PREVENTION
TIPS
Pest prevention tips
We've provided some great pest prevention tips below for the interior and exterior of your home or building.
Residential
Pest infestation can lead to serious problems such as structural damages to the home and health consequences to you and your loved ones. At Aardvark Pest Management Inc, we’ve been collecting insights on how best we can help you reduce pest recurrence with easy practices you can apply. Plus if you already have routine pest control treatment, these tips will help prolong the efficacy of the treatment.
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Wait at least 3-4 hours after treatments are carried out before mopping/wiping the floor/ surface that is treated. Try not to use harsh chemicals to wipe it off.
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Make sure that all food is stored in air-tight containers as pests like ants and cockroaches are attracted to food and water sources.
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Don’t leave food crumbs/ scraps on your kitchen countertop, bin, and floor. Clean them every day. Also, don’t leave dirty cutleries and dishes in your sink as they are a food source!
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Keep trash in rubbish bins with fitted lids and make sure that all rubbish is discarded daily to prevent pests from being attracted to the foul odor.
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Cardboard boxes attract cockroaches and termites. Using containers made of plastic, glass, and metal with tight-fitting lids stops them from breeding. You can always re-use the containers afterward.
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Cockroaches and termites love moisture. Remember to spot and remove any stagnant water and fix leakages. Also discard empty cans, bottles that can collect water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
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Keep tree branches well-trimmed and away from the house as crawling pests like ants and cockroaches can crawl into the house via the branches.
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Seal any cracks and openings. Rats and other small pests can enter your house through these openings.
Commercial
Pests are unquestionably a part of our environment but they don’t need to be a part of your business. Today, through social media, when one person sees a bug, literally millions could learn that your business has a “bug problem” in a matter of days – causing irreparable damage to your image and reputation.
Luckily, the experts at Aardvark Pest Management Inc. have put together commercial pest prevention tips to limit the various conditions, avenues, and sources pests use to infiltrate your establishment.
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Cleaning is an ongoing process. Use the “clean as you go” strategy for countertops, food prep surfaces and utensils. At least once a day thoroughly clean under and behind all kitchen equipment to remove accumulations of food and other debris.
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Remove broken or unused equipment to avoid rodents or bugs from nesting in it.
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Virtually all kitchen equipment is built with 4-inch legs or wheels which elevate the item off the floor. If damaged these should be repaired and not removed. Removing them will inhibit cleaning.
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Try to remove any standing water inside your facility. The moisture contributes to decay which ultimately results in small fly issues.
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Trash removal. Trash can be an all you can eat buffet for many pests. Make sure that trash in your facility is regularly removed from the building. Outdoor dumpsters should be kept at a distance from the exterior of your building and should be equipped with a lid.
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Keeping the pests out. This means making sure that all possible entrances for insects and rodents are eliminated. Caulk cracks in your building's foundation as well as gaps around windows and doors. Make sure that vents and utility entrances are covered. Make sure that garage doors and other doors are not left open for long periods of time.
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Organization. Pests often retreat to cluttered or unorganized areas within businesses because they can easily live unnoticed. Keep your facility, especially storage areas, free of clutter. Keep as much of your inventory and other items up off of the ground as possible. Get rid of unnecessary and unneeded items from your facility.
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Trim back vegetation. Inspect shrubs, plants, and trees that are located near your building and trim back their branches. Pests like to hide in overgrown landscaping, and use their branches as a bridge into your facility. Also, make sure to have a stone barrier between mulch or grass and your building’s foundation.