Apartment living comes with a number of challenges, and the biggest is living in close quarters with many other people. While it’s nice to have your own four walls, those walls are thin. If you live next door to someone with a pest problem, it’s not unlikely for those pests to make their way to your place. While you can’t always control what others around you do, you can control your own apartment. Below we share our best tips for keeping pests out of your space.
Keep Your Kitchen Area Clean
Because you’re living in an apartment complex where food, water and places to hide are abundant, you have to assume that pests are nearby. Don’t add to the problem, keep your kitchen area as clean as possible by doing the following:
- Wash dishes and put them away
- Wipe down counters for crumbs and spills
- Rinse and dry sinks every night
- Empty toaster crumbs
- Wipe down appliances
- Take out the trash every day
- Sweep or vacuum to remove crumbs
Look For Moisture Problems
Apartments don’t always get a lot of maintenance, so it’s up to the tenants to watch for signs of trouble. Moisture is one of them. Pests need water to survive, so a simple leak can become a devastating breeding ground. If you notice a leaky faucet, leaking pipes or broken seals around doors and windows, let your landlord know right away. Landlords are expected to maintain livable conditions for their tenants and should come out and repair these issues.
Get Rid Of Clutter
Even though apartments tend to be small, the people who live in them are often in transition. Therefore, it’s not uncommon to have closets, cabinets and storage rooms filled with items that people aren’t ready to give up. However, it’s important to prevent a buildup of clutter because these piles give pests a place to hide. Here are the things we recommend doing:
- Throw away moving boxes
- Discard old books and papers
- Avoid putting things under your beds and couches
- Donate or sell unused items
Check Items Before Bringing Them Into Your Apartment
Apartment living is often temporary, so people don’t hesitate to get some light furniture and decor from second-hand stores, thrift shops and garage sales. Be careful about taking home used furniture and items, particularly fabrics that can’t be wiped down. Read this article for more tips on safely bringing home used furniture.
Keeping apartment buildings pest-free requires work from tenants and landlords. Hopefully, your landlord has a pest prevention plan in place. If not, suggest that they make one. Education is a powerful tool in keeping apartment complexes free from major pest infestations.