Al Ittihad Road, Dubai, UAE
Did you recently engage a pest control company for pest extermination? While getting rid of pests from your home or office comes as a great relief, cleaning up after pest control treatment can be a cumbersome process after a pest control treatment. But then it is a crucial step since your health and well-being depends on it.
After all, you would also wish to get rid of the remaining chemicals or pesticides in your house that killed those pests. You do not want to unknowingly touch them or ingest them. Specially in households with little children, cleaning after a pest treatment is a crucial step.
But do not jump the gun. Some treatments require certain time to pass before you grab that mop and broom. So how do you go about it? Well, here’s a step by step guide to help you with your post pest control treatment cleaning.
Before you start cleaning up after pest control treatment
Wait for the Recommended Time:
In order to ensure the treatment turns out to effective and safe you must follow your pest control company’s instructions on how long to wait before moving into the treated area. If you were asked to leave the house for the duration of the time of treatment, either because of young children or the nature of treatment, then it is safer to let a few days go by before entering your premises. If your pest controller asked you to wait 2 days before entering, I would recommend wait day extra. No harm be patient, right?
Let some air in before you let yourself in:
Before you move back in, go to your house an hour in advance and open all windows and doors to provide proper ventilation to all rooms. That will help dissipate any lingering odor or smell from the pesticide that was used in the treatment.
Cleaning Steps
Wear Protective Gear:
This may sound a bit over the top but trust me extra precaution goes a long way. Before you touch anything in your house or office, wear gloves, a mask, safety goggles. This will ensure you remain protected from harmful residual chemicals during the entire period of the cleaning process.
Dispose of unwanted stuff:
Did you cover your furniture and counter tops with protective covers or those old bed sheets? This is the time to dispose of them. Put them in a garbage disposal bag and put them in the community trash bins outside your premises.
Wipe Down floors and counter-top:
Now comes the tough part. You need to clean all exposed surfaces like floor, counter tops, shelves etc. very carefully. You can use damp clothes and mild soap to accomplish this. But make sure you use different wash cloths for cleaning the floor and for cleaning the kitchen area. If your washrooms can be cleaned with water, then make sure you clean your bathrooms with good amounts of water and some mild disinfectant.
Clean Kitchen Items:
Cleaning kitchen utensil should be done very cleverly. Those items that can go in the dishwasher, should definitely be put there. For others, use warm water and mild soap.
Wipe the kitchen counter tops with soap and water using a clean cloth. Take a separate cloth and wipe down the pantry shelves a couple of time to ensure no residues remain.
Cleaning other items:
If you didn’t remove your curtains before the treatment, you must take it down now and send it over to your laundry or dry cleaners. You must vacuum your carpets and sofas thoroughly. Carpet and Sofas may need shampooing if you pest control company so suggests. Clean your vacuum well after using it.
Check and Clean Appliances:
Your microwaves, oven top, refrigerator and any other appliance that stayed behind during the treatment need to be wiped cleaned. Even if they had been covered during the time of pest control, it is a good idea to clean them anyway.
Air Filters:
Inspect your HVAC system’s air filters and replace them if necessary. This will ensure all airborne chemicals and debris have been duly removed.
What to do after cleaning?
- Keep an eye out for pests- Do monitor for any remaining pest activity a couple of days after the cleaning. Hopefully all pests must have been exterminated after the treatment. In the unlikely event they were not, do contact your service provider for further action.
- Future Infestations: It is always a good idea to take preventive steps such as sealing cracks and entry points, storing food in airtight containers, and maintaining over all cleanliness in your home and surrounding areas to avoid future infestations.
- Follow Up with the Pest Control Company: Ask the pest control company for specific cleaning instructions based on the chemicals and methods they used. They might have additional recommendations for ensuring safety and effectiveness.
It is important to note here, that sometimes people start cleaning much before they should have. What happens then is that the efficacy of the treatment goes down. The treatment should remain in place for it to work properly on the pests. These pests not only ingest these chemicals but they also help in carrying these back to other pests hiding away in those corners and crevices. This process will take time. If you clean away the chemicals early on, then the pests will return pretty soon.
By following these steps, you can ensure your home is clean and safe after a pest control treatment, while also taking measures to prevent future pest issues.