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1999 Volunteer Leadership Training Guide
Dealing With Household Pests
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Introduction
• Objectives
• Major Teaching Points
• Activities
• Other Suggestions
Introduction
There are many types of household pests. Some of them may include ants,
flies, roaches, fleas, spiders, millipedes, centipedes, termites, ticks, mice,
rats and mosquitoes, just to name a few. All of these pests are a nuisance. Once
pests get in your home, they can be hard to get rid of. The best way to control
pests is to keep them outdoors. We can make our homes uninviting to pests by
keeping our homes clean. Most times, pests enter the home looking for food. They
like to eat and run. Their favorite hiding places include dirty clothes, dirty
places and improperly stored food. In this lesson we will deal with pantry pests
as well as other household pests.
What harm can pests do? They:
- Spread disease
- Cause discomfort through bites and stings
- Undermine the structure of your home
- Destroy your belongings and furnishings
Objectives
- Explain the importance of storing food properly
- Select and use pesticides safely
- Explain why sanitation in the home is important
Major Teaching Points
Keeping Pests Out of the Home
Can you think of ways to keep pests out of your home? (Give members an
opportunity to share.)
Add these suggestions to what they have shared with the group:
- Vacuum and sweep regularly. Sweep up crumbs in the kitchen every day.
- Remember to clean under appliances.
- Wash dishes immediately after a meal. If you can’t wash them, scrape and
rinse them.
- Put food scraps in a garbage bag or plastic bag and close them tightly.
- Take the garbage outside.
- Wipe up spills immediately.
- Store all foods, including those packaged in cellophane or cardboard, in
glass, metal or hard plastic containers with tight-fitting lids.
- Close up holes in your house where pests can enter.
- Use screens for your windows and doors to keep out flying insects. Keep
them in good repair.
- Scrub your trash and garbage cans with a cloth or brush at least once a
week, after garbage pick-up. Use hot soapy water and rinse with a little
ammonia or chlorine bleach added. Be sure to wash the outside, also.
Pests don’t invade your home unless they are invited by food. Doing these
things will tell pests they are unwelcome. If you already have pests, doing
these things will help starve them out.
Getting Rid of Pests That Invade Your House
Sometimes pests get in our homes even when we do our best to keep them out.
Apartment living can pose an even greater problem, especially if neighbors don’t
keep their apartments clean. Pests are attracted to the dirty apartment and then
travel from apartment to apartment, infesting even the clean ones.
If you see pests in your home, what should you do?
- Thoroughly clean your house so that insects and rodents can’t find any
more food. Clean your kitchen. Wash dirty dishes, clean the floor, walls
cabinets, table and chairs. Empty garbage cans and give them a good
scrubbing before using again.
- If you live in an apartment and notice insects or rats, immediately
report it to the manager’s office and request that the entire building be
treated by an exterminator.
- If it is your responsibility to get rid of pests, you will need special
chemicals to kill them. Insecticides, which kill insects, and rodenticides,
which kill rodents, are found in discount stores, hardware stores,
drugstores and grocery stores.
- Pantry pests destroy and contaminate food. Most pantry pests are either
beetles or moths. These insects are so small they can penetrate cellophane,
paper and cardboard containers. They can even contaminate food before you
even bring it home. These pests are often found in cereals, dry mixes, dried
fruit, spices, pet food, cocoa as well as other foods. When their worm-like
larvae or webs are found in food, the food has been contaminated and must be
thrown away. To prevent having these insects, use food within 2 to 4 months
unless it is stored in a freezer. Keep dried foods and grain products in
closed metal, glass or heavy plastic containers.
Using Chemicals to Get Rid of Pests
Insecticides help control and kill insects. Rodenticides kill mice and rats.
ALWAYS READ THE LABEL before buying them or ask the clerk to help you.
No matter which chemicals you use, be sure to keep these things in mind:
- Store chemicals away form children and pets. Insecticides and
rodenticides are usually poisonous.
- Do not keep chemicals near food or other household products.
- Store certain products away from heat.
- Handle chemicals carefully. Insecticides and rodenticides can poison
people.
- Keep children, birds and fish out of the room when you use an
insecticide or rodenticide.
- Wash your face and hands with soap and water after using chemicals.
- Wash your clothes if a chemical spills on them.
Your local county extension office can provide you with information about the
best products for various kinds of pests. When you go to the store to buy
chemicals, ask the sales clerk for help if you need it.
You can usually find pesticides for:
- Crawling insects, such as ants, cockroaches, crickets, fleas, termites
and ticks
- Fleas and ticks
- Flying insects such as mosquitoes, flies, hornets, wasps and yellow
jackets
Activities
Choose one or both of the following activities to go along with this lesson.
Activity 1 – Make a Roach Catcher
- Ask two volunteers to come to the front of the room. Allow
each volunteer to make a roach catcher.
- Provide each volunteer with a quart jar with a screw-on lid,
a banana, petroleum jelly, a piece of newspaper or other paper
and a rubber band.
- Place the banana peel in the jar (of course, eat the banana
first).
- Rub a 2 1/2- to 3-inch band of petroleum jelly (1/4 thick)
inside the jar at the opening. The roach will be attracted to
the banana peel inside the jar. It will also slide into the jar
and not be able to crawl back out across the petroleum jelly.
- Wrap the paper around the jar and slip the rubber band
around the newspaper-covered jar to hold the paper in place. The
paper will help make the jar dark. Roaches like dark places.
- Put the jar on its side in a place where you think the
roaches will come out at night.
- The roach catcher can be cleaned and reused or discarded.
Activity 2 – Pop Quiz
- Before the class, cut the list of "Situations" apart. Roll
up each paper and place inside a balloon. Blow up each balloon
and tie it to a stick. Stand the sticks in a bottle or vase in
front of the room.
- Divide the members into small groups.
- Ask each group to send a representative to select a balloon
and take it back to their group.
- Ask each group to have someone in the group pop the balloon
and read the situation to the group. Allow the group
approximately 5 minutes to discuss the situation.
- Have each group designate someone to report their solution
to the entire group.
Situations:
- There are ants infesting your kitchen.
- There are roaches in the kitchen and basement of your home.
- There are mealworms or grain beetles in your cereal.
- There are fleas on your dog and in your home.
Solutions to the Situations:
1. There are ants infesting your kitchen.
Solution: Using all-purpose cleaner, detergent or disinfectant
and water, wash away the line of ants and clean the kitchen thoroughly.
Wash cabinets, counter tops, floor, baseboards – everything. Be sure
there is no exposed food. Make sure all foods are sealed in glass, metal
or hard plastic containers. Keep the kitchen clean.
2. There are roaches in the kitchen and basement of your home.
Solution: Clean your house, especially the kitchen and basement.
Make sure all food is stored in a sealed glass, metal or hard plastic
container. Make and use a roach catcher for several nights, or for as
long as you continue to catch roaches. If the infestation is larger than
a roach catcher can handle, use a pesticide for crawling insects. Be
sure the pesticide does not come in contact with food or dishes.
3. There are mealworms or grain beetles in your cereal.
Solution: The only thing you can do is throw away the
contaminated food. Check other grain products to make sure they are not
contaminated. It they are, throw them away. To prevent having these
insects, use food within two to four months unless it is stored in a
freezer. Keep dried foods and grain products in closed metal, glass or
heavy plastic containers.
4. There are fleas on your dog and in your house.
Solution: Wash the dog. Clean the house well and use a vacuum
cleaner, if possible. Vacuum floors and furniture. Use a flea and pest
fogger in the house, being sure to follow the directions on the
container. Keep the dog out of the house while fumigating. Use a flea
treatment on the dog and the place he sleeps. Keep the house clean and
vacuum the floor and carpet thoroughly on a regular basis.
Other Suggestions
Refer to "Household
Insect Series – Pantry Pests" (FSA7024) and distribute copies of "To Keep
Pests Out of Your House" (Handout 1).
Easter H. Tucker, Extension Family and
Consumer Sciences Specialist
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