What are things businesses can do before and after pest control?
- Restrict pest access
- Remove furniture
- Clear out your kitchen and bathroom
- Take away potential hiding places
- Wait
- Protect yourself
- Discard any leftovers
- Do not clean immediately
- Get rid of pest food sources
- Keep checking for stragglers
Pests can be a menace in your business. Not only are they unsightly — they also pose health problems. They carry disease, germs, and dirt into your establishment, which can end up affecting you, your employees, and your customers.
Hiring a pest control service is the quickest (and most effective) way to deal with this problem. However, there are some things you need to do to prepare for this service. To help you out, we’ve prepared a guide on things businesses can do before and after pest control.
Note that while the kind of pest you’re dealing with will dictate what pest control method is used, the following tips are useful in all cases.
What to do before pest control?
Here are the things your business can do to prepare for treatment, before your partnered pest control gets to your building:
Restrict pest access
You should try to restrict the access these pests have to your business as much as you can. Try repairing any cracks or holes in your walls and flooring. Sealing these up with caulk, cement, or any other sturdy material will prevent any more pests from entering. And, it will prevent the pests inside your building from escaping.
Remove furniture
We also recommend removing any furniture and appliances from your building before pest control comes in. This will not only make the area less cluttered with obstacles, it also ensures the treatment can be applied more effectively.
Doing this can also protect your things from being exposed to the pest control chemicals being used.
If you can’t remove some furniture or appliances, we recommend covering their surfaces with something disposable. A plastic sheet will do!
Clear out your kitchen and bathroom
If your business has a kitchen and bathroom, make sure to clear these spaces out. Empty your trash cans, clean out your counters, remove any food, and store all your utensils, cutlery, and dishes in another space.
Typically, your kitchen storage spaces — such as your cabinets — will be sprayed down or treated. This is because they are a prime spot for many pests, such as cockroaches.
Additionally, we recommend covering any outlets (especially those for water) with plastic. However, any sinks might also need to be sprayed or treated, so avoid covering these.
Take away potential hiding places
Smaller pieces around your business, such as plant pots, paintings, and even décor can be potential hiding places for pests. You should remove them before pest control arrives to prevent any insects or rodents from taking cover.
What to do after pest control?
Once pest control has arrived and applied their treatment to your business, there are a few things you should to do to get your business back into order:
Wait
If you had to vacate your building, wait for pest control to do their thing. Stay out of the premises for the recommended time, before heading back in.
Protect yourself
When entering your business again for the first time after treatment, we recommend protecting yourself. Wear pants and a long sleeve top to protect your skin. And, wear a pair of disposable gloves if you’re handling sprayed surfaces or objects for the first time.
Discard any leftovers
If you accidentally left any food in the building, we recommend throwing it out (unless they were in an unaffected and protected area, such as inside your fridge.
Even if pest control used organic chemicals in your building, you can’t be sure if the food is safe enough to eat.
Do not clean immediately
Though pest control professionals won’t leave behind a mess in your business, you still have to clean up the area afterwards. That said, you should wait before doing so. If you wipe down surfaces too soon, it can reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.
Generally, it’s a good idea to wait at least a week before deep cleaning your business.
Get rid of pest food sources
Things like leaks and stray paper or cardboard (of any kind) should be removed as soon as possible. Paper and cardboard can provide a food source and nesting for pests. Leaks, on the other hand, can serve as an entry way for others.
Getting rid of these things can help prevent a re-infestation.
Keep checking for stragglers
For the days following pest control treatment, it’s likely that you’ll see dead pests around your building — this is normal as the treatment takes effect. This should also lessen as time passes.
Clean these up to make sure they don’t attract any other pests.
As the amount of dead pests lessens, you should still consistently check for any pests. Make sure to inspect problem areas regularly, and keep these spaces neat and clean.
Key Takeaway
Keep our guide on things businesses can do before and after pest control in mind while booking your appointment.
While this list is by no means exhaustive, they should help you increase the effectiveness of this service. Make sure to coordinate with your partnered pest control company to make sure that your pre- and post-treatment routine fits your needs best.
In search of the best pest control company in the Philippines? Message Topbest. We can help you make this process as easy as possible, and ensure that your pest infestation is dealt with immediately.
