With reported rises in the number of rats and bedbugs, it is likely that many of us are sharing our living space with some pest or other. How can you go about getting rid of them? And what can you do to avoid them moving in to start with? Here, pest controllers share the secrets to an infestation-free life.
Be vigilant
Rodents and cockroaches are the most common callouts for the UK’s pest controller of the year, Josh Bates, who is based in Croydon and works for Cleankill. “Large blocks of flats throw up challenges,” he says. “When you’ve got so many people living under one roof, you are exposed to all sorts of things coming in. I’ve had quite a few bad bedbug infestations recently.”
People who travel a lot are more susceptible to bedbugs, as there is a chance they can get into luggage and be carried on to public transport (although Bates is unconvinced that the London underground network is riddled with them).
Textile moths are a big problem in central London – Bates has seen them on trains in the city. They can cause costly damage: one couple in the capital are suing the previous occupant of their home for more than £36m after claiming the house was “infested with millions of moths”, resulting in damage to their clothes and property. Pests can strike at any time, regardless of your domestic circumstances.
Don’t delay dealing with a problem
If you need to get help, report the problem sooner rather than later, says Louise Chapman, AKA The Lady Mole Catcher, who lives in Norwich and helps solve all kinds of pest problems around Norfolk. “I had a guy phone me and he said: ‘I’ve got this mole – it’s been here for three months.’ I thought: ‘Well, you should have called me three months ago; then I could have caught it.’”
Bates says: “Some people hope that if they ignore the problem, the pests will go away. For instance, they might spot a few mouse droppings and get rid of them in the hope the mice won’t come back. Inevitably, once rodents have found a way into your home and they start to breed, the problem will only get worse. The same goes for pests like clothes moths. If there is a little bit of damage somewhere, you probably have moths in other places in your property and they will multiply if you don’t take action.”
Tell your neighbours
Although it can feel embarrassing to share the news of a pest problem, it is a crucial step in getting rid of vermin once and for all, especially if you live in a flat or terrace house.
Ian Furlong set up Independent Pest Control and Hygiene Services in Liverpool in 2009. He says pests can easily run through the lofts of a whole terrace and get worse. “This is unless each property speaks to each other, which is what we encourage them to do,” he says.
There’s no point in feeling shame about it. “It’s not that you’re dirty – it’s just an environmental pest,” Furlong says. Cockroaches spread like wildfire when people are living in close quarters, he adds, and are one of the hardest things to eradicate.
Basic housekeeping works
Pests can access even the most pristine palaces, but good housekeeping every day can eliminate the crumbs they might feed on, says Furlong. “And rats have got to have water to survive. Any plant pots out in the garden that might not have plants in them, and people leave because they’ve been too busy to move them, can fill up with water; it’s an ideal source for rats.”
Eliminate entry points
“Look for cracks and entry points to prevent pests from coming into the house,” Bates says. “Mice can get through gaps of 6mm. The sort of cockroaches we have in the UK get in through tiny cracks and crevices, so it is important to fill in areas like that with sealant.”
Rats are incredibly good at getting into houses. “I’ve seen them chew a hole through a concrete kitchen floor,” says Chapman, so they can easily chew through expanding foam. Furlong suggests filling any holes in your property with sturdier materials such as wire wool.
Cluster flies are another problem. It is very difficult to stop them coming in, Chapman says: “Flies can get through small cracks and they like a nice, warm loft space or a south-facing window.” She once saw a 4ft clump of flies in a loft. You can try putting up fly tape, but Chapman tends to use an insecticide. She has another business removing bee colonies and rehoming their inhabitants in her colleague’s apiary.
Ethically speaking, prevention is better than cure. “Pest controllers have the stigma of kill, kill, kill,” says Kieron Bewes, a pest controller in east Devon. “I am trying to get away from that and be more environmentally friendly.” Bewes’ business is called Green Rock because, he says, “I try to work with Mother Nature, not against her. I’ll only use rodenticides as a last choice. I am a big fan of proofing.”
Try a trap
“I tell clients to try to save money by putting out a couple of traps themselves,” says Furlong. “But you get people with a massive fear of them because if they trap something, they are not going to be able to deal with it. So they would rather pay.” For some clients, he has to manage expectations that he is not “the old Pied Piper, where I’m going to blow a whistle and everything is going to run away; it’s not like that”.
Bates adds: “As professionals, we follow the code of responsible rodenticide use. So we are only going to use things if necessary and we’re going to use them in a responsible way that is only going to target what we are trying to get rid of.”
Avoid hoarding
All the pest controllers say their most challenging jobs have been at the homes of hoarders. “If someone’s hoarding, there are lots of warm places for pests to sleep,” says Furlong. Bates adds: “Rodents don’t hibernate, so they are active all year round. We tend to get more callouts around this time of year as the temperature drops and the heating comes on. What the mice are after is basically somewhere warm to nest, with food.” Furlong suggests keeping your belongings on shelves rather than on the floor.
