According to various international studies, one of the biggest concerns of homeowners around the world when dealing with pest problems is the harmful effects that pest control chemicals could have as a result of pest eradication. For anyone with a family this is an obvious concern, however what steps can one take in order to reduce the risks of the above scenario?
No one likes dealing with household pest problems so it’s a common reaction to call pest removal experts immediately once you realise that you have a problem. With this in mind, there are some precautions that you’ll want to take before and after the pest removal men treat your home, as the chemicals they use may be harmful.
To keep yourself, your family and your household pets safe, here are several easy and simple precautions to take:
Clean the House
This is usually done both before and after the pest removal men have gone. Put away all of your food items and silverware, or anything else that may come into contact with your mouth – bug spray could also be harmful to your body if ingested. If the pests are in your cupboards, you’ll need to find another place to store all your things, perhaps in a distant room or even another house if your place needs extensive treatment.
Protect the Children
The chemicals that pest removal men use can be dangerous to everyone however they’re especially dangerous to children, so you’ll want to make sure your children are safe. Make sure they aren’t in the same room as the pests or don’t go outside while the contractors are doing their job. The same applies to pets—keep them and their food items safe and excluded from the area’s that are infected with pests. Just as you did with your plates and silverware, relocate their food and water bowls to a different area.
Avoid the Area
This is the biggest (and easiest to implement) safety precaution to follow. While most removal processes might only take a couple hours, others might require days, so in the time that the pest removal men are at your home, keep as far away as possible, and sometimes this means leaving your house. If it’s just for a few hours, move everyone from your family to a nearby park for a nice day outside.
In certain situations it may be acceptable to stay indoors, for example if the pest problem is extremely localised such as in the attic space. Attic pest infestations are very common (especially in colder climates) and are actually very easy to deal with.
Some bigger projects might require days to solve the problem so you’ll need to arrange the situation beforehand. Just ask a friend or nearby relative—they’d probably be willing to help!
Bat Removal
Bats are one of the more serious pest problems that homeowners face and it’s recommended to call professionals immediately if you find you have a bat infestation within your home. As it’s illegal to poison or kill bats in most countries, the process of removal can take up to 3 weeks in the worst cases so plan ahead and make arrangements to stay elsewhere while they are being removed. For more information on how to deal with bat infestations and problems, read this guide on bat removal from attic spaces.
Bat are one of the bigger problems homeowners face and you’ll want to have them eradicated as soon as possible. Take some clean and bedbug-free clothes with you and stay out of the house for a couple days until treatement is complete; you wouldn’t want to be sleeping with bedbugs around anyway!
Termite Removal
If you’re experiencing termite infestation, your pest removal efforts may take quite a while. Typically, you may even expect that you’ll have to leave the area for three to four days while your home is fumigated. Termites are a serious pest and getting rid of them requires time and money, however it’ll be worth it in the long run.
Communicate
Finally, the most important piece of advice that we could give you is: communicate with the company. Talk to them about exactly what they intend to do as they may have suggestions for you that come in handy. Some services will have different preferences or requirements, and safety often varies with the type of pest they’re working with. If you keep up the communication and remember these quick tips, you’ll be able to keep you and your family safe from any harmful substances, chemicals and pest problems.
