
As a business owner, it’s important to keep rodents out of your commercial property. Rodents can cause serious health problems and damage your building, inventory, and brand. Rat infestations can happen quickly, leading to expensive repairs and a bad reputation. Rodents chew through wires, ruin food, and damage buildings. They can also spread diseases that affect both your employees and customers. That’s why commercial rodent exclusion is important to stop a rodent problem before it gets worse.
Here are 5 simple tips to help you prevent rodents from getting into your business. If you think you have a rodent problem, call the expert rodent exterminators at Florida Pest Control for a full inspection and customized rodent treatments. In the meantime, these easy steps can help you keep rodents away.
1. Seal Cracks and Gaps Around Your Business
One of the strongest tools you can use against rodents is rodent exclusion. This is the process of sealing up cracks and gaps in your building’s exterior to prevent rodents from getting inside. Remember that rodents don’t need a lot of space; anything they can get their head through, they can pull the rest of their body through. Also, they’re excellent chewers, so if a gap isn’t big enough, they can gnaw until it is. Their teeth are unexpectedly strong – they’re harder than human teeth and even some metals.
Expanding foam sealant isn’t enough for large gaps like the ones between floor expansion joints. As you might guess, rodent teeth won’t take long to get through it. So, for larger gaps, consider two layers of high-density foam around one layer of stainless steel mesh.
Another simpler idea is to check the weather stripping on your doors. It’s very easy for rodents to chew through it, which makes your door a very easy access point. Using door guards and sweeps could make it harder for rodents to enter.
2. Clean Up Harborage
Did you know that keeping your landscaping neat could also reduce your pest problems? That’s because keeping your trees and shrubs trimmed reduces rodent harborage – in other words, it removes potential rodent hiding places. Leaving a six-foot gap between your structure and any landscaping elements is also recommended; this removes cover that rodents could use to travel to the structure.
Even raking up leaves could reduce harborage and make your building less attractive to rodents. Pests are bad for business, whether you run a restaurant or an office building; if a potential customer sees a rodent scurrying around your building, they might just decide to take their business elsewhere.
Need a Pest Control Estimate?
Pest Control Experts You Can Trust
Leave your information below and we’ll be in touch with your FREE quote!
"*" indicates required fields
*During normal business hours. After hours inquiries will be returned the next business day.
3. Inspect Incoming Shipments
If you work in shipping and manufacturing, you know how hazardous rodents can be. They can quickly destroy inventory and contaminate food shipments. That’s why it’s important to check over each incoming shipment for signs of rodents. Even if your inventory isn’t edible, rodents may want to use it for nesting material.
Here are a few signs that an incoming shipment may have rodents hitching a ride:
- Chewing marks. Rodents have to chew almost constantly to keep their teeth from overgrowing. Even if they don’t need your inventory for food or nesting materials, they’ll still chew it.
- Droppings. Self-explanatory: rodents eat, so they’ll leave droppings behind.
- Spilled items. Since rodents chew anything they can get their teeth around, they’ll chew through packaging and spill food or small items.
Rodents are right at home just about anywhere – even on a shipping pallet. They can survive a few days without food or water, as well. It pays to inspect shipments carefully; since they reproduce so fast, even a single rodent could cause a full-scale infestation.
4. Clean Up Garbage
Rodents aren’t picky about food. Human garbage cans have everything they need: food, water, and shelter. Plus, they’re unlikely to be disturbed there – except on garbage collection day, of course. So, how do you keep rodents from setting up shop in your dumpster?
There’s a simple answer: keep a tight lid on your garbage. This prevents rodents from climbing inside and chowing down. Remember the recycling bin, too – paper, plastic, cardboard, and more are fantastic sources of nesting material.
And, of course, make sure all garbage is put into the containers and doesn’t pile up next to it. Mice and rats will gladly make a meal out of litter!
5. Monitored Traps and Maintaining Regular Inspections
Pest-monitoring traps can also help keep rodents out of your building. Place them in areas where rodents are likely to infiltrate, such as outdoor break areas, shipping-receiving areas, and parking garages.
Regularly inspecting your property for signs of rodent infestation is also an important part of prevention, but there’s only so much you can do without help from a professional. Places such as wall and ceiling voids, attics and crawl spaces, and sub-slab areas can be difficult or impossible to check without a pro – and they’re prime rodent territory.
A comprehensive inspection from the Florida Pest Control team is a great choice – even if you don’t think you have a rodent problem. Remember that prevention is easier than cure!
Count on Florida Pest Control for Rodent Control in Florida
For businesses in Florida, there’s no better choice for rodent control services than Florida Pest Control. We have all the knowledge and experience needed to help keep your business safe from the threat of pests. Whether you’re in need of a routine inspection or you’re fighting a full-fledged rodent infestation, our team is the best one for the job.
Give us a call to get started with a free quote!
Need a Pest Control Estimate?
Pest Control Experts You Can Trust
Leave your information below and we’ll be in touch with your FREE quote!
"*" indicates required fields
*During normal business hours. After hours inquiries will be returned the next business day.
Check out our rodent information and rodent identification guides for more insight into these persistent pests.
FAQs
What are the strategies for rodent control?
Effective rodent control starts with prevention. Seal cracks and gaps in walls, doors, and windows to block entry points. Keep areas clean and free of food debris, as this reduces the chances of attracting rodents. Store food in airtight containers to eliminate potential food sources. Clear clutter indoors and outdoors, as it provides hiding spots for rodents. Additionally, traps can be placed in problem areas to monitor and catch any activity.
What do professionals use for rodent control?
Professionals at Florida Pest Control use advanced techniques to manage rodents effectively. They focus on rodent exclusion by sealing entry points to prevent infestations. Bait stations are used to safely target rodents, while traps help capture them. Customized rodent treatments are applied to ensure complete extermination.
How do restaurants keep rodents away?
Restaurants take extra precautions to keep rodents away. Regular cleaning routines ensure that food debris is removed promptly, eliminating attractants. Food is stored in rodent-proof containers to prevent access. Garbage is disposed of in sealed bins to avoid creating shelter or food sources for rodents. Regular inspections help identify any signs of activity early. Many restaurants partner with Florida Pest Control for professional rodent extermination and rodent exclusion services to maintain a safe environment.