Google Maps for rats and mice: why rodents hate deep-cleaning

It seems like a no-brainer: when you have a major mouse infestation, you have to clean the premises thoroughly. However, many businesses still don’t do this. A pest controller regularly does everything they can to get an infestation under control while the client hasn’t deep-cleaned the premises for years. Sometimes, there isn’t even a cleaning plan in place!

Over the past 15 years, I've seen hundreds of pest outbreaks last longer – unnecessarily – due to low standards of hygiene. Poor cleaning is not as bad in high-dependency sectors – although it does happen there, too – but is worse in other sectors where there’s little to no focus on cleaning. 

Often in non-high dependency sectors, location managers contact professional pest controllers with an expectation they'd magically solve a rodent infestation problem. Of course, every pest control company strives to do just that, but the client should always be aware that, in most cases, sole dependence on a pest control company is simply not enough. The client too needs to take action to address root causes.

As an example, let's take a logistics company specialising in food transportation and storage – a business with an eminently risky location. With a lot of activity and a continuous flow of goods that create multiple risk opportunities, there’s a high risk of (new) infestations and recontamination as many pests enter a building through open doors or with goods. 

Storage and transhipment are an added risk for the transport industry and when goods from several companies come together, this risk is doubled. 

Every pest control technician can most probably recall a mouse problem, for instance, in these locations. The technician may have been called to combat the infestation, but the client expects the pest control company to take full responsibility for the outcome. While it should always be possible to deal with an infestation successfully, the client should also recognise that pest control is always a collaborative effort. The business also has a part to play in maintaining a pest-free environment for their operations.

Integrated pest management (IPM) – prevention is better than cure

An infestation shouldn’t be seen as a one-off job. It’s much more about having a longer-term view that can prevent other infestations. It’s important, therefore, to apply the principles of integrated pest management (IPM), which ensures that the use of biocides and pesticides is kept to a minimum. A brief description of an IPM plan would include the following.  

• Inspection: The collection of all necessary data to map the pest risk areas, the quality of the household, hygiene and prevention.
• Identification: Determining the animal species, behaviour and way of life and drawing up and recording measures to control the pest risks so the responsibilities of the client and contractor are laid down.
• Treatment: The implementation of the agreed prevention, detection and control measures as laid down in the division of roles, in addition to the reporting of the work performed, the results achieved and the outstanding threats. 
• Evaluation and improvement: The client and contractor both look at the results achieved in the previous period and, if necessary, draw up corrective actions. Objectives to improve the IPM plan are also drawn up for the coming period.

In an inventory, the focus is often (as it should be) on exclusion. To bring the situation under control, it’s crucial that pests are deprived of all access to the building and that any cracks or openings are sealed. If this isn’t done, we have an appropriate saying in the Netherlands: ‘mopping the floor with the tap open.’ In other words, you’re treating the symptoms, but not the cause.

Companies that already have experience of professional pest control services are undoubtedly familiar with such recommendations and the necessary follow-up. In most countries, this focus on prevention is also incorporated into local legislation. But perhaps the most important reason why you should focus on prevention is the environment. The closer the solution is sought to the source, the lower the use of environmentally harmful measures.

In many cases, insufficient building design and poor maintenance are the reasons that pests take advantage of holes in architectural structures. And, in the case of the logistics sector, just think of loading docks or open roller doors as goods flow in and out of the building. The agility and intelligence of rodents allow them to quietly examine buildings, spot potential weaknesses and enter buildings. Sealing off gaps is, needless to say, a critical first step.

Deep-cleaning – the disruptor for ‘rodent maps’

The cleaning of traces (old and new) that rodents leave indoors is still underestimated in many cases. If you realise that these rodents are constantly defecating everywhere and leave scent trails behind, then you can also imagine what an advantage a new 'unwanted visitor' has from such scent trails.

If a building has a history of mice infestations and you release a new mouse at the entrance, you could compare it to some sort of “Google Maps for mice” – a blueprint waiting at the entrance to guide your new visitors to the hotspots and points of interest of your site. The uninvited guest knows how to find his way to a source of food or water instantly and might read it like this: ‘food: third left and then right after 2 metres. Drink: keep going straight until you get to the back wall, go under the door (because there's a 5mm gap you can fit through) and then you'll enter the boiler room. It leaks and you can drink to your heart’s content.’

So it’s very important that (old) trails are erased. In addition, re-infestation and a new trail becomes much more visible. Faeces can be vacuumed, but belly fat and urine require a more thorough approach. Specialist deep-cleaning can offer a solution. So isn't it a no-brainer that you have urine and faeces removed from your property if they’re everywhere?

And yet it’s still not widely acknowledged that deep-cleaning is part of the treatment for an infestation. Regular cleaning is usually still on the agenda, but it shouldn’t end there.

Here’s some practical advice for cleaning in the event of a pest infestation. 

• In addition to the infestation, also have a cleaning plan mapped out.
• Distinguish between regular and specialist (deep) cleaning.
• Make sure that a budget is included to scale up the cleaning.
• Treat disinfection after an infestation as a necessity – not a luxury.
• Provide insight. It doesn't stop with what you can see. Pests don't just walk on the ground, so use climbing equipment to inspect at height.

All stakeholders must also be involved in the planning and discussion of the required work. This is especially important when you work with external cleaning companies. It’s only when you adopt an holistic approach that you can tackle an infestation in a sustainable and long-lasting way.

The takeaway

Deep-cleaning after a rodent infestation and regular cleaning destroy the route-finding maps that give rats and mice free access to an all-inclusive holiday on your premises. As part of an IPM plan, deep-cleaning can play an important role in maintaining pest-free operations of a business. This can seem like an arduous task for a fast-paced and busy commercial environment, but we’re here to help. Our teams of local experts can work with you to find the most effective ways to protect your premises.