How does one prepare an apartment for pest control?
That is all we’ll be focusing on. If you have a problematic pest situation you’ll like to deal with, you’ll find this article highly informative.
We’ve looked at a detailed process that increases the chance of getting it right the first time.
How to Prepare for Pest Control
Pest issues can be alarming, especially when a full-blown infestation is experienced.
There’s usually a response to such invasion involving all treatment strategies. While that is true, not all reactions are comprehensive enough.
This is especially true for situations where a haphazard approach to treatment is adopted. A systematic approach must be implemented for home pest control to be effective enough.
Here, adequate preparation is necessary to carry out effective pest treatment.
What’s Your Pest Situation?
When pest issues are being discussed, there’s usually a long list.
While that is true, pest situations differ from home to the next. While home A might be dealing with a bed bug problem, home B might have a rodent infestation.
However, when it comes to apartments, there are about six common pests that mainly affect residents. These include bed bugs, spiders, rodents, roaches, silverfish, and ants.
Unlike houses, apartments tend to have a much more severe challenge with pests. What are the reasons for that?
To understand why pest issues are more complicated in apartment buildings, you’ll need to consider that this type of housing sees a higher occupant to square foot ratio.
So, how does this apply to pests? In more ways than you think.
Throughout human history, there has been a pattern of pest increase in areas with a high human population. This is probably why you experience more excellent pest activity than persons living in single housing units or non-apartments.
How to Prepare for Exterminator
Whether you call for professional pest control or want to get things done yourself, one step you cannot avoid is preparation. Eliminating pests in apartments can be a lot more complex than many think.
Apartment dwellers will need to take the initiative to put their apartments in for treatment to commence.
How far you go with preparation is determined by the pest situation you’re dealing with. Here, we’ll discuss the preparatory steps required for the earlier pest types.
i. Prepping an Apartment for Flea Treatment
Pest management services expect apartment dwellers to do the necessary work to get their apartments ready for treatment. If you have pets, these should be professionally treated and groomed for fleas on the same day of treatment.
Your apartment floor should be free of all items like pillows, toys, and decorative items. This action should be extended to areas beneath your bed(s) and furniture.
Your closet floors should also be free of any item. Now a thorough vacuuming is needed.
Such vacuuming should cover all floor furniture and all wall-floor junctions. What more? Chair & couch cushions, below table, in closets, and under beds should also be vacuumed.
With vacuuming completed, have the bag removed and sealed and have the same appropriately discarded.
Pest management services may also require cleaning non-carpeted floor surfaces with soap and water. Cleaning should be extended to all points or areas frequented by cats.
You may have to contact your pest control service to know precisely the extent of preparation to be done.
ii. Prepping an Apartment for German Roach Treatment
Tidying up before a roach treatment requires removing all kinds of pets from the apartment. These may include fish, birds, cats, and dogs.
However, if your aquarium cannot be removed, try disconnecting the air pumps and have the tanks covered with plastic sheeting and secured tight.
Next, you’ll need to find all animal dishes and get them off the floor. Your kitchen cabinets are next. All contents should be emptied, extending to the cupboards and storage cabinets. Your kitchen appliances are next.
Have these appliances thoroughly cleaned of grease and food particles? This level of cleaning should extend to the countertops. With these actions, your apartment should be ready for German roach treatment.
From here on, follow every instruction of the technician(s).
Directives will be given on how cleaning should be performed post-treatment. It’s necessary to be attentive to avoid causing distorting the results.
iii. Prepping an Apartment for Bed Bug Control
Before bed bug treatment, you’re expected to perform several preparatory actions to get your apartment ready for treatment. Have your pets been removed from the apartment?
These may include fish, birds, and other pets.
There are situations where removing the fish may prove difficult. For such cases, you can have the air pumps disconnected. Now cover the tanks with plastic sheeting and have it secured in place.
Some companies may ask you to leave houseplants behind.
In preparing your apartment, you may also be required to provide mattress encasements on the day of treatment. These are handed over to the technicians. Now to the proper preparation, have your dresser drawers emptied.
Your apartment floor shouldn’t hold any item apart from furniture. In other words, have your apartment floor empty in readiness for treatment.
Have these placed in tightly closed plastic containers or bags for items like shoes? The same should be done with other personal items.
iv. Heat Treatment for Fabric Materials
For treatment to be comprehensive, you’ll need to have all your fabric items heat-treated.
Examples include stuffed animals, linens, clothing, curtains, and other similar items. Have these heated in your dryer before folding them in plastic bags or containers with tight lids?
Now there’s a possibility of having items that may not fit into the dryer. For these, dry cleaning should serve the purpose. These should be placed in a sealed bag before being the same for dry cleaning.
The exact preparation largely depends on the pest type and the pest control service hired to perform this treatment. It’s necessary to make all the required inquiries before treatment commences.
Now you know some basics on preparing an apartment for pest control. This should never be done in isolation, as you need expert advice on the process.