When you call a pest control company to spray your apartment, there are a few things you should do to prepare. By following these tips, you can maximize the effectiveness of the pest control treatment.
One of the most important things to do is clean your apartment before the exterminators arrive. This will help ensure that the exterminators can get to all of the infested areas easily.
Inspect Your Apartment
When you’re ready to hire a pest control professional for your apartment, you should make sure the provider is licensed and experienced. Also, ask if they offer a guarantee. If you’re not satisfied with their work, they should come back and do a second treatment or offer an extended guarantee that covers additional follow up visits to ensure your property is pest-free.
You should also inspect your apartment for signs of infestations before pest control. This can be done by walking through your apartment room-by-room and examining for droppings, gnawing damage, dents in walls, entrance holes, rub marks and nest material. You should also check the floors and closets in your apartment to ensure that they aren’t dirty or have any broken or loose fixtures or furniture.
It’s not uncommon for people to neglect to do this, especially when they’re moving into a new rental or buying a resale apartment. Performing a thorough property inspection is important to preventing future problems like termite infestations, which can eat away at the structure of your apartment.
If you’re a landlord, you should perform routine property inspections to verify your apartment is in good condition before, during and after a tenant moves in. This helps you maintain a good relationship with your tenants and keep your property in top shape.
Your lease agreement should include a section that states the number and frequency of inspections you need to perform for each unit. This keeps your renters in the loop and clears up any misunderstandings that may arise during the process.
For example, if you’re in the middle of a major renovation project and need to do an inspection, you should give your tenants at least a week’s notice. This gives them the time to rearrange their schedule and allow you to enter during a more convenient time for your inspection.
Alternatively, you can have your pest control technician conduct an apartment inspection at the same time you do your regular monthly maintenance visits. This is particularly useful for catching pests that are present but not visible to the naked eye, such as rodents and bed bugs.
Clean Up
Before a pest control technician arrives, it is important to thoroughly clean your apartment. This is to ensure that your home will be safe for the technician to work in and to prevent any potential hazards from spreading to you or your family members.
The goal of a pest control company is to remove any existing insects that are already present in your home, as well as to practice good exclusion practices by keeping them from re-entering the property. This is why you may see the tech spraying in the areas that are being treated, or laying out bait packets or inspecting external areas of your home.
You should also sweep and mop your floors regularly to eliminate tiny specs of food that bugs can find in their nooks and crannies. This can include corners, baseboards, and behind furniture, and will help to keep any new infestations from coming in.
Make sure that you thoroughly vacuum your carpet and floors, too. These areas are often the most attractive places for bugs to nest, and it is important that you thoroughly clean them on a regular basis.
It is also a good idea to sweep the top of your cabinets to eliminate any leftover food that might attract pests. You should also make sure that all trash cans are emptied and cleaned out properly, especially those that contain crumbs or other food scraps.
Another thing you should do before a pest control visit is to pack up any personal items that are not covered by their protective covers, including your toothbrushes and shaving razors. This is to protect them from absorbing any pesticides that might be in the air or on the floor when the technician is there.
Finally, it is important to clean up any pets that might be present in your apartment or surrounding area. You should wash their bedding, if possible, to get rid of any fleas that may be present. If you have dogs or cats, you should also wash their toys and cages.
In addition to these important steps, you should also inform your landlord and neighbors about your upcoming pest control treatment. This will help to ensure that all of the residents in the building are aware of the situation and can take measures to keep their homes safe and pest-free.
Keep Your Pets Indoors
If you have pets, it’s important to keep them indoors during treatment. This will help ensure that they don’t breathe in harmful chemicals while they’re around or lick any areas that have been treated.
You should also cover your pet’s cage and aquarium with drop sheets before the pest control treatment begins, as this will prevent any pesticides or other materials from getting into them. This is especially true for fish, birds and reptiles.
Your pets’ bedding and toys should also be removed from the rooms where the treatments are being performed. This will also make it easier for your pet to escape if they feel like the treatments are making them uncomfortable.
Keeping your pet inside during pest control can also help to minimize the amount of dust and other debris that is released into your apartment, which can lead to allergies or respiratory problems. It will also allow your pet to get a good night’s sleep.
A professional pest technician should be able to provide you with tips and suggestions on how to prepare your apartment for pest control, including what kind of preparation is required for your pet. For example, if your pet is a bird, your exterminator may recommend that you remove the bird from the premises before the treatment starts.
You should also ensure that you have all of your trash cans, toilets and electrical cords tucked away or secured to prevent your pet from chewing on them or swallowing them. Similarly, it’s important to check your drawers before closing them to make sure they don’t contain small items that could be choking hazards. Lastly, if you have a dog, you should consider getting a kennel or pet carrier to ensure that your pet stays safe during the process.
Keep Your Furniture in Place
Apartments are a great choice for many people, particularly those who are single or live with a roommate. However, they are not immune to pest infestations. As a result, it is important to prepare your apartment for pest control before the exterminator arrives.
First, make sure that your apartment is tidy and free of crumbs, food spills, and other debris. This will help keep the technicians from tripping and potentially hurting themselves while they are inspecting your home for pests.
Second, it can be helpful to move your furniture from corners to the middle of the room where the pest control workers will be able to see better. This can help them to apply the best pest control treatment possible.
Third, consider raising any furniture pieces that you don’t use frequently a little off the ground, as this may deter bugs from nesting underneath them. In addition, it is also a good idea to wrap any items that may be susceptible to damage in heavy-duty plastic.
Finally, it’s not necessary to move anything in the middle of your living room, but if you do, you may want to place your large appliances away from the walls so that the technicians have a clear shot at inspecting them for any signs of pest activity. This is a small effort, but it’s always a nice touch and can sometimes be crucial to a successful treatment.
Now that you know how to prepare your apartment for pest control, you can be confident that the exterminators will be able to get the job done right. By following these tips, you can ensure that your apartment will be pest-free for the long term.