Rodents, in particular mice and rats, are one of the most common pests found in the office environment. Even the most prestigious locations such as Class-A office buildings happen to be invaded by rodents. As a company, protecting your employees and goods, but also clients, from these pests is your priority. You want to preserve your company’s reputation and give a top-notch impression. If there are any visible signs of pest activity on your premises, there’s a high possibility that rodents have already invaded your building. In this case, it’s recommended to immediately contact a reliable pest and wildlife control company in your area. They will come and investigate it further.
Rodent infestations create an unsafe environment for employees and clients. Rodents are responsible for the spread of parasites and viruses, and carry about 70 diseases that can endanger or even kill people. Diseases such as Hantavirus, Leptospirosis, Rat Bite Fever, and Salmonella are spread to humans through contact with droppings, urine, or even scratches and bites.
While a professional rodent exterminator can solve all your rodent control problems, you and your employees can take some steps to prevent rodent infestations from occuring in the workplace.
Keep reading to learn what are the most important rodent prevention measures to take in the office environment.
Clean Up Inside Regularly
Rodents are easily attracted to places that provide them with water, food, and shelter. These pests can be tempted by food and debris that is left unattended behind in the building. A busy shared kitchen, sandwiches left in the conference room, or even just a hardworking employee who eats their lunch at the desk can be a magnet for rodents. Therefore, it’s crucial to reduce the lure. Keeping the workplace nice and tidy can go a long way in preventing mice and rats in the office.
Encourage your employees to clean up their desks at the end of the day and wipe down areas where food was kept. Ask them to keep any food in the kitchen rather than at their workstations, or if kept in the office, they should store their food in pest-resistant containers with airtight lids. Make sure that cakes, cookies, and other employee-shared snacks are not left out overnight as these can be very attractive to rodents. Additionally, if you can have a cleaning company come out regularly to clean the office, this is ideal.
Avoid Spillage And Leaks
Any product spills need to be cleaned up right away. Also, rodent water sources must be dried up, which means repairing leaky faucets or pipes indoors.
Manage Waste
Store all rubbish, particularly food waste, in metal or hard plastic containers that are resistant to gnawing. Place all outdoor garbage bins at a significant distance from the building to keep these uninvited guests away.
Eliminate all possible sources of food, water, and shelter. This way you can repel the rodents and create an environment they don’t want to be in.
Clean Up Outside
To eliminate easy sources of food, maintain garbage areas clean and keep garbage bin lids closed. Remove piles of debris or storage that could serve as places for nesting or shelter. Prune shrubs growing on the property, cut back tree limbs overhanging the roof and vines hanging on the building in order to prevent overhead entries to the building.
Check Equipment Regularly
Because rodents tend to gnaw on practically everything, even your electrical wires and equipment is at risk. So inspect your facility regularly and thoroughly. Check that the equipment is not damaged and keep it clean at all times.
Rodent Exclusion
Take preemptive measures to keep rodents out of your building. Inspect openings and utility entries to identify potential animal entry points. Seal and block any cracks of 1/4 inch or larger and fix the gaps. Close or seal up holes on the roof.
Keep in mind that even the tiniest hole can be a gateway for rats and mice. Rats can squeeze through a 1-inch opening, while mice are able to get through a gap as small as a dime.
Keep The Door Closed
Make sure that doors, especially entrance doors, and windows are not being left open unnecessarily. Try to keep the door closed at all times, unless there is a delivery or when your employees come and go.
Professional Pest Control
The best way to prevent pest infestations in your company is to hire pest and wildlife experts who can do regular monitoring and maintenance of the building. They will regularly come and spray to keep rodents, insects, and other pests away.
Apart from the preventative treatments, they can identify risk areas and early signs of infestation. As it depends on the industry you’re in, your business location, and the building itself, your need for commercial pest control services may vary.
Prevention is key, however, if you find that you already have mice or rats, contact our team at Peachtree Pest Control in Atlanta, GA, as soon as possible. We offer various commercial services that also include rodent control and extermination. We pride ourselves on being a dependable, local company that you can trust to provide your company with a comfortable, pest-free work environment. Call us anytime for a free quote!