All posts in “sanitation”

How the bugs get in? Part 3

How the bugs get in? Part 3 – This part will talk about keeping them out.

 

I watch a lot of those Police, Forensic, True Detective type shows and I think the reason I do this is because I like to figure out the clues. I think “if I was a bug how would I get in”? Then I use those clues to come up with the plan of attack, without the inspection there would be no clues, no insights and no plan of attack.

So from Part 1 and Part 2, we see the problem and now my recommendations to stop the American (sewer) Roaches from continuing to get into the facility. Install screens and make sure to put water into the S-trap or P-traps whatever you may call it. I also noticed a grease trap outside the back door, after I had made this observation it became obvious where these roaches were spending their time.

    There is plenty of room inside the lids and the top and sides for roaches to hide and disgusting as it may be plenty of food for them to eat – remember what they need to survive – food, shelter and water – the trifecta for roaches. So that P-trap or S-trap becomes essential in keeping gases and them out of the building. They also have drain net or baskets to keep foreign debris from getting into the grease trap, I once saw a fork and drinking glass inside a grease trap – no idea how that worked itself way down into that trap.

Book em Dano I mean Keith!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Battle Wages ON against Bed Bugs…

The Battle Wages ON against Bed Bugs…

 

The EPA, CDC,  USDA and ProBest Pest Management all agree that bed bugs are a public health pest.  Many have experienced the lawsuits, legislation, and desperation that these insects can cause.

Know your enemy.  Several years into their resurgence and bed bugs are showing no signs of retreat.  There is no magic bullet, no quick fix.  But there are effective weapons and IPM strategies that can defeat this pest. Clutter gives these critters the hiding places they need to survive and sanitation is the key to a successful treatment protocol.

This. Means. War.

 

There are many options available these days to the Pest Management Professional, (such as the Verifi monitoring and detection device) so please don’t panic and consider your options when choosing a professional to handle your Bed Bug issues.

Just the facts please…. provide info to expedite the treatment!

Just the facts please…. provide info to expedite the treatment!

Today I received a new lead from an online referral site and I’ll tell you I love getting referrals but I need more information. So here is a list of things to tell the bug guy when they show up at your home.

  1. When you call the office please tell the receptionist what you’re experiencing, for example are you being bitten. It is really important to answer the questions like Who, what, where,  when, why and how. To me its almost like being a detective, we need all the information so that we can make an intelligent recommendation on treatment.
  2. After receiving the information the technician comes up with the treatment plan and discusses this with the homeowner.
  3. We have talked about this before but before the technician arrives please reduce clutter and vacuum the area (if you have a bag vacuum please throw it away). I remember years ago in Florida, someone had vacuumed and put the entire vacuum with bag into the closet. I was amazed at the numbers of fleas in the closet and elsewhere in the home, but they were concentrated within that closet.
  4. A lot of the treatment plans may include a followup visit – remember this occurrence took time to build up and probably will take time to completely solve it. Don’t think for one minute that we are magicians and can make this outbreak disappear overnight, won’t happen…. This usually surprises me the most, even after discussing this with some customers they are upset that they still might see the occasional roach or two. I learned many years ago, we attempt to eradicate at least 97% on the first visit to get control but depending on a variety of circumstances this number may change. Sanitation is a leading cause of failure, if the place has grease or oil everywhere all the pesticide in the world won’t change the outcome. The pesticide will lose it efficacy and the roaches will have plenty to eat and not be affected by the product.
  5. Work with the technician and follow any advice, he has probably seen it all so it won’t be a big surprise to him. Clean behind the stove and refrigerator yearly, pay particular attention to the fan motor (warm and probably close to the overflow pan).

Clutter and the bugs…

Clutter and the bugs…

Sanitation is the key to any commercial restaurant and should be the guiding light to any homeowner. With the spread of bed Bugs nothing has the potential to cause extreme infestations like clutter. The problem is where to begin the treatment and to be successful you must get to all the spots. I don’t care if it’s heat or steam treatment if you can’t get to where the bug is living there is virtually no chance of winning the war against these little biters. This problem extends to cockroaches and rodents as well, clutter is the enemy whether in or around your home.

Inside:

  1. My theory is that if you haven’t touched the item its time to throw it out or better yet give it to a charity!
  2. Closets are not a throw and forget place.
  3. Under beds is also not a very handy place – exceptions include those little plastic cases, at least they are manageable.

Outside

  1. Never stack firewood against the home, ever!
  2. The more stuff around the home and in the yard may attract bugs, spiders and rodents.
  3. Don’t use the shed or garage as a dump site either. If you ever take anything from that area make sure it is clean before bringing it in. Bugs and rodents love to hide in that stuff.
  4. Attics – you can store boxes up there but again make sure they are empty before bringing anything inside. If you store stuff in a commercial storage facility make sure you check stuff before bringing it home.

CLUTTER IS THE ENEMY! SANITATION IS YOUR FRIEND!

The Clean Trust – training continues

The Clean Trust -training continues

 

     

Why did ProBest Pest Management get into carpet cleaning: Bed Bugs are the main reason.

The Bed Bug epidemic has spread across the USA at a rapid pace and people react with a sense of urgency and frustration. Often times people panic and react by immediately throwing things out and this leads to the spread of eggs and adults throughout the home including carpets. ProBest Pest Management decided to offer a service of pest treatment with a carpet cleaning as a way of  total and complete eradication. What better way than to steam everything including the carpets if needed. We offer steam, limited pesticides and follow-ups if needed.  ProBest immediately sought certification and so far 2 employees are “The Clean Trust” certified.

German cockroaches can cause serious sanitation issues & asthma.

German cockroaches can cause serious sanitation issues & asthma.

German roaches can sneak into your home by way of boxes, bags or even used clothes or furniture. The picture below which by the way looks like an American Cockroach also can spread germs and bacteria. This picture just grosses me out every time I see it. Here is a story recently published on chocolate – Bugging out chocolate allergy linked to roaches.

My favorite books…

My favorite books…

I enjoy history and geography, so my tastes lean to this genre…

The American Plague” by Molly Caldwell Crosby – Yellow Fever the epidemic that shaped our history

Another favorite is “The Jungle” mainly due to history about the meatpacking industry and it lead to the FDA (thank goodness). Have you ever noticed bugs in your cereal?

I also enjoy reading John Grisham, Dan Brown and Clive Cussler.

Dirty Dining – Local coverage by KPHO

Dirty Dining – Local coverage by KPHO

One of the things that I love to do is eat and if I’m correct lots of people probably agree with me on this subject. Now with that being said what I dislike are the restaurants that don’t follow the right course of action when it comes to cleanliness. I absolutely think KPHO (Dirty Dining) is right on the money when they follow these stories and those restaurants should pay the price – no customers until they clean up their acts. The other thing I like about this series is that they also highlight the good guys as well.

 

Every week CBS 5 News is sent a list of restaurants that have been recently inspected by Maricopa County’s Environmental Services Dept. Thanks to KPHO for publishing the facts. Here is the way in which they are rated “Restaurant Ratings“.

 

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