With the start of a new academic year just around the corner, students from all over the country are preparing to move into student housing. While this is an exciting season, it is also when pest control companies tend to see an uptick in requests for pest control since multiple people sharing a building increases the risk of problems.
As you welcome students to their dorm rooms this year, be sure that
each resident receives educational tips about how they can do their
part to keep bugs out of your residential facility. Whether you
host a group meeting or print out flyers, you can use these
strategies to help you get everyone involved in pest
prevention.
Request Residents to Carefully Inspect Their
Belongings
Your first opportunity to stop pests begins on welcome day. Pests such as spiders and cockroaches are often transferred from student homes to the dorm in their boxes and furniture. Ask students to carefully check each thing they bring into the building to make sure that it is free of pests.
Explain the Procedures for Proper Trash
Disposal
New students may be unfamiliar with the trash collection services provided by your residential facility, and the procedures may be different from what they do at home. Provide specific instructions for students to follow such as taking their trash bags to the outside dumpsters so that waste does not accumulate in their rooms.
Encourage Regular Room Cleaning
In a small dorm room, tiny messes add up fast. Unfortunately, food crumbs and clutter create a suitable environment in which pest populations thrive. Encourage roommates to work out a cleaning schedule that ensures basic tasks such as sweeping and vacuuming are done regularly.
Talk About Proper Food Storage
Many dorms allow small kitchenettes and mini-refrigerators so that students have access to a quick meal when they cannot get to the cafeteria. As you talk to students about pest prevention, mention a few best practices for food storage. For instance, students should store dry goods in airtight containers made from hard metal or plastic that stops mice and cockroaches from beingable to access the contents.
Ask Students to Watch for Signs of Building
Damage
Although your maintenance crew should be alert for potential entry points on the exterior of the building, small cracks and holes can develop in the rooms during the academic year. Ask students to report any signs of damage that might allow pests inside such as damaged caulking around the windows.
