If your home had been infested with pests like rodents or insects, you know how big of a nightmare it can become. Depending on the severity of the infestation your only choice may be to hire an experienced pest removal professionals.
Pests like flies, rats, spiders, and cockroaches can be a tremendous nuisance. Not only do insects scare over 25% of all US citizens according to Chapman University studies, but they can also be almost impossible to get rid of unless it’s with the help of a professional.
Pest Control Pros services can help you eliminate termites, bugs, rats and other creepy-crawlies from your home. However, in order to do that, pest control pros use a variety of strong chemicals. Depending on the products they use, they may leave a lot of strong odors and even be harmful to your pets (a professional company will always let you know if that is something you need to be careful about).
So the question we often get is how do I clean my home after a pest control treatment. Do I just need to wait or hire a professional cleaning company like My Cleaning Angel? In this article, we are going to explain what you need to do after a pest control treatment.
Are There Any Side-Effects to Pest Control Treatments
First things first, many people often ask “is pest control dangerous for pets or humans?” Contrary to popular belief, the chemicals aren’t dangerous or extremely poisonous to humans.
However, all the chemicals are poisonous to a certain degree. In fact, the majority of these products is not lethal to humans, at least not in the quantity used during pest control treatments.
People allergic to certain components of these chemicals could be more sensitive to these treatments and should stay outdoors for a while. Once the odors clear out, it is safe for them to return home.
The side-effects of a pest control treatment could include:
• Respiratory issues
• Throat irritation
• Dizziness
• Watery or itchy eyes
• Skin Rashes
• Persistent itchy skin
Even though they are extremely rare, in case you exhibit any of these symptoms after a pest control treatment, make sure to see a doctor just to be on the safe side. Needless to say, pregnant women should stay away from their home until the pest control company establishes it’s safe to return.
Do Not Come Back Before You are Told
If the pest control company asked you to leave your home and not come back until a specific time, make sure you respect that time. In this case, the company may have used some products that could be harmful to your family or pets. Since these chemicals need to sit for a while in order to be effective, you shouldn’t come back home before you are told it’s safe to.
Throw Away Any Food You’ve Left Outside
If you unintentionally left any food outside before the pest control treatment, make sure to throw everything away. These could be snacks you left on the table, fresh fruit in the bowl or the leftover cake from someone’s birthday. If it was out in the open during the treatment, it is very likely contaminated and can be bad for your health.
Do Not Clean Right Away
Pest control professionals will never leave a mess in your home, so there is no need to sweep, dust or mop the area right away. If you wipe the surfaces sprayed with the chemicals like the flooring, you may actually make the treatment less effective.
The pest control company will let you know when it’s safe to clean your home or which areas you should avoid cleaning. In any case, avoid deep home cleaning at least for a week after the treatment.
Wear Protection When Cleaning
When you do get to cleaning your apartment, make sure you wear protective, disposable gloves when handling the affected areas. You should avoid touching anything with your bare hands, even if you are unwrapping the items from their protective covers.
Deep Clean the Apartment
After a certain amount of time has passed, which is usually a week, you can deep clean your home to eliminate any chemical residue and pest leftovers from your home. Make sure to open the windows and doors to get the fresh air in and the odors out of your home. Wipe down all the surfaces, steam-clean the carpets and upholstery and replace your bedsheets.