems overall. Finally, note that consistency beats marathon cleaning benders — small, daily acts to minimize clutter will eventually curate a less pest-friendly environment.
Next, if you see any signs of infestation, talk to a pest control expert immediately.
