If you are like most people, you probably don't enjoy hunting down spiders, rodents, and creepy-looking beetles, and decide to leave the exterminating to the professionals. Instead of sticking around to watch how your problem is treated, many people skip off to the mall or go out to lunch, leaving their exterminator to fend for themselves. Unfortunately, getting rid of bugs should be a joint effort between you and your pest control specialist, like one from Cavanaugh's Professional Termite & Pest Services. Here are two ways to help your exterminator to do his job, so that your treatment is more effective.
After you have set up an appointment with your exterminator, you might feel like you have done your job regarding pest control. However, if you are serious about eradicating bugs, there are a few things that you should do before your pest control professional ever steps into your home.
Record Pest Activity: Professional exterminators use different chemicals to target different pests. For example, traveling pests like spiders might be treated with a residual pesticide, which can stick around for up to a year so that pests have time to track through the area. If you want to make the most of your treatment, carefully record pest activity. Write down descriptions of bugs or spiders, their usual hiding spots, and the time of day that you notice them. Any information that you can give your professional can help him to use the right pesticide.
Remove Obstacles: When your exterminator encounters obstacles like furniture pieces and piles of papers, your treatment might be less effective because professionals can't treat certain areas. In order to help your exterminator, go through your home and remove any objects that might get in their way. Pull furniture away from the walls, and eliminate clutter before experts arrive.
Vacuum Everywhere: To help pesticide to adhere to your carpet and stick to your walls, thoroughly vacuum your home. Use hose attachments to remove dust and debris around baseboards, underneath furniture, and in front of doorways.
Not only will preparing your home help your exterminator to be more effective, but it might also give your professional more time to treat your space. When exterminators don't have to interview you about the problems that you have been dealing with or move heavy furniture, they might have more time to target trouble spots.
To keep bugs from coming back, most exterminators will issue homeowners special instructions before they leave. Although you might be tempted to ignore these directions, the fact of the matter is that not paying attention can cost you. Here are a few guidelines that exterminators might issue, and how they can help your treatment to be effective.
Timeframe: If your pest control professional gives you instructions regarding how long you need to leave areas untouched, follow his instructions to the letter of the law. Some pesticides need time to dry or set before they can be effective. If liquid is mopped up or items are moved around, you might be destroying the pesticide perimeter that your exterminator worked so hard to develop.
Daily Behavioral Changes: As your exterminator treats your home, they might notice homeowner habits or problems with your home that can be aggravating your bug problem. For example, if your family has a tough time remembering to throw away food wrappers or clean up dropped crumbs, it could be attracting pests. If your exterminator mentions habits that could be making your bug problem worse, try not to take offense, and implement the recommended changes right away.
Being proactive and taking the time to familiarize yourself with pest control treatments can help your exterminator to be more effective the first time around.