The following are instructions on how to be proactive about bugs and pests and how to prepare your apartment for a pest control treatment:

Pests (ants, roaches & mice) will not leave favorable areas unless they are forced out.  If food, water and shelter are available, the pest population will multiply rapidly.  The key is to minimize or eliminate the resources needed by bugs and pests so populations can’t grow.  A form will be submitted to management after each visit sharing which units were and were not in compliance to this form.

In the event the exterminator is unable to treat your apartment due to circumstances listed below, a follow-up appointment will be scheduled and the tenant will be responsible for paying any service charge associated with the follow-up appointment.

By following these items below, you will be in compliance within the context of your rental agreement:

Be Proactive About Bugs and Pests!

RESIDENTS MUST MAINTAIN THE FOLLOWING:

• Opened food packages should be tightly resealed. If original package does not reseal tightly, place the food product in a container that will.  Pests can chew through paper, cardboard or thin plastic.  Open food should not be left out overnight!
• Clean all surfaces in areas which food is prepared or eaten, including counters, tables and floors, with a cleaning solution after each use.  You may want to store sponges in a Ziploc bag overnight.
• Clean pots, pans, dishes, bowls, utensils and glasses immediately after each use.  Never leave dishes in the sink with water in them.  If it is impossible to clean them immediately, leave them soaking in a sink full of soapy water.
• Grease is a special problem that can be difficult to clean. Pests feed on grease film with gusto.  Clean oven hoods and walls next to stoves and where frying pans have been used.
• You may need to deep clean (ovens, behind stoves and refrigerators).  In fact, there is a good possibility that those difficult cleaning areas are the source of your pest problem. Include the fridge drip pan and under stove tops.
• Clean all spills, especially those on carpet or on furniture.  Spilled food leaves a residue that attracts pests.
• Place soiled clothing in an area that not readily accessible to pests and empty trash cans frequently.
• Check dishes under plant pots and make sure there is no standing water in the dishes. Also, place a layer of gravel over the soil in plant pots to cover exposed, moist soil.
• Remove water from food dishes overnight.
• Re-organize and eliminate any clutter in the dwelling unit. These are pest-hiding places.

Remember bugs and pests prefer to be in tight, small places.  They prefer contact with softer, porous surfaces like wood paper, cardboard, insulation and cloth.  Stainless steel, aluminum, plastic laminates, or ceramic tiles are less preferred.