You’ve spotted pests in your home and contacted a nearby pest control service for an extermination procedure. If this is your initial encounter with pest control or you haven’t engaged with an exterminator lately, you may be unsure about the process. A reputable pest control service guides you through the entire operation and addresses any inquiries regarding your treatment. However, adhering to these guidelines before and post-treatment can enhance the safety and efficacy of the pest control process.
What to Do Before Pest Control Treatment
Before a pest control treatment, take several steps to prepare your home and ensure the treatment is as effective as possible.
Clothing and Furniture Packing
Store away items such as toys, utensils, clothing, jewelry, and cosmetics. These should be secured in cabinets or boxes without leaving any spaces. Make sure to tidy up the bed and dress it with a top sheet, which can be laundered after the procedure.
Use an old sheet or plastic cover to protect your home’s furniture during pest control. The latter is often more suitable as it provides superior protection against pest control substances. Should there be a termite issue, extra precautions should be taken with wooden furniture. It might be necessary to relocate it to an area where the pest control solution can be applied effectively.
Tidy Up the Kitchen Space
Ensure to clean up all dishes before pest control treatment. Remember to wash them before bed, especially after a late-night snack. The goal is to prevent your kitchen from becoming a pest hotspot by eliminating any potential food sources before the pest control activities begin.
Secure all pantry items that could attract insects or rodents before the pest control treatment. This measure aids in safeguarding your home’s foundation from the damage that can result from these pests’ prolonged presence in one location.
Clear away all dirty dishes before the pest control treatment. Avoid leaving these out overnight before the pest control team visits your home or business. If crumbs are on the floor, ensure they are cleaned up before the pest control team arrives to spray for pests.
Before sleeping, remove or cover all food items. This includes food in the cabinets, items in your refrigerator, ingredients used for cooking, and any leftovers on plates. Ensure all these are properly stored or disposed of before you sleep.
Pets
Should you own a pet, arrange for a stay with a friend or neighbor before any pest control procedures begin. This precaution is due to pets’ heightened sensitivity to the chemicals often employed in such treatments. Additionally, removing all pet-associated items like toys and bedding from the premises during the treatment phase is recommended.
In the case of home aquariums, they need to be properly shielded. Feed your fish beforehand or utilize an automatic feeder to maintain their feeding schedule throughout treatment. Deactivate the aquarium’s air pumps to prevent the infiltration of treatment chemicals, which could potentially harm your aquatic pets.
Bathroom
Remove personal items if you plan to conduct pest control throughout your home. Pay special attention to shaving razors, soaps, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. Keeping them in a different location away from the bathroom could prevent you from having to replace them entirely.
Paintings and Flower Pots
Before the pest control treatment, remove any paintings or flower pots from your home. These items can serve as potential hiding spots for insects. Ensure these items are not present in any room of your house before the pest control treatment. The pest control team must spray pesticides in these areas before they can be safely removed. Wait until the team permits moving back in before spraying for pests in your business or residential location.
Plants can also provide a haven for pests before they invade your property. Before the pest control treatment, it’s crucial to remove them as well. This is particularly important if the service is performed in forested areas on your property.
Restrict Access
Before initiating pest control treatment, keep pests at bay by obstructing their entryways, such as gaps and fissures in your property. Address any repair needs, or employ sealants like caulk to deter insects or rodents from infiltrating your home. Ensure that these potential entry points are off-limits for pests prior to the pest control treatment. This strategy allows you to manage the pest issue promptly.
Clear any large furniture or appliances from the corners of your home before the pest control team arrives. This creates a more accessible and less obstructed space for them to work, which could lead to a more successful treatment.
Safeguarding items like television sets from potential chemical spills used by the team during their nocturnal on-site work is also a wise move. This precaution is particularly beneficial when everyone else has retreated to a secure location (such as their own living room).
What to Do After Pest Control Treatment
After the pest control treatment is complete, you should still take several steps to guarantee success.
Regularly Check for Pests
In the aftermath of pest control treatment, it’s not unusual to discover deceased pests occasionally, with their numbers gradually decreasing. It’s crucial to inspect previously infested areas and maintain their cleanliness. If you spot a baby cockroach or other pests, it’s a sign that you need to take action as dead pests can draw in more unwanted creatures, thereby exacerbating your issues.
Do Not Clean Immediately
After your pest control expert has completed their work, allow the treatment to take effect fully. Hold off any immediate cleaning activities such as sweeping or scrubbing. Ideally, wait at least a week before you start any intensive cleaning after the pest control treatment.
Do Not Leave Paper
Eliminate unused paper regularly, particularly those from food deliveries. Damp and brown paper bags are known to lure pests, so it’s advised to dispose of them promptly. If you have a collection of magazines or papers, keep them away from the kitchen area.
Repair Leakages
Conducting a thorough inspection for any leakages within your home is recommended after a pest control treatment. Should any problems with your plumbing, such as faulty pipes or dripping taps, swift action in rectifying these is advisable. This proactive step is an additional measure in deterring pests from infiltrating your home.
Protect Yourself
Following a pest control treatment, it’s advised to don disposable gloves when interacting with areas treated with chemicals. Additionally, consider wearing a mask and clear protective eyewear when unpacking items or tidying up, to safeguard yourself further.
Endnote
Proactively reducing pests around your property should be an ongoing endeavor, not just done episodically as an afterthought. Through following the right steps before and after pest control treatments, you can keep your home or office a safe haven from unwelcome bugs and rodents for good.
