Spotting a cockroach scurrying around your home or finding rodent droppings in your garage is unsettling for any homeowner. Pests pose significant health risks, such as carrying infectious diseases and chewing through wiring in your home, and can quickly become challenging to treat on your own.
We recommend contacting an exterminator as soon as possible to give pests less time to reproduce and spread throughout your home. Once you’ve called a professional pest control company, it’s important to prepare your home so the exterminator can do their job effectively. Take the following steps to help exterminators tackle your home’s pest problem quickly and efficiently.
Preparing for a Pest Control Visit
Preparing for a pest control visit can save time and minimize costs. Taking certain steps can help ensure the exterminator can effectively treat your home, maximizing your chances of the pests leaving. The checklist below outlines recommended tasks before your exterminator arrives.
Clean Your Home
Cleaning your home helps exterminators effectively treat infected areas and eliminates food and water sources that may attract pests. We recommend deep cleaning your kitchen, storing food items in sealed containers, disinfecting trash bins, and wiping down counters. Removing debris, grime, and dirt also makes it easier for you and the extermination team to spot recent pest activity.
Fix Water Leaks
Like any critter, pests require a water source, and many come into our homes looking for one. Take some time to inspect your home for dripping faucets, standing water, leaking water lines, and any other potential water sources that may attract pests. This step discourages pests from sticking around if they can’t easily access water.
Move Furniture and Declutter
Take some time to move furniture away from the walls, as pest professionals typically treat baseboards, corners, and walls. Then, clear as much clutter as possible by putting away any items on your counters or floors. We also recommend recycling boxes, disposing of trash, and decluttering your home, as these areas are common hiding spots for pests.
Help Your Exterminator Get Inside
While it’s not always safe to remain in your house during pest control treatments, you may need to meet your exterminator beforehand to give them access to your home. The exterminator may also need help getting into hard-to-access areas, such as crawl spaces or attics. It’s important to explain the layout of your home, either during initial assessments or on the day of your treatment.
Relocate Pets and Small Children
Most extermination companies offer pet-safe and eco-friendly pest treatment options, but you may still choose to remove your pets and family during treatment. Some treatments, such as fumigation and tenting, require vacating your home completely for a set period of time. Ask your exterminator about how long you should keep pets or children out of the house, or if it’s safe to stay in a room away from the treatment area.
Depending on the type of infestation, consider taking your pet to the vet to check for pests, such as fleas or ticks, and have your vet address the issue.
Questions To Ask an Exterminator
In addition to researching pest control companies and methods, we recommend asking exterminators the following questions to ensure they can properly address your needs.
- Are you licensed and insured?
- Does your company offer guarantees or warranties?
- What kinds of pests do you specialize in treating?
- How do you approach pest control?
- Do you offer eco-friendly and pet-safe treatments?
- Can you provide references?
- What is the expected timeline for resolving my home’s pest problem?
- Can you provide a written contract?
- What is your cost and payment structure for treatments?
- How will you treat pests in my home and keep them from returning?
Double-check that your exterminator is both licensed and insured, and that the company offers a warranty or guarantee that protects you in case pests return to your home. Asking about the exterminator’s experience is also important, especially when it comes to treating the specific pest you’re dealing with. We also recommend looking for companies that offer an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach, which combines multiple treatments and preventive measures, such as pesticides, traps, and blocking entry points.
What To Do After a Pest Control Visit
Depending on the pest control treatment, you may notice a lingering odor after the exterminator leaves your house. Double-check with the exterminator to confirm the smell is normal and ask when it’s safe to resume regular household cleaning. After a pest control expert has treated your home, take the following steps to improve the chances of pests not returning to your house.
Follow Your Exterminator’s Instructions
Your exterminator should instruct you on how long to let the treatment set and how long to stay out of the home. Depending on your home and the pest in question, the pest control company may recommend additional steps to prevent critters from returning, such as sealing cracks and fixing leaks. Weather stripping and caulking are common recommendations to keep pests from reentering your home.
Keep Up With Cleaning
Pest management is all about removing potential attractants, such as food and water. If you left any food out during the treatment, discard these items to avoid exposure to chemicals. Continue to clean your home regularly to prevent crumbs from accumulating over time, and avoid leaving paper or boxes around. Many pests use paper and cardboard boxes as nesting materials or as food sources.
Take additional precautions to keep food covered and your garbage tightly sealed to prevent pests from invading these possible food sources. Vacuuming and steaming furniture are other effective ways to address pests, such as bed bugs or carpet beetles.
Watch for Signs of Pests
Different treatments require varying amounts of time to effectively treat the pests. Your exterminator should provide you with an estimate of how long it takes for the treatment to take effect. Keep in mind that pest activity may ramp up for a short period following a treatment. After the expected treatment window, watch for signs of pests returning, such as damage to your home or droppings. If you spot pests after the treatment, follow up with your pest control provider for another appointment.
Is Professional Extermination Worth It?
Yes, professional pest control is often worth it to protect your home and your family’s health. Pests can cause home damage, significant health problems such as triggering asthma and allergy symptoms, and spread infectious diseases and bacteria. While you can usually handle a few ants with an over-the-counter bait station or chemical spray, pest infestations can spread quickly.
The longer you wait to address a pest problem with professional extermination, the larger an infestation can grow, meaning treatment will likely cost more. While working with a professional is more expensive up-front, the experience that exterminators bring along with professional-grade tools and treatments is worth it to remove pests from your home.
FAQs About Preparing for an Exterminator
Should I clean before an exterminator comes?
Yes, you should clean before an exterminator comes to treat your home. Routine cleaning is essential for pest prevention, as many pests are attracted to our homes due to crumbs, food, trash, and residue buildup. Cleaning your home before the exterminator comes can also help with spotting fresh pest activity.
Do I need to move my furniture for pest control?
Yes, you should move furniture for pest control to allow your exterminator to treat hard-to-access areas. Exterminators frequently place traps or spray along the baseboards and corners of rooms. We recommend moving furniture away from the walls in infected areas, such as couches, beds, and dressers.
What is the hardest pest to get rid of?
Termites, bed bugs, cockroaches, and rodents are some of the hardest pests to get rid of. Rodents, termites, and cockroaches reproduce rapidly, while bed bugs and termites are experts at hiding, making them challenging to spot. These pests are often resistant to many pesticides, requiring repeat visits from an exterminator and multiple tactics to eliminate them.
