Tips For Controlling Rodents In Your Store
If your business building is part of a strip mall, especially one with a restaurant, you'll probably have to battle rodents sooner or later. Even if your store is not cluttered and remains free from food, rodents are attracted to nesting material and shelter. Once they know a food source is nearby, such as a dumpster near a restaurant or grocery store, then the pests will be an ongoing problem that you don't want your customers to know about. Here are some ways to control rodents in your store.
Make Sure The Building Is Sealed
The owner of the strip mall should take steps to keep rodents under control by hiring a pest control company. However, you still want to make sure the rodents can't get inside your section of building. Seal all gaps the rodents could wiggle through and be careful about leaving a door to your store open all the time, especially at dusk or dawn when rodents are more active.
Keep Traps Set Inside
Rodent traps serve a couple of purposes. For one, they catch rodents that are in the area and for another, they alert you to the presence of the pests when you may not even realize they're around. You can leave a couple of traps set in secure places in the store so you can monitor for rodents that come out at night when you're away. You can use snap traps, glue traps, or electric traps. Since you may not need many traps, the electric ones will be easier for you and your employees to deal with since all you have to do is dump out the dead rodent once it's been electrocuted.
Use Professional Traps Outdoors
If the company you lease from doesn't provide rodent control, then it's a good idea to hire a pest control company yourself to get rid of rats that get close to your building outdoors. Professional traps are discreet so you won't have to worry about your customers seeing dead or injured rats around your store. The pest control company like Select Pest Control can set them, monitor the traps, and then empty them when needed and save you from the worry of dealing with the pests.
In addition to these steps, you'll also want to make your store as unappealing to the rodents as possible. Try using peppermint essential oil or other blends that are said to repel rodents. Make sure employees don't leave food out overnight in the kitchen area. If you sell food, you should probably seal it at night when you leave the store. Also, be alert to signs of rodent activity outside and inside your store. This includes looking for rodent droppings and trails. If you take steps to prevent a rodent infestation or get rid of it early, then you won't have to worry about a customer seeing a mouse or rat in your store.