It’s a great time of year to be the owner of a retail store. People everywhere are looking to do their holiday shopping, and that means more business for you. However, this chilly season also brings pests inside looking for warm shelter. If you think your New Jersey retail store is safe from pests because you don’t sell food, you are mistaken. Don’t let New Jersey pests ruin your store's busiest season. Be sure to get the help of professional pest control to keep your store pest free.
Just because your store doesn't sell food items doesn’t mean that pests won’t try to take shelter inside. Various problems could be the cause of an infestation. A moisture problem could create a nice damp environment and plenty of drinking water for pests looking for a home. Cracks and leaks in your building's foundation or bathroom facilities can create conditions like this, so be sure to seal them up as best you can.
Customers coming from outside could be an issue too. They could step on the smallest, most insignificant crumb outside, but if they bring that in and it falls off their shoe in your store, that’s just created a source of food for pests! Customers bringing their own food and drinks into the store while shopping may also present problems if they drop crumbs while browsing, or leave food lying around the store.
Finally, don't overlook the employee break room as a potential source of food for pests. If employees aren't carefully cleaning up after their lunch breaks, the crumbs and trash are ideal sources of food to attract pests into your store.
Even if you don’t sell food, there could be food at a nearby location, just close enough for the pests to stay in your store and still survive.
There are plenty of ways to stop pests from getting into your store, or even wanting to get in. A good way to make your business a less attractive home for pests is to implement a food and/or drink ban inside your store. Without people bringing in sustenance for pests, they won’t be able to survive in your store. Consider placing a "Sorry, no food or drinks allowed" sign at the entrance to discourage patrons from coming inside with snacks that could attract a pest infestation.
Hire a daily cleaning company to maintain the cleanliness of employee break areas where food and trash is present. Keeping these areas thoroughly sanitized will go a long way in discouraging a pest infestation.
Another way to prevent pests from coming inside your store is to regularly check for cracks and entry points. Some pests can fit inside the smallest of crevices, so making sure your store is completely sealed is a good strategy to stop them from getting in. Check around windows and doors and where the pipes and electrical wires come into the building for the most common pest entry points.
Despite all your efforts at creating a pest-free environment in and around your store, pests may still get in. The best method of keeping them out is by contacting the professionals at Arrow Pest Control for year-round pest control services. We have plans that can help commercial establishments preserve their inventory and reputation and keep them safe from New Jersey pests.