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Cleaning & Pest Prevention Tips for Winter

By: EarthKind

Cleaning, tidying, and decluttering are some of the best ways to prevent pests. As the cold weather rolls in, rodents and other pests search for a warm place to escape from the elements. 

Mice love crawling into tiny crevices and making winter homes in attics, basements, garages, pantries, and cupboards. Rodents will also seek shelter in cars, snowblowers, and other machinery, chewing through wires while they’re there—causing costly damage. 

During the winter season, your home might be more susceptible to pantry moths due to holiday baking —these critters love to eat flour, grains, dried fruits, and nuts. 

Spiders are known to hide away inside the tubing of gas grills. Not only is that thought distasteful, but their webs can also cause a burner blockage and a fire hazard.       

Thankfully, pest control has never been easier for homeowners during the winter months! There are different ways to repel these pests and keep them away for good. To help, we put together this winter-tidying pest prevention checklist that contains simple tips to help you safeguard your property and equipment. 

Winter Pest Control & Cleaning Checklist

  • Pantry: Start with your food first. Ensure all human and pet food is in sealed airtight containers. Clean your pantry and any other food-storage areas and place a Stay Away® Moths deterrent pouch inside to help repel pantry moths. 
  • Walls, Windows, and Doors: After cleaning the baseboards, windows, and doors in your home, move on to sealing off the inside of your home from the outside. Fill in any openings that could act as entry points with steel wool and silicone caulking to keep mice and other pests out. Any spaces the size of or larger than a dime should be filled. 
  • Garbage: Keep the lid closed on your garbage can. Declutter and recycle any newspaper or cardboard boxes from the holidays. Bugs such as silverfish, cockroaches, & termites feast on paper products.
  • Attics, Closets, and Basements: Clean and vacuum spider webs—look near windows, closets, attics, or crawl spaces—and prevent those 8-legged critters from coming back by placing Stay Away® Spider pouches in those areas. If you notice rodent droppings or any other signs of mice in your basement, attic, or closet, place a botanical rodent repellent like Stay Away® Rodent in these spaces to keep them pest-free. These pouches help to preserve nature’s ecosystem by offering an alternative to rodent traps or poisons.
  • Garage: Undisturbed garages and vehicles are especially vulnerable to infestations during the colder months. Clean up as much clutter as you can in your garage space and ensure there are no sources of water or food for pests. Keep woodpiles outdoors if possible. Place the necessary EarthKind repellents inside the garage. 
  • Vehicles: Vacuum your vehicle, wash floor mats, and dispose of anything in your glove compartment or trunk you no longer need. Clutter can attract spiders. Place a Stay Away® Rodent pouch in the glove compartment or trunk of the car you’re currently driving, or if you have a vehicle in storage, place the pouch under the hood to keep pests away from electrical wires. Remember to remove the pouch from under the hood before operating the vehicle. EarthKind pest-repellent pouches can also keep rodents, spiders, and moths from infesting RVs, trailers, boats, and motorcycles.
  • Grill: Thoroughly clean your barbeque grill and place a zipper cover on it. Spiders are attracted to the odor of propane so put a Stay Away® Spiders pouch inside the cover to prevent them from nesting in your grill. 
  • Outdoor Equipment: Rodents often nest in snow blowers, lawnmowers, and other outdoor equipment. Protect your equipment from pests by placing Stay Away® Rodent pouches inside or near machinery. Remember to remove it before operating. 
  • Bonus Tip: When storing holiday decorations for the season, place a Stay Away® Spiders pouch in the box to prevent arachnids from moving in. 

 Whether it’s rodents, spiders, moths, or ants that you’re trying to keep away this winter, EarthKind has a safe and natural solution to help you prevent pest problems. Shop EarthKind’s solutions online today or find them in a store near you. View and print our Winter Cleaning Checklist by clicking the button below. 

Download Winter Cleaning Checklist PDF