Office spaces are hardly immune to menacing pests. Insects and vermin can be found dashing along the baseboards bordering the office walls and crawling inside staff desks. Pests are unnerving and create an unhealthy working space. Here’s how to keep pests out of the office.

What attracts pests to an office?

Office environments are difficult to properly manage. Many office buildings are older, which means they are likely to have multiple entry points through which pests can find their way. Even newly built office buildings with open layouts are just as susceptible to an invasion of pests.

Food remnants in office kitchens and cafés are inviting to hungry pests looking for a snack.

Furthermore, employees frequently store food in their desks, which attracts insects and vermin. A continual supply of food and adequate shelter are all the pests need to turn an office into home.

What types of pests are commonly found in offices?

Ants

A wide range of insects are known to invade office spaces. Ants will make a beeline toward employees’ snacks and foods left in unsealed containers. Overflowing garbage cans are also prime targets for ants. Since ants work in colonies, seeing a few ants means more ants are nearby.

Spiders

Spiders devour other insects; so, if a few spiders are crawling around the office building, the space has an even bigger pest problem than initially assumed. Air vents, desks, corners of the room and other warm, dry areas are perfect habitats for these long-legged pests.

Termites

Wood, paper, and cardboard are satisfying meals for hungry termites. These bugs eat anything that contains cellulose, so they’ll make a meal out of documents and baseboards. All termites need to survive and thrive are food, moisture, and shelter—and the office environment provides plenty of sustenance.

Mice

Mice can be nocturnal foragers, meaning these pests will devour tidbits after normal business hours. Hearty meals for mice may be found in unemptied garbage cans, bags of snacks, unsealed containers, and dumpsters. Even a few crumbs left on the desk will be nibbled up by office mice.

 

What best practices keep pests out of the office?

1.  Maintain a clean workspace

A clean work environment provides zero nourishment for pests. Employees should clean up spills from soft drinks, or any other beverage that contains sugar, right away. Cap bottles of soda or cups of sweet tea to avoid attracting flies and other pests looking for a sugary drink.

Cockroaches are drawn to water—they can live without food, but not without water. Office staff can prevent an infestation of cockroaches by not leaving cups of water on their desks. Ensure the bathroom and kitchen sinks are drained and do not contain pools of standing water.

2. Avoid eating at the desk

Snacking at the desk seems harmless, until the crumbs start attracting pests. Office employees may not think twice about miniscule crumbs, since they can hardly be seen; but mice and bugs are known to make a full meal out of the tiniest of morsels.

3. Store food in sealed containers

After a mid-morning snack, wash the food container right away. Office staff who are in a time crunch may alternately store the food in sealed containers. A green banana left inside a desk drawer, for instance, will attract fruit flies before it is ripened yellow.

4. Use a covered garbage can

Office garbage cans without lids present dining opportunities for scavengers. Bugs and rodents have the ability to smell food from a distance, and they will track down the food waste left in unopened trash cans. Toss garbage into a can with a lid and keep out the pests.

5. Clean dishes in the office kitchen

Staff will complain when cockroaches share their kitchen with them. Oftentimes, the pests come looking for the food waste left on dirty dishes in the sink overnight. Rather than wait until morning to clean up lunch dishware, clean the plates and utensils prior to leaving the office.

6. Avoid leaving clothing in the office

Staff who hit the gym before starting the workday may leave sneakers and workout clothes under their desk. Pests can turn a pile of clothes into a cozy nest. Similar to avoid leaving food around the workplace, do not leave pests’ potential nesting materials in the office space.

7. Eliminate pests at first sight

Even one bug crawling across the office floor should be dealt with immediately, considering that a single pest signals that greater numbers are lurking nearby. Ignoring a mouse or a cockroach is easy, but it’s advisable to deal with a minor pest problem before it turns into a major infestation.

Prevent pests from overrunning your office space by keeping it clean. Professionals provide full-scale janitorial services to benefit commercial properties of all sizes. Commercial cleaning services are a solution to your pest problem, while ensuring that your staff work in a hygienic environment.

Commercial cleaning specialists are skilled in providing comprehensive cleanings in office buildings. They thoroughly clean office restrooms and kitchens, remove waste and dust, and wash windows. Keep your carpets immaculate and long-lasting by utilizing daily carpet care services.

Professional cleaning procedures include hard surface floor maintenance. Skilled cleaning specialists also keep your office building’s lobby and entrance clean, thereby ensuring your company puts its best foot forward.

Professional janitorial services are flexible and will meet the various scheduling needs of companies. Skilled cleaning crews are available to clean your building on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Ensure a continually hygienic workspace by scheduling regular cleanings.