IS NEW YORK CITY
A RAT CITY?

Welcome to
PLUG IN Pest Free March newsletter

During mass closures in 2020 caused by covid, the CDC* reported aggressive rat behavior was occurring due to the lack of food and waste restaurants and other commercial buildings often generate. As a result, rat behavior was becoming more erratic. As life is getting back to normal with restaurants and other businesses opening, we can’t become complacent with rodent control, as rodents may be poised to surge once again. In 2021, residents and business owners reported a surge in rat sightings with more than 21,000 sightings reported to NYC311*. Rodents have an acute sense of smell. Therefore, with an increase of food and waste from operating restaurants and commercial buildings, the likelihood of attracting rodents is highly probable. It is important to take care of waste materials, and with a few simple steps, you can do your part to reduce the number of rodents.

Whether you are a restaurant, business or residential, some of these simple steps can go a long way. For example:

1. When handling trash, ensure to secure the trash can tightly to avoid rodents climbing and gaining access to the trash can, or trash falling out if toppled.
2. Keep the trash area clean and hose around the trash area often.
3. Consider spraying some natural deterrents around the trash area like mint, vinegar, cayenne pepper etc.

Prevention tips are always better than a cure, and can go a long way to help curb the rodent population from expanding.

For restaurants and other commercial businesses battling never-ending rodent issues and ongoing costly pest control maintenance, our PLUG IN Pest FreeCommercial Pest Management System is your answer! Our Commercial Pest Management System has been a vital piece of equipment that has helped many restaurants and other businesses significantly reduce and mitigate ongoing invasions from rodents and other pests.

For years the knee-jerk reaction to control rodents and pests has resorted to using baits, traps, toxic pesticides and other harsh poisons – most of which are inhumane. With a growing awareness more than ever of the risks and dangers associated with toxic pesticides and other harsh poisons, consumers and business owners alike are looking for effective alternative methods to treat and protect their premises from ongoing pest invasions – long-term!

Our Commercial Pest Management System and our PRO unit are certified by HACCP International (Australasia and Asia license regions) as food safe and an effective means of deterring rodents.

If you are a restaurant or business owner serious about the health and safety of your staff and customers and want to say good-bye to costly, never-ending, toxic, inhumane treatments and maintenance of traps, then look no further! Your new solution to controlling and mitigating your rodent and pest needs is just a PLUG IN away!

*Sources: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/499343-cdc-warns-of-unusual-or-aggressive-rodent-behavior-in-search-for-new-food?rl=1; https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/05/nyregion/nyc-rats-sightings.html

Spring Break Is Almost Here!

Where will Spring Break 2022 take YOU? We looked at various top sites all looking for the best Spring Break locations, and here are the top 10 Spring Break destinations for 2022^:

1. Cancun
2. Miami Beach
3. South Padre Island
4. Cabo San Lucas
5. Jamaica
6. Bahamas
7. Punta Cana
8. Playa del Carmen
9. Daytona Beach
10. Panama City Beach

AFTERPAY IS NOW AVAILABLE

Afterpay is now available at check-out when making your purchase of PLUG IN Pest Free. Afterpay allows you to make 4 interest-free payments across 6 weeks. Please check Afterpay’s terms and conditions for full details https://www.afterpay.com/en-US/how-it-works

Q: What is the most common rat in NYC?
Check for the answer and interesting facts below.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Here is another great recipe from the Pioneer Woman that is simply perfection!
 
First the ingredients. You will need:
• 3/4 lb. ground beef
• 3/4 lb. ground pork
• 2 whole eggs
• 3/4 cup fine breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1/4 tsp. of salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Splash of milk
• 1/2 cup of olive oil

For the Sauce & Pasta:
• 1 whole yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (28oz) whole tomatoes
• 1/2 cup white or red wine (optional)
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1/4 tsp. of salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. of sugar
• 8 whole fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)
• 2 lb. spaghetti, cooked to al dente

Directions:
1; To make the meatballs, combine the meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and a splash of milk in a mixing bowl. Mix together well, using your hands (make sure they are washed and clean!). Roll into 25 1.5-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.

2; To brown the meatballs, heat the olive oil in a heavy pot or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, about 8 at a time, turning to brown on all sides (they will finish cooking in the sauce later). Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate after each batch. Set meatballs aside.

3; To make the sauce: in the same pot, add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent. Pour in crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes with their juices and wine, if using. Add the red pepper flakes (as desired), parsley, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

4; Add the meatballs to the pot and stir gently into the sauce. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring very gently a couple of times.

5; Just before serving, stir in the basil, if using. Serve over cooked spaghetti and sprinkle with extra parmesan.

For the full Pioneer Woman recipe, go to this link https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a9897/spaghetti-meatballs/ and be sure to check out other amazing Pioneer Woman recipes.

*If you make the above recipe, we welcome your feedback and photos. We may just post your dinner story and photos in upcoming newsletters.

We hope you have enjoyed this month’s edition of our newsletter. If you have your own successful Pest Free story to share, you may be the winner of a $50 gift card and be featured in upcoming newsletters. You can send your testimonial to support@gopestfree.com Subject: Testimonial.