An unchecked pest population can disrupt your business and cost you thousands of dollars in extermination services, repairs to your building and lost sales. Avoiding this potential disaster starts with following a few basic protocols to protect your business property from pests, starting with thorough cleaning in both your interior and exterior spaces.

Keep Your Property Clean

Maintaining a clean property both inside and outside helps eliminate potential nesting spots and feeding areas for pests. Many pests, including rats, like to live in dark corners where they aren’t likely to be disturbed. A regular and thorough cleaning of your property’s interior can ensure that all clutter is removed.

Taking good care of your building’s exterior is also critical. Trimming back vegetation and removing weeds reduces hiding spots for many different pests, including mosquitos. Be careful with how you store trash on your property; always dispose of trash properly in a dumpster instead of leaving it next to the receptacle, where it can potentially attract pests.

Be Careful with Food

Food and food residue can attract all varieties of pests, including rodents and ants. Keep food crumbs isolated by asking your employees to only eat in the break room. When a spill happens, make sure it is cleaned up immediately. Keeping plenty of paper towels in the break room can help remind employees to keep their eating areas clean. Using garbage cans with lids can keep pests at bay and reduce food smells coming from the property. Finally, make sure any trash cans with food are emptied regularly to the proper outdoor receptacle.

Watch Out for Moisture

Pests seek out sources of moisture in order to survive. A leaky pipe, for example, can provide an excellent watering hole for pests. Maintaining your plumbing fixtures can help you avoid filling the watering trough for passing pests. When you notice a leak, get it fixed promptly before pests begin to move into your building.

Water can also attract pests to the area outside of your building. For example, if you water your property’s lawn excessively, the excess water can become a favorite place for pests to congregate. If there are items on your property that can collect water, such as a bucket, mosquitos will use the water for breeding. Water features, including fountains, can also attract pests if they are not maintained properly.

Spiders, rats and ants do not make good customers; if you want to keep your customers and employees happy, you need to work hard to maintain a pest-free property. If you need help dealing with a pest problem in your business, contact Valley Pest Solutions. We offer extensive pest control services to remove pests and help your business get back on track.