Mice can infest any area of your office, but most infestations occur in the kitchen. With easy access to food and plenty of places to hide such as behind the fridge, it’s not difficult to work out why this is.
It’s highly unlikely you want to share break time with these furry creatures so what should you do if you suspect there are mice in your office kitchen?
Report it to the right person
If you have a pest control procedure in place, report the problem to the person responsible for this. If you’re not sure who this is or what to do, find a senior member of staff who can help.
Even if you’re not 100% certain, it’s important to make your suspicions known as soon as
possible. Rodent infestations can spiral out of control very quickly and if left to their own devices, mice can cause a significant amount of damage in a short space of time.
Call pest control
Whether you’re dealing with the situation yourself or it has been passed on to someone
else, make sure a local pest controller is on site as soon as possible.
It can be tempting to try and eliminate the problem yourself, but home methods are rarely
effective and even when they are, they’re usually temporary.
Whether you’re dealing with a commercial or domestic kitchen, a professional pest
controller will be able to contain the problem quickly and effectively as well as instal
preventative measures so you’re not faced with further outbreaks.
Do some pest housekeeping
It’s a good idea to carry out regular pest housekeeping. By making your premises as
unappealing to mice as possible, they’re more likely to move on faster and less likely to
come back.
You can do this by:
– Removing all food sources. An easy food supply is the most common reason mice are
attracted to homes and offices. Ensure bins are emptied every night and stored
outside in a securely fastened container, if anything has been opened store it in a
container and try to avoid leaving food out on surfaces
– Removing all water sources. Fix any leaks, check behind appliances for puddles, don’t
leave water in the sink and clean up any spillages immediately. Water is essential for
survival so this is another common reason rodents make their way inside
– Clean the kitchen at the end of the day. Wipe down counters so there are no
crumbs, hoover or sweep the floor, empty the bins, check the microwave is clean
and every once in a while, move appliances out and clean the area around them. All
of these can provide a much-needed food source for hungry mice
– Don’t keep food in desks. Ask employees to take home any uneaten food at the end
of the day. If they like to keep something in the office, ask them to store it in the
fridge or in a container with a securely fastened lid
Conduct staff training
Keeping mice away is a group effort in an office environment. Ensure staff are aware of any preventative measures by offering training and/or having posters up explaining what people should do to prevent infestations and what they should do if they suspect an outbreak.
If you need help containing a mouse infestation in a commercial or domestic kitchen, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Prokill.
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