Your home can avoid future pest infestations and get rid of current ones by getting pest control treatment. However, there is unavoidably some chemical residue left behind. Many homeowners are left wondering if they still need to clean after the pest control professional leaves because of this.
In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about what to do after pest control treatment is completed.
Should I Clean the House After Pest Control? (Easily Explained)
Should I clean the house after pest control? A lot of homeowners who want to protect their families have asked themselves this question. The short answer is it depends on what your pest control expert told you. To reach a healthy decision, it’s critical to keep in mind what cleaning guidelines, suggestions, or counsel your pest control expert gave you.
It’s important to clean your home after using a pesticide, particularly if you have dogs and toddlers who are always crawling all over the place. However, it is also imperative that you adhere to the precise cleaning instructions provided by your pest control specialist, including any advice not to clean.
So, even if you feel the need to do some cleaning on your own, you should keep your focus on floor surfaces, doorknobs, and frequently touched areas, rather than the whole house.
Do not forget that for the pests to encounter, consume, or carry the pest treatment back to their nests, it must continue to remain in its intended place: the longer the product remains where it should be, the more effective it is and the better the results.
Should any portion be eliminated, the actual benefits of the pest management solution may not be felt, which implies your pest problem might not be dealt with quickly or at all.
Since each pest treatment is unique, cleaning after them should be done accordingly as well. To find out more about some specific cases of cleaning guidelines that follow pest control treatments, keep reading below.
Ways to Clean Up Following a Bed Bug Treatment
It may take several treatments to eradicate a bed bug infestation, and it’s crucial that the bed bugs come into contact with the treatment by moving around the area. That is why it’s crucial to avoid deep cleaning when eliminating bed bugs.
Keep in mind that bed bugs burrow deeper into baseboard cracks and crevices when their harborage sites are disturbed by cleaning. This lessens the likelihood that they will get bed bug treatment and end up dead.
Ways to Clean Up Following a Cockroach Treatment
To assess the effectiveness of the initial treatment and the severity of the cockroach infestation, a pest technician will place insect monitors in strategic locations within a home or business before implementing a bait program to eradicate a cockroach infestation in the kitchen.
So, you should be wary of disturbing the locations of these monitors while you are cleaning.
However, as long as you do not disrupt the treated areas you do not need to be wary of doing some cleaning. Since you must continue to use your kitchen during this time, the removal of cockroaches will require several treatments anyway.
It’s okay to reinstall your dishes in treated cupboards as long as you do so with the lip facing upward to prevent any parts of the dishes or glasses that come into contact with your mouth or hands from touching the treated surfaces.
Just remember to avoid using water or cleaning products to clean cabinets or backsplashes as this will physically remove the treatment that the cockroach exterminator has applied.
Ways to Clean Up Following a Spider Treatment
Vacuuming and sweeping up dead spiders is acceptable after interior spider treatment, but it’s crucial to keep baseboards clear. Here is the area where the treatment is applied; sweeping and vacuuming too closely to them will eliminate some or all of the spider treatment.
Ways to Clean Up Following a Rodent Treatment
With mice and rats, the treatment may not take effect right away, so you might still find live rodents, urine, and droppings. It’s also possible to come across a dead mouse or rat. Their bodily remains, whether alive or dead, as well as their excrement and urine, can carry and spread bacteria and disease, so it’s crucial to clean these carefully.
However, you must exercise caution when cleaning up during and after a rodent infestation to avoid coming into contact with any rodents directly and to stop bacteria and viruses from spreading.
That is why you should not forget to put on a mask and gloves for protection. Using a respirator face mask, protective eyewear, rubber boots, or shoe covers to cover your shoes may be necessary, depending on the extent of the infestation and the items you find in your house or place of business.
Additionally, when cleaning up urine and droppings from floors, carpets, cupboards, pantries, and other surfaces, use damp cloths and disinfectant cleaners.
How Soon Can I Clean Up Following Pest Control Treatment?
It basically depends on the treatment that has been applied.
The typical drying time for pest control is two to four hours. Nevertheless, the kind and quantity of pesticide used will determine this. It could take longer for the chemicals to dry if a lot of pesticide was used. A pest spray, however, will finish in 25 to 30 minutes to dry.
After the application is made, the technician will also be in a better position to provide you with an estimate.
What Type of Cleaning Can I Do After Pest Control?
After pest control, you can usually return to your normal cleaning schedule rather quickly. Two major mistakes to avoid are vacuuming up dust too soon and disturbing liquid spray residues before they dry. Otherwise, as long as you take care of the treatment, no harm will come from doing a bit of cleaning.
Also, know that after pest control, it’s not required to give every surface a thorough cleaning, so you do not need to feel like you must clean the entire house eventually just because of the treatment. Treatment leftovers usually disappear rather quickly. Washing a few things, though, is a good idea, such as:
- Exposed surfaces used for food preparation,
- Cookware, dishes, and utensils,
- Appliance exteriors, including refrigerators,
- Countertops and tables,
- Clothes, bed linens, and bedding.
We understand that it can be stressful to not be able to clean as thoroughly as you usually do, but being cautious is essential to the overall pest control process. You just need to pay special attention to cleaning areas that come into contact with people and food. Otherwise, just sit back a little bit and enjoy your pest-free home.