Preventative measures Cleankill explain to us why pest prevention is vital, especially when buildings are empty.
Many employees are only just returning to their offices to work following the COVID-19 pandemic and the difficulties of putting social distancing measures in place. This means there are many buildings and offices that have been left empty, particularly in cities like London, and are becoming ‘playgrounds’ for mice and other pests.
At the same time, these businesses and/or the premises owners will be looking at ways to reduce costs while their buildings are unoccupied. Pest control experts such as Cleankill Pest Control strongly advise maintaining or even increasing regular pest control service visits while pests such as rodents and cockroaches are able to enjoy the empty buildings.
When lockdown was announced there was very little time for staff to clear their desks of snacks and these have provided easy meals for rodents. Cleankill technicians have entered offices and found mouse droppings on desks and half eaten bars of chocolate. This means any equipment in the vicinity could have been contaminated with mouse urine and will need disinfecting to avoid the risk of disease when workers return.
Cleankill is reporting a significant increase in the number of callouts from businesses as they reopen after the lockdown.
Managing Director, Paul Bates, said: “There is evidence that rodents have been running wild around properties without any hindrance for the last two months. Food that was left in drawers or on desks has been eaten and we are seeing plenty of mice and rat droppings.
40 | PEST CONTROL
“We were recently called to a site in London N1 that was fairly typical of the sort of damage we are seeing. In addition to food and droppings on desks and on surfaces, we also found evidence that the mice had been using below- floor cavities, causing a potentially bigger problem. They had been entering the property using pipework in a service cupboard that is near the reception.”
After calling in Cleankill, the problem at the offices in London N1 was quickly addressed. The building manager was offered an ongoing preventative pest control contract to reduce the risk of future infestations. Pest control technicians have found other signs that hungry rodents are on the rampage, including bait in bait boxes being completely eaten which would not normally be the case.
Alongside continuing or even increasing pest control visits, work outside to keep vegetation cut back and sites clean and tidy is equally important, stresses Paul. This removes places where rodents can hide and nest.
Rubbish should be removed promptly and lids on containers should always be kept closed to stop rats from entering. Rats breed prolifically and quickly, and infestations that start in rubbish storage areas can easily spread to nearby buildings and even residential properties.
Undeterred by people, pigeons and gull have also been taking up residence in and on buildings in cities and towns. Cleankill’s team of Harris Hawks and their handlers have been hard at work deterring pest birds from buildings, especially around London.
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