At Stanley Pest Control, we’re committed to helping local homeowners and businesses with all of their pest control needs. In honor of our 75th anniversary, we’ll be rolling out a new blog, which will be designed to help educate the local community and promote safe and effective pest management practices. We’re very excited to share our knowledge and experience we’ve developed over the past 75 years!
75 Years & 2 Generations Later
We want to start by acknowledging our loyal customers for their support over the years. Not only have our customers stuck by us for their pest control needs, but in sharing their positive experiences online, Stanley Pest Control has become a top-rated company in the Pest & Termite Control Industry. We want to express our sincere gratitude for your many years as a loyal customer. We promise to continue making you our #1 priority.
Winter Pest Management
During the winter season, we always get a lot of questions about rodent control, which is why we wanted our first post to include some strategies for combating rodents this year and how to prepare your home for treatment. You are probably reading this blog because you already know you have small, unwelcomed visitors in your home and have a technician scheduled. In the meantime, here are some proactive tasks for you to do before your technician arrives to professionally treat your home.
Eliminate their Food Sources
Food that is not being contained in a can or jar should be properly stored in plastic containers or in the fridge. The foods we primarily have in mind are cereal, chips, nuts, bread, and the ever-popular culprit for luring rodents… dry dog food. Consider purchasing a durable plastic or stainless-steel pet food container. You’ll be surprised just how many options are available to pick from!
How this benefits treatments: Many mouse traps use food as bait. By properly storing your food, you are accomplishing two things. First, you are taking away the initial food source which lured these rats or mice into your home. Second, you are removing competing food sources allowing the traps laid by your hired professionals to take effect quicker.
Track Your Mouse Sightings
Leading up to your appointment, keep a record of what mice or rat indicators you have seen and where. If you see an actual rat or mouse, make sure you note where and during what time of day. Rodents are mostly active at night, so spotting one during the day could indicate that the size of the critter family is larger than you thought.
How this benefits treatments: While your professional will have their list of places to inspect and procedures to follow, knowing the what, where, and why habits of your rat or mouse will help a tech identify the species. In identifying the species, the appropriate trap can be laid. The more information, the better!
Time for a Deep Clean
Once you think a rat or mouse has moved into your home, you tend to get a strong urge to clean. Follow that urge and wipe all of your counters, cabinets, and shelving down. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a mixture of 1 cup bleach for every 9 cups of water is highly recommended. You want a disinfectant that kills germs on contact. Please keep in mind that shelving and other surfaces must be dry prior to the arrival of your technician and any loose shelf paper needs to be removed.
How this benefits treatments:
A deep clean of the areas where you have been seeing rodents is always a positive. You are protecting yourself and loved ones from any diseases or viruses mice and rats can track into your home, as well as decreasing the chances of more critters from coming back.
By doing all or even one of these tasks, you are eliminating variables that attract mice and rats in the first place. Many of us probably feel antsy waiting for a professional to come out, so these are hands-on tasks that allow you to contribute to your rodent solution. For any questions about rodent services, Stanley Pest Control services Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties in California. We guarantee our customer’s satisfaction. Contact us today!
