Tips For Preventing Pests In Your Office
An office may not seem like a target for pests, like ants, roaches, or mice, but even the most sterile of cubicle farms can attract unwanted visitors. The results can be severe since rodents can chew through wires, and both rodent and insect pests can create unsanitary messes in files and other locations in the business. The following tips can help you keep the pests out of your business.
Tip #1: Create a candy policy
It's common practice in many offices to have a bowl of candy sitting on a desk. Unfortunately, candy can attract foraging pests. One way to counteract this is to institute a candy policy – all desktop treats must be kept in glass jars with screw top lids. This will keep both bugs and mice out. If your staff is reluctant to follow this policy, consider providing jars for them to use so they don't have to purchase their own.
Tip #2: Manage cubicle snacks
Many employees keep snacks in desk drawers, which can also invite pest problems. It can be impossible to break this habit, especially since staff can be worried about their items "disappearing" from the break room. Make it a rule that all food items need to be kept in a sealed plastic container. You can even keep clean containers in the break room for employees to use if they forget to bring their own. The plastic doesn't just keep insects out, it also prevents the odor from attracting other pests, like rodents.
Tip #3: Empty the waste baskets
The waste basket can also attract pests, especially if food wrappers are tossed inside. Get everyone in the habit of emptying their private waste baskets daily. If you have an office cleaning service, make sure the waste baskets are on the daily task list. The break room trash must also go out since this will be the location most likely to bring in problems.
Tip #4: Stay crumb-free
Break room surfaces need to be wiped down at the end of every business day and the floors need to be swept to make sure there are no crumbs to attract pests. If you don't have a daily cleaning service, then you will need to rotate this task through the staff. It's also a good idea to have an office vacuum, even if you have a cleaning crew. This way staff members can perform a quick clean-up of any food crumbs in their cubicle in case things get messy between janitorial visits.
For more help in avoiding or getting rid of pests, contact a commercial pest control service (such as Tri-County Termite & Pest Control) in your area.