Cleanliness and appearance play a significant role in the way a business facility functions. In fact, researchers have found a link between high standards of cleanliness and increased productivity and higher work satisfaction among employees.
The cleanliness of a business premise also plays a pivotal role in how customers perceive the business. Therefore, keeping a commercial establishment clean and free of pests is very important. It also becomes an essential task for commercial facilities to consider commercial pest control services for business. Pests can be attracted to a workplace that is not kept clean and cause a lot of nuisance and spread diseases.
Here are some of the most common pests that wreak havoc in a commercial establishment:
- Rodents
Rats, mice, and other rodents are common visitors to commercial properties. But the chances of an infestation don’t only depend on how clean you keep your premises; it also depends on the location, neighboring properties, and if your property is in good structural condition.
Being aware of these three factors will help you create a proper pest control plan to manage rats, mice, and other rodents common to your area. It is really important to manage a rodent infestation, because rodents are carriers of diseases and can cause a lot of structural damage to your property.
- Flies
Flies are not only a nuisance, but they can carry pathogens that spread harmful diseases, including cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.
If your commercial property’s location and neighboring properties have created an environment that attracts lots of flies, the simple solution is prevention.
It’s important to keep windows shut and rely on the HVAC system to maintain indoor ambient temperature.
Also, make sure your trash, especially organic trash like food is not exposed and is kept sealed and disposed of on a regular basis.
- Cockroaches
Cockroaches, especially German cockroaches, gravitate to a place that has a warm, humid atmosphere and food debris. A small number of cockroaches can turn into a huge infestation in just a matter of a few days, and roaches bring many bacterial infections with them wherever they live and travel.
- Birds
Birds are attracted to a property because of leftover food debris and a place to build their nests. Many bird problems can occur if they nest in commercial premises. Other than scaring people off, birds also transmit more than a lot of diseases. In addition, bird droppings are acidic and can cause irreparable damage to the rooftop, walkways, and your building’s structure like wood, cement, and metals.
The best way to handle a bird infestation is with protective bird netting, spikes, and flash tape that scares off birds with the sunlight reflected from a mylar tape surface.
- Night flying insects
Night flying insects like moths can make their way into a commercial building at night if they’re attracted to the facility lighting through open doors, windows, and cracks. Though they’re nothing more than a nuisance, a way to keep moths out is to seal the windows and cracks in the property. - Beetles
Your property might be susceptible to a beetle infestation if it has shipments and deliveries that are regularly brought in; and a humid and warm atmosphere. A good way to keep these pests out would be to seal cracks and crevices and install door sweeps to prevent these pests and many others from crawling under the doors. - Ants
Carpenter ants are a common problem at commercial properties if there are lots of parking lots and walkways nearby. Your commercial property can be a source of warmth, food, or water.
How to prevent common pests in commercial facilities:
- Ask your cleaning service to keep the bathroom and kitchen clean and dry. Make sure any spill or water leakage is dealt with as soon as possible.
- A warm, humid atmosphere attracts a large number of pests like cockroaches, rodents, and ants. Plus, damaged and damp wood can attract more ants and other pests.
- Inspect containers coming in and out of the facility for pests, and dispose of suspicious packaging from outside immediately.
- Get rid of clutter on the property.
- Empty the trash can often, and ensure they’re tightly sealed to prevent pests from entering them and lingering into your property.
The most important preventive measure you can take is to schedule regular preventive pest management services from a licensed expert. It is better to take preventive measures since pests can wreak havoc on the structural composition of your building and also endanger the health of your employees.
