How To Keep Your Commercial Property Free From Pests

Finding the occasional spider in your basement or a mouse in your garage is one thing, but when pests invade your business, office, or rental property, they can cost you money. It takes time to eradicate the pests, which could deter renters or customers from patronizing your company. In the age of online reviews, one bad review relating to pest problems could have disastrous consequences. Fortunately, there’s something you can do about it. In addition to employing TruGreen’s commercial pest control services, you can follow these best practices to discourage pests from coming in.

Best Practices For Commercial Pest Control

Keep Things Neat And Tidy

Pests like a mess! It gives them a way to travel unnoticed and hide quickly if disturbed. If you own a restaurant or catering business, a messy kitchen is an open invitation to pests. Be sure to sanitize counters and mop frequently. This will get rid of crumbs and will diminish the scent of food. Make sure trash and recycling are emptied regularly so that their contents don’t begin to rot. Even if no outdoor pests get in, you’ve probably seen how quickly fruit flies will swarm when the garbage is ripe.

Avoid Propping Open Entryways

When there’s a nice breeze, it’s tempting to prop open the door and enjoy it. Unfortunately, you’ll be letting in more than just a breeze. Critters like mice and rats will take full advantage of the wide-open space, as will bugs. If possible, consider installing air curtains, sliding doors, or revolving doors. This will not only keep pests out, but it will also keep the air-conditioned cool indoors. Also, be sure to periodically inspect your doors and windows for loose seals, gaps, holes in the screen, or other openings that shouldn’t be there. Pests will take advantage of even the tiniest nooks and crannies, so if you find one you can plug, plug it!

Keep Waste Bins Closed

This might seem like a no-brainer, but if you’ve got a building with dozens of tenants, you know how quickly the trash or recycle bin can fill up. Make sure the lids are always secured. Otherwise, you will likely have a mouse, rat, or cockroach infestation in no time at all. If your business deals with sugary foods – like candy, soda, etc. – consider installing a fly or wasp trap near the garbage bins as well. These devices typically have a reservoir full of sugar water – the very thing those bugs are after – that sits at the bottom of an hour-glass like container. Once bugs find their way in, they can’t get back out. They will eventually grow tired of flying, fall in the sugar water, and die. It’s an effective way to keep bees, wasps, and flies under control, and it protects you and your staff at the same time. You don’t want anyone to get stung while taking out the trash.

Put Lighting To Your Defense

If your business isn’t open 24 hours, don’t leave your exterior lights on. For one thing, you’ll save money on the electricity bill. For another, your business won’t be as attractive to pests. Many bugs are attracted to lights, so by leaving unnecessary lights on, your business is like a homing beacon for them. Now with all that in mind, lighting is, of course necessary for security purposes. We aren’t suggesting you sacrifice safety to prevent bugs. But when it’s safe to do so, try extinguishing the lights and see if you notice fewer pests.

Another great way to prevent pests and save money is by switching to LED bulbs. Interestingly, LED bulbs are far less attractive to bugs because they don’t emit as much heat as traditional incandescent. LEDs also emit next to no UV light – another bug attractant. And it just so happens that by making the switch to LED bulbs, you’ll save on the utility bill too!

Install Pest-Repelling Plants

There are many flowers and shrubs that produce scents that drive bugs crazy. Fortunately, many of them are highly attractive to humans! They include plants like:

• Basil
• Lavender
• Thyme
• Mint
• Lemongrass
• Chrysanthemums

By opting to have these plants grow on your commercial property, you’ll once again kill two birds with one stone. Pests will be less inclined to stay, and your curb appeal will increase. Studies have shown that curb appeal can affect your property by as much as 14%.

Call A Commercial Pest Control Company

The absolute best way to ensure your property is pest-free is to call in the help of TruGreen. We offer commercial pest control that is customizable to fit your needs. Using our state-of-the-art equipment, we’ll create a protective perimeter around your business or rental property. Our staff will also offer guidance on keeping pests out in the future and any problems that should be addressed.

Find Commercial Pest Control Near New Orleans

TruGreen Midsouth is pleased to offer commercial pest control services to customers in the New Orleans metro area, as well as Baton Rouge. In Mississippi, we service properties near Oxford and Tupelo. If you’d like to learn more about our program or would like to schedule an appointment, give us a call at the following:

For service in Mississippi, call us at 662-330-1330 or visit our Mississippi Facebook page here.

For service in Louisiana, please call 1-225-465-0665 or visit our Louisiana office Facebook page here.

You can also reach us online through our contact form here. Don’t forget to check out our blog page for more articles on maintaining a healthy and pest-free property!