Four Tips For Keeping Rodents Out Of Your School

From rats to mice, rodents can quickly become a huge concern in a school. These pests can spread diseases like salmonella and staphylococcus, and they may even bite if the students interfere with them. It easier to keep rodents away than to deal with an infestation, so make sure you follow these tips to keep mice and rats away:

Don't allow clutter to accumulate.

There are so many supplies in schools that it's easy for clutter to build up. But piles of supplies are the perfect place for rodents to hide and nest. Make sure all of your teachers and other staff members are keeping clutter at bay and keeping their supplies well-organized. You may need to provide some extra shelving for classrooms that have more supplies, like biology classrooms and English classrooms with a lot of books. You could also hold a monthly "clean up" day in which you have all of the teachers stay an extra hour and tidy up anything that has worked its way out of place.

Keep a close eye on food storage.

Make sure the walk-in coolers and freezers close tightly and that your food service staff is keeping everything stored neatly and cleanly inside. If teachers are keeping snacks in their rooms, encourage them to bring in small refrigerators, or provide these for them. This will help cut down on the amount of food out in the open. Also, make sure that kids who are bringing their own lunches are storing those lunches on the top shelves of their lockers rather than on the floor where rodents are more likely to reach them.

Make sure pet food is stored properly.

Especially in elementary schools, it is popular to have class pets. But the food for a hamster may quickly become food for a mouse if you're not careful. Make sure all food for class pets is kept on shelves in sealed containers. Also, make sure pet cages are cleaned regularly so that leftover food is not attracting rodents.

Have a pest control company come in regularly to do check-ups.

It's a good idea to have a pest control company visit the school once a year even if you have not seen any signs of pests. They can check for holes where the rodents may come in and seal them, review your storage practices, and make other recommendations to ensure your school stays rodent-free.

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