If cleanliness is the key, then what is the key to cleanliness? That's an age old question....
I have heard a number of my Apartmentite friends complain about the bugs in their apartments and not seem to understand why these creatures hang around their place. Is it their charm? Their good looks? or are they messy apartment keepers and they don't even realize it?
Hey, we are talking bugs here and while most of my Apartmentite friends are cool to hang out with, I don't know if the bugs think they are either charming nor good looking. So with those options, I think we have to go for choice "C," they're messy and don't even know it.
If you feel like you are doing everything right, but continue seeing bugs and such...maybe it's time to re-evaluate the situation. Maybe it's time to really get things in your apartment clean and keep them that way.
First, make sure that your apartment manager is aware that you need a visit from the exterminator. Then follow these tips for keeping things clean.
Dishes- Start with the kitchen sink. Dishes left in the sink for ANY period of time attracts bugs. It doesn't matter if you wash them 5 minutes later or 5 days later...you are going to catch the attention of bugs. Plus, if you have a roommate, nothing may aggravate them more than your dirty dishes being left for later. The easiest solution to this is to pick up a soap dispensing scrub tool from you grocery store and AS SOON as you finish eating, cooking, or dirtying a dish...CLEAN IT! Don't leave your cereal bowl in the sink all day even if you think you rinsed it well. Take the extra one minute to scrub and put on the rack to dry.
If you are using your dishwasher, rinse the dishes well in the sink before sticking them on the dishwasher's rack!
And always...ALWAYS...be sure to run the disposal to rid of any old food in the sink.
Handle The Trash- We've mentioned this a number of times before. When your trash is full...take it to the dumpster. Absolutely do not delay. Don't just tie it up and save it to take in the morning...because it does what????? ATTRACTS BUGS....and not to mention is really, really gross. Just throw on some house shoes and take the 3 minutes it takes to take it to the dumpster.
Dust- Dust...is your old skin cells. Plain and simple. Do you want that lining your shelves, TV, and tables. I think not. Be sure to dust everything off every few weeks. KEEP YOUR STUFF SHINY! Be proud!
Toilet- Don't ignore the toilet...or the trash can next to it. Be sure to empty the bathroom trashcan quite often and clean the toilet even more often. Just give it a quick wipe down with a wet piece of toilet paper every few days, or better yet, buy some handy wipes to keep ready for the wipe downs. It doesn't matter how you do it, just keep the toilet clean. Same goes for the bathroom sink...toothpaste and soap scum both attract the attention of silverfish and roaches....Keep the bathroom clean.
Clutter and Clothes- DON'T LET DIRTY CLOTHES PILE ON YOUR CLOSET FLOOR INTO A LITTLE MOUNTAIN. This is a haven for bugs to live and breed. Instead, get a dirty clothes hamper and when it gets full, take a break from your rock-star lifestyle and wash the clothes. Simple as that.
You should also keep the rest of your house clutter free in general. This is a good practice to keep away the vermin.
Open Bags of Food- This could be candy, chips, bread....whatever it may be...you want to make sure that you seal any type of food bag up when there is food left in it and you want to save it for later. An open bag is an open invitation for a roach fiesta. I normally store my bags of chips and such in the fridge with a bag clip on them. This seems to do a good job in keeping away the nasties.
