Preventing pest problems in your business is vital to saving you money and keeping your business operating as efficiently as possible. With many legal requirements and customer expectations to meet when it comes to pests, it’s important that you are on top of any pest problems. The best way to deal with a pest problem is to prevent it from happening.
So, to help you out, here are 7 things all businesses should be doing to prevent pests from entering their business.
1. Clean up standing water
Standing water can be a breeding ground and open watering hole for a wide variety of pests. Rats and cockroaches will love to use it as a water source, encouraging them to come back into your business time and time again. Meanwhile, Mosquitoes breed in standing water, creating generations of new mosquitoes to terrorise your business.
Take a look around your property for anywhere that is collecting water. Fill in potholes, empty buckets, or any other standing water you find.
2. Keep an eye on your refuse
Your trash can be a pest’s buffet. They will find all sorts of yummy goods inside, from uneaten food to paper and veggie scraps. If left unchecked, your trash could turn into a pest nightmare.
Ensure that all trash is thrown out in liners, and that lids of bins and dumpsters are closed. You should also regularly empty your trash and clean empty bins and dumpsters. This will keep pests away from these areas.
3. Check the roof
While most pests will attempt to enter through the ground floor, some are excellent climbers and will use any breach in your security to get inside. Your roof is a commonly forgotten place that pests can exploit. Check your roof regularly for any holes or gaps. Rats will climb up into your roof and enter through these gaps. They may also use your roof as a hiding place.
4. Trim back your garden
Gardens and shrubs are popular safe travel and hiding spaces for pests. If they start getting too close to your business pests may use them as a gateway inside. They can also use them to climb higher up your walls and onto your roof to find alternative entry points.
Keep an eye on the gardens surrounding your business and regularly trim them back to provide a gap between your business and the shrubs and trees.
5. Clean out your drains
When food scraps and debris goes down your drain it doesn’t disappear. It can leave a residual odour or get clogged up. This will then attract pests to your sinks. Pests may then climb through drains around your kitchens and bathrooms to enter your business.
The best way to prevent pests from using your drains is to ensure they are regularly cleaned. If you have cleaners, instruct them to clean out the drains regularly and clear them of debris.
6. Check for moisture
Moisture attracts pests and mould. Both of which are not great to have in your business. Dark, moist environments are very popular spots for nests as they aren’t often disturbed and provide access to a stable water source.
If you find any areas with a lot of moisture you should do a deeper dive to find out its source. Often moisture could signal holes in your roof or burst pipes. You may need a plumber to come and inspect your business in order to fix the leakage.
7. Hire a professional
All businesses need professional pest control. It is an investment in the security of your business and the safety of your customers. Preventative pest control can save you a lot of money, preventing pest problems before they happen. A pest control technician will inspect your business and provide advise on how to discourage pests, as well as spray the property to create a barrier that is non-toxic to humans.
It is recommended that you have a pest control expert at your business once a year at a minimum. For a quality preventative pest control inspection in your business reach out to Pest Gone Pest Control.