What Should I Do Before Pest Control Arrives in Brevard County?

Before pest control arrives in Brevard County, clear the counters, put food in sealed containers, move pet bowls out of the rooms we will treat, and tell the technician who lives in the house. Most of the prep is simple. The goal is to leave the places pests hide open, so the technician spends the visit treating and not moving your things.

The short list

• Clear counters and the space under the kitchen sink.
• Seal food, or move it out of the treatment rooms.
• Empty the trash cans, indoors and out.
• Pull furniture a few inches off the walls.
• Tell the technician about pets, kids, fish tanks and anyone with breathing problems.

Open up the edges of the room

Pests travel along the edges of a room. They use baseboards, the gap behind the stove, the back of the cabinets and the pipes under the sink. If a sofa sits tight to the wall, or a stack of boxes is pushed against it, the technician has to move everything before they can treat. That costs time, and it means some spots get missed.

Pull furniture a few inches away from the walls if you can. Clear the kitchen counter. Empty the cabinet under the sink so the pipes and the wall behind them are easy to see. In the garage and the laundry room, lift laundry baskets, toys and cardboard off the floor.

You do not need to rearrange the house. You only need to open the edges.

Put food and pet supplies away

Food brings many pests in, so food also decides where they go. Leftovers, open bags of cereal, fruit on the counter and pet food should go into sealed containers or the refrigerator. Dish soap and sponges can stay where they are. Move anything you eat or drink out of the way.

Pet food and water bowls should sit outside the rooms that will be treated. Ask the technician which rooms they plan to treat, then move the bowls out of those rooms before they arrive.

Empty and close the trash

Take the indoor trash cans out and close the lids. Empty the outdoor cans too, and keep their lids shut. A full can with an open lid draws flies, roaches and rats. Closed lids are one of the cheapest steps you can take, and they help after the visit as well.

Clean the kitchen, but not right before

A quick wipe of the kitchen counters and sink is fine. Crumbs and grease feed pests, so a clean kitchen helps. A deep clean on the day of the visit is different. Mopping, scrubbing baseboards or wiping down every surface can wash away some of the product before it has time to work.

Ask the technician how long to wait before you mop or dust. The answer depends on what they use, so ask the company you hired and go by their answer.

Tell the technician who lives in the house

This step matters most. A technician plans a safer visit when they know who is in the house.

Tell them about:

• Dogs, cats, birds or other pets, and whether they go outside.
• Kids, and their ages.
• Fish tanks, ponds or aquariums, because some products can harm them.
• Anyone with breathing problems, a pregnancy or a health condition a doctor follows.

For more on how we handle pets and kids, read is pest control safe for pets and kids. For what happens on the day, including whether you need to leave, read do I have to leave the house during pest control.

What to do now

1. Clear the kitchen counter and the space under the sink.
2. Put loose food in sealed containers or the refrigerator.
3. Move pet bowls out of the rooms that will be treated.
4. Close the lids on all trash cans, indoors and outdoors.
5. Write down your pets, your kids and any fish tanks. Tell the technician when they arrive.

When to call us first

If you are not sure what can stay in a room, or someone in the house needs special care, call before the visit. A short question on the phone is easier than a technician who has to stop at the door. Our general pest control page explains what a visit covers, and our pricing page lists what we charge.

Frequently Asked Questions