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Video Transcript:

The action steps you can recommend to help a family eliminate the pests’source for food and water include:

• Always store food in sealed containers, even items such as cooking oils should be stored in closed containers.
• Immediately clean food and drink spills.
• Remove food particles off counters, shelves, and the floor.
• Wash dishes promptly after use and dry out the sink to remove standing water.
• Families should always use a covered garbage bin.
• If a home has a heavy infestation it may be necessary to take the garbage out daily.

Regular cleaning is important, too.

• Routinely clean under refrigerators, stoves, furniture, and other similar items.
• Empty any drip pans with standing water.
• Since clutter provides a sheltered environment for pests, eliminate clutter which will also make the room easier to clean.

And keep up with general maintenance, too.

• Cockroaches often hide behind wall hangings and loose wallpaper, so check behind wall hangings for evidence of cockroaches.
• Encourage a family to keep walls clean and wallpaper sealed around the edges.

As mentioned earlier, it is important to keep the humidity and moisture in a home low.

• Some families may hang wet clothes in their house to dry. It is better to either hang clothes outside on a clothes line, or use a dryer vented outside of the home to reduce excess moisture in the home.
• Always dry wet items, such as brushes and cleaning rags, before storing or putting them away.