The best way to prepare for a pest-free holiday is to unpack stored decorations carefully, check a fresh tree before it comes inside, keep firewood outdoors until you burn it, and clear away food and spills while guests are over. Those steps close the most common ways pests arrive during the season: stored boxes, cut greenery, firewood and leftover food. Saela Pest Control is a residential and commercial pest control company that treats the ants, cockroaches and rodents these steps help keep out. For more seasonal ideas, see these tips to make your holiday merrier.
Carefully Unpack Holiday Decorations
Open stored decoration boxes outdoors or in the garage, because cardboard boxes kept in basements, attics and closets can shelter cockroaches and rodents. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s cockroach biology and management guide notes that cockroaches can infest homes when they are brought in with groceries or boxes. Look for droppings, shredded paper and chewed light cords, and if you find rodent droppings, the CDC advises not sweeping or vacuuming them because that can stir contaminated particles into the air. When the season ends, pack decorations in plastic bins with tight-fitting lids instead of cardboard.
Inspect Your Christmas Tree
Check a fresh-cut tree, wreath or garland before it comes indoors, because small insects can hitch a ride in the branches and become active in a warm house. According to Texas A&M AgriLife’s Insects in the City, giant conifer aphids are among the insects most commonly found on fresh Christmas trees, and adelgids, spruce spider mites and praying mantid egg cases sometimes come in too. The same source suggests pounding the stump on the ground a few times to check for live aphids before you take the tree home. If you find insects on a tree that isn’t decorated yet, take it back outside, shake it well and vacuum up as many as you can.
Store Firewood Away From the House
Keep firewood outside and away from the house until you are ready to burn it; the same Texas A&M source notes that firewood can be a source of insects, especially beetles, during the winter months. Wood stacked against a wall can also give carpenter ants a sheltered spot next to the house, and University of Maryland Extension’s carpenter ant guidance recommends storing firewood away from the home in dry conditions. Inspect each armload before you bring it in, and carry in only what you will burn that day.
Perform Frequent Cleaning
Clean up crumbs and spills as soon as you can during holiday cooking and gatherings, because food left out is what draws ants and cockroaches into kitchens and dining rooms. The EPA’s guidance on asthma triggers notes that droppings or body parts of cockroaches and other pests can trigger asthma, and it recommends cleaning dishes, crumbs and spills right away. Put leftovers away after the meal, bag up full trash cans and sweep eating areas before bed. Fixing a dripping faucet or a leak under the sink also removes the water these pests need.
Store All Food Properly
Keep holiday sweets and baked goods in sealed containers or lidded dishes rather than on open platters, so foraging ants and cockroaches have nothing to find overnight. If a line of ants does show up, wipe the trail, find where they are getting in and see how Saela handles ant control. Cockroaches in the kitchen call for a different approach: Saela’s German cockroach treatment uses gel baits, crack-and-crevice applications, monitoring devices and a follow-up visit. Pet food counts too, so store it in a container with a tight lid.
Call for Professional Pest Control
If you are already seeing droppings, ant trails or cockroaches, schedule an inspection well before guests arrive; every Saela plan includes a 50+ point property inspection covering entry points, attics and basements. In an October 2019 Google review, roc chervanik wrote, “Great job never a problem tech showed up on time.” Plans and visit frequency vary, so compare Saela’s plans and pricing before you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
What insects come in on a real Christmas tree?
The insects most often found on fresh-cut Christmas trees are giant conifer aphids, and adelgids, spruce spider mites and praying mantid egg cases sometimes come in as well. Shaking the tree outdoors and checking the branches before you bring it in removes most of them.
When should I schedule pest control before the holidays?
Schedule pest control a few weeks before guests arrive, so a follow-up visit can fit in before the gathering if it’s needed. On Google, Saela’s Lakewood, Washington location is rated 4.8 out of 5 from 1,164 reviews as of October 2026. To get on the schedule before the holidays, book a call with Saela.
Who wrote this article?
Devin Hutchings (Marketing Director at Saela Pest Control) wrote this article.
Devin leads Saela’s marketing and growth strategy. He brings more than 15 years of marketing experience across Uber, C.R. England, Lugg, and Neighbor. His background spans customer acquisition, retention, and developing marketing channels for service businesses and consumer marketplaces.
