How to Keep Children and Pets Safe during Pest Control Treatments

Children and pets are closer to the ground than adults are. Between pets sniffing around and toddlers touching everything they can get their hands on, it is important to make sure they cannot get ahold of anything that could harm them. In addition to our technicians not placing bait boxes and traps where children and pets can reach them, you must also take steps to keep your family safe.

Types of Pesticides

Before we get into the specific steps you can take to protect your children and pets, let’s first take a look at the different types of pesticides.

Insecticides

As the name suggests, insecticides are designed to kill insects, and are effectively harmless to mammals. Insecticides work by disrupting the insects’ nerve endings. Mammals are protected from insecticides by our layer of body fat, which insects do not have. This layer dissolves any insecticides it comes into contact with. In the worst case, insecticides cause mild skin irritation, which is why it is important to let any treatments completely dry before reentering an area.

Rodenticides

Unlike insecticides, rodenticides target mammals. However, they are designed to harm rodents- not larger mammals like dogs, cats, and humans. In other words, a huge amount of rodenticide would have to be consumed in order for any mammal larger than a rodent to actually be poisoned. In addition, rodenticides taste terrible to anyone but rodents, and will turn saliva bright red or blue to alert you to a possible ingestion.

If a child or pet’s skin comes into contact with a pest treatment, simply wash the area with soap and water. If their saliva is bright red or blue, indicating they have had a rodenticide in their mouth, rinse out their mouth and call poison control for further instruction.

Preparation

When you book your appointment, be sure to let us know if there are any children or pets on the property, so we can work with you to build the safest and most effective treatment plan for your needs. Here are some steps you can take before your treatment appointment:

• Store all food, both human and pet, in the cabinets and refrigerators.
• Remove from the treatment area all of your children’s toys, dishes, playpens and anything else that could possibly come into contact with their mouths.
• Remove from the treatment area all pet bedding, food dishes, toys, and anything else that will be in their mouths.
• If possible, remove all aquariums, cages, and terrariums from the treatment area. If removal is not possible, cover them with a towel or blanket.
• During and after the treatment, until it has had adequate time to dry, keep children and pets away from the treatment area- either in a separate room or off the property. Once a spray is dry, it is perfectly safe to reenter the area.

Our Integrated Pest Management approach is effective and environmentally sensitive, making it a safe option for your family. Pest infestations can be hazardous to the health and safety of your family or clients, so it is best to get rid of them as quickly as possible. We strive to provide you with the safest pest management possible, so you and your family can sit back and relax knowing Excel’s got your back. For more information on our Integrated Pest Management approach, check out our IPM info page.