PEST CONTROL
Repelling pests and rodents this winter
As rodents and insects seek shelter from the cold weather, Dan Hancock, Managing Director at Mesh Direct, shares his tips for keeping your premises pest-free this winter.
It’s vital for any business or facility to be spotless to maintain a good reputation and to comply with health, safety and hygiene laws. However, in winter, it’s possible that unwanted guests might turn up looking for a warm, dry place to shelter. The most common pests here in the UK include mice, rats and insects – so how can you keep them away?
Check and seal potential entry points
The first step in pest prevention is to identify and seal any potential entry points. This includes any gaps or cracks around doors and windows, utility openings, vents and gaps in the foundation of your building. Kitchens and toilet facilities can be particularly popular with pests, so you may want to be extra vigilant here.
Small gaps can be sealed with caulk, while larger gaps can be covered with wire mesh. We’d generally recommend mesh with 6x6mm holes and a 0.65mm thick wire to keep out mice, or 6x6mm holes with a 0.8mm thick wire to keep out both rats and mice. For most insects in the UK, we would recommend a hole size between 1.3 and 2mm. A finer hole size around 0.5mm can be used to keep out very small insects such as midges.
Remove food sources
Your next port of call should be removing potential food sources. If you have a kitchen or pantry on premises, ensure food is stored in airtight containers and all packaging is tightly sealed. You should also take care to clean up spills and crumbs thoroughly, empty bins daily and clean them regularly. At least twice per week should be enough, but if your bin is regularly filled with food waste, you may want to increase cleaning to every other day or every day.
Pests will seek out damp areas so, alongside removing food sources, it’s a good idea to check regularly for any leaking pipes. Not only can moisture attract pests, but it can also cause damage that can be costly to repair, so it’s vital to get any issues fixed immediately.
38 | TOMORROW'S CLEANING Keep your environment clean
Keeping the environment clean can help remove potential nesting spots for pests. Floors should be vacuumed, swept and mopped daily, and surfaces should be cleaned to remove dust, debris and general build-up. Pay particular attention to hidden corners, as these can provide the perfect nesting spot for pests like insects.
You should also work to reduce clutter to minimise the number of hiding spots for pests. Pay particular attention to storage areas – it can help to keep items stored up high in airtight containers. Any leftover materials like cardboard boxes should be disposed of right away.
Clean thoroughly after an infestation
If your property does have an infestation of pests, you should seek help from professional pest control services immediately. They will be qualified to manage and eliminate pests safely and effectively. Many pest control services will conduct an initial assessment of the premises to determine the type of infestation and the extent of the problem, and propose a tailored pest management plan.
Once the pests have gone, it’s important to conduct a thorough cleaning to disinfect infested areas. Your pest control company will be able to tell you how soon you can clean the premises after treatment. In some instances, their pest control measures may need a few days to take full effect. Once it’s safe to do so, clean all surfaces including inside cupboards, countertops and floors with disinfectant and wash any items and furniture that may also have been exposed.
When it comes to pests, preventative measures are essential for maintaining a pest-free environment. By taking these steps, you can keep your premises safe and clean this winter and provide peace of mind for the rest of the year, too.
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