No one wants critters in their home, no matter what shape or size they come in. Though, they may seem quite harmless, having an ant problem in your home is not ideal. While there are a lot of options for ant control in Melbourne, there are a few simple methods of prevention that can be utilised to ward off ants from one’s home. Here are five remedies that you can do at home to help keep your home free and clear of ants.

1. Chalk

Believe it or not, chalk is a great way of keeping ants at bay. That is because chalk has calcium carbonate in it, which is a natural way of keeping ants away. Start by either drawing or spraying powdered chalk in areas that are entry points for ants. What’s crazy is that the ants will stop at the line. It isn’t a great barrier for much else, but with a little chalk, ants will adhere to the lines you draw.

2. Peppermint

Unbeknownst to most, peppermint is a great insect repellent. In fact, they keep a lot more than ants from invading your home. Peppermint is quite strong and ants simply cannot tolerate the smell. You can mix a few drops of peppermint essential oil into a cup of water and then sprinkle or spray it in the areas where you know ants are likely to enter.

3. Limit Access to Food

There is a good general rule that when you leave sources of food – food scraps, open garbage containers, crumbs – you are inviting any number of creatures to that food source. Ants are no different. They are attracted to most foods, and in particular sweeter and more starchy items such as honey and sugar, so keeping anything containing those items sealed tightly is always a good idea. Finally, make sure that you are vacuuming or sweeping up crumbs as food debris left on a floor can easily attract unwanted ants into your home.

4. Citrus Fruits

Any citrus fruit that has natural acidic properties will also work in keeping ants away. If you either squeeze a lemon where you know ants are entering, this will act as a natural repellent for them. Adding a little lemon juice to your water when you wash floors will also help to keep ants away.

5. White Vinegar

There may be no more versatile household ingredient than white vinegar. It is a key part of just about any homemade cleaning solution under the sun. But because it is also quite pungent, ants usually can’t tolerate it. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water and simply sprinkle it at points where ants are entering or known to enter.

Say Goodbye to Your Ant Problem

These simple tips using common household items will go a long way to ant-proofing your home. If your ant problem persists though, seek the advice or help of a pest control maintenance professional who can further guide you or take measures to extinguish ants and keep your home protected.

If you are looking for trusted and reliable ant pest control in Melbourne, then Positive Pest Solutions is your answer. A licensed and fully insured pest control company, our team of professionals believe in delivering nothing short of stellar services to our customers and clients. With up-to-date knowledge in the industry, you can rely on us to partner with you in creating pest-free homes and businesses – so get in touch with us for a free quote now.

As a business owner, there are a million things that you have to worry about. The very last thing that you want to have to contend with is some type of pest problem, which is why commercial pest control in Melbourne can be so beneficial to your business.

Whether it be restaurant pest control, cockroach control, ant control in Melbourne – or even termite inspection in Melbourne – the right service can have an exponentially positive impact on your business.

While it might seem like some peripheral need or service, don’t overlook the importance of having a quality pest control solution at your side. Here are a few important reasons why having adequate pest control can be absolutely vital for your business.

Yes, Commercial Businesses Need Pest Control

The absolute nightmare scenario is showing up to your business one day only to find that you have a pest infestation. If you are in the food service industry in particular, it can be an especially awful situation to be in.

Finding these critters is just part of the problem. For starters, you never know just how deeply they have infested the building. There are also the potential health risks of having certain types of pests living in the building as they can carry the risk of serious diseases and infections.

The less cleanly the business, the greater the risks of pests appearing. Part of why businesses pay commercial cleaning services to come in regularly is not only due to appearance but to limit the potential risk of bugs and other unwanted visitors from showing up.

Understanding The Financials Involved

The biggest reason to have pest control in your corner is when you think about the financial repercussions of a pest infestation. Generally speaking, when there is an infestation, some sort of disruption to business may follow.

The worse the infestation, the worse it is for the business. There are some businesses that have had disruptions to their daily business for up to two weeks after the initial infestation. The costs can really start to add up in a number of ways.

First and foremost is lost income. If the business has to be closed down due to extensive treatment, that just means revenue is missing from the company. For small businesses in particular, missing a few days of revenue can be catastrophic.

There is also the potential for damaged inventory. Most critters aren’t there to simply hang out. They destroy food and other materials with regularity. In the case of termites, they can even do structural damage to the building – which means a major financial impact to the business in question. To sum up, the cost of pest control is nothing compared to the possible costs of infestation.

Consider Your Reputation

There is nothing that can damage a business’ reputation as quickly as news of an infestation. Especially for restaurants and other food service businesses, the very last thing customers want to hear is that there was an infestation.

Even remedying the problem is not necessarily enough. When the news of an infestation happens, it can spread like wildfire. With social media platforms, review sites, and word of mouth all making communication faster and easier, it can be only a matter of hours before everyone within the area knows what happened.

When a reputation is tarnished, particularly in the food service industry, it can be extremely difficult to come back from. Having regular pest control management can protect your business from the potential reputation damage of an infestation.

Protecting The Business

No matter what the industry, it is important to safeguard against infestation to protect not only your bottom line, but your image as well. Taking preventative measures can be a great way to ensure that you do not fall victim to the damages of infestation like so many others before you.

With the right pest control management services, that means being one step ahead. You won’t be caught off guard by unwanted pests in your place of business. Measures can be taken to keep roaches, termites, ants, rodents, and other unwanted visitors from making their presence known in your business.

To start protecting your business against pests today, get in touch with us at Positive Pest Solutions. We are a licensed and fully insured pest control company with up-to-date knowledge in the industry combined with a competitive price tag.

Ever wondered why the warmer climates are often accompanied by a higher incidence of pest insects and bugs? This is because insects are poikilothermic, or “cold-blooded”, which means that their body temperature is dependent on the external environment. Mild temperatures and increased humidity in spring and summer correlates with greater insect activity, providing the ideal reproduction conditions for them to multiply. Pests are more than just a nuisance, they can also cause irreparable damage to your belongings and host a number of dangerous viral diseases. Ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes in particular, are responsible for Dengue fever, Typhus, Zika virus, Lyme disease, Malaria, and severe allergic reactions that can pose serious health threats to you and your family. But how can you effectively deter and prevent the invasion of these persistent bugs?

In this article, we provide some tips to keep the following parts of your home pest-free during spring and summer.

1. The Garage

Garages left open are a common point of entry for insects. Once these pests make their way into your garage, they can destroy your belongings and damage the structural integrity of the space. From there, they can quickly make their way into the rest of your home. Most bugs are drawn to your garage due to its moist, dark, and warm environment that often simulate their natural habitat. Materials and debris in this area also provides them ample spaces to build a home to nest in. Begin by identifying and repairing the source of all damp and wet areas in your garage. Be sure to dry any standing water and ventilate your garage to not only promote proper airflow but also eliminate moisture-causing humidity. Keeping your garage clean and free of clutter and mess will also limit possible nesting opportunities for insects.

2. Air vents

Insects tend to crawl in through open ducts and air vents. You can easily solve this problem by installing an insect screen on your indoor and outdoor vents. Loose seals and cracks also offer the perfect opportunity for insects to enter and infest your HVAC system. If your air vents are compromised, you can use foil tape to seal small cracks and sealant for larger holes.

3. The Kitchen

The kitchen happens to be one of the more favourable nesting spots for pests, especially flies and ants due to the large amount of food and water available. Critters in the kitchen can chew through boxes and even cabinets to contaminate food. This can pose health hazards to you, your loved ones, and your pets. For this reason, it is important to adopt the habit of immediately cleaning your kitchen after preparing meals. Your daily cleaning of the kitchen should include sweeping and mopping the kitchen floors as well as the dining area. Make sure to wipe down your stove, oven, fryers, and dishwasher filters and seal all leftover, dried, and processed foods in airtight containers before properly storing them.

4. The Roof

Termites and ants are common insects that can be found in your roof. Since most home roofs are made out of wood, these insects can cause significant structural damages and even leaks. This is why it is vital to seal all holes and cracks in your roof, as well as any drainpipes. It is also a good idea to inspect the overhang for nests every few months. A small number of ants and termites can quickly develop into a colony, so contact specialists at the first sign of an invasion.

5. Window and doors

Windows are one of the easiest ways for pests to infiltrate your home. Other than ensuring they stay shut, you can install a fly screen or netting on your windows to prevent insects from gaining access.

6. The Garden

Your garden can quickly become a hotspot for pests if proper precautions are not taken. This involves removing all possible hiding and breeding sites such as standing water, tree branches, stumps as well as stacks of wood.

While mulching is a very effective method of controlling weeds, it can also attract bugs and provide pest hiding and nesting hotspots. To minimise insects getting into your home, avoid mulch in close proximity to your house. Using inorganic mulch, which includes natural materials such as gravel, pebbles, stone, or crushed rock, as well as man-made materials such as solid sheets of fabric or plastic or other non-plant material, can provide a fitting alternative to organic mulch without attracting swarms of unwanted insects.

Taking the appropriate measures during spring and summer is important to reduce insect infestation. For a professional termite control, ant exterminator, bee control, bed bug treatment, and wasp control in Melbourne, get in touch with our friendly team on Positive Pest Solutions! Our friendly team is more than happy to discuss with you the full range of services we offer before arranging for a free quote. Our general pest treatment starts only from $89.

Have you ever thought about how a pest infestation might affect your restaurant’s operations? Pests can carry pathogens that cause diseases, which would contaminate equipment, utensils and food. This would not only compromise the cleanliness of your restaurant, but also the health of your customers, as well as employees. Whether you’re the owner, manager or a food handler in the business, maintaining a healthy commercial kitchen and food safety practices are essential for effective pest control.

In this article, we share some tips on how you can keep pests out of your kitchen.

1. Eliminate food sources

Besides shelter and breeding grounds, food and water sources are a key driving factor that lead to pest invasions. As such, restaurants are a beacon for these critters due to the easy access to food. Cockroaches and rodents, in particular, are omnivores – meaning they eat most things. Proper food storage will protect your dry goods, condiments, and other items outside the refrigerator and freezer from not only being consumed by these pests, but also from attracting more. Make sure to safely store all possible food sources in containers that are kept off the floor and 16 inches away from the nearest wall, in shelving units.

Most pests can survive for up to a month without food, but only a few weeks or days without water. Oftentimes, amidst the fast-paced world of the food and beverage business, it may be easy to overlook leaking faucets, sinks, refrigerators, or appliances. However, these water sources would pose a major attractant left unchecked.

2. Clean regularly

In order to keep pests away from your commercial kitchen, you will want to make sure that you do not attract them in the first place. This would mean creating a pest-proof daily cleaning plan to ensure your restaurant and kitchen are as clean as possible. Your daily cleaning routine should include;

• Sweeping and mopping the floors of the kitchen and dining area
• Cleaning the stove, oven, fryers, grease traps, and filter inside the dishwasher
• Cleaning and sanitising the equipment as well as utensils in each cooking preparation station (E.g., cutting boards, sinks, meat slicers, faucets, etc.)
• Wiping down the menus, condiment dispensers, tables, and chairs throughout the day
• Throwing the rubbish daily

3. Practice FIFO

First In, First Out (FIFO) strategy implies that inventory items stocked first would move out first. This would include putting items with a sooner best before date at the front, while placing items with the further dates at the back or removing them entirely when damaged with bite marks, holes or tears. In most cases, a cockroach invasion first begins with their eggs being found in pre-packed dry produce. Since most of the eggs would take 4 to 6 weeks to hatch, daily inspections would allow you to notice an infestation early on. Store all opened dried food such as flour, cereal and other dried goods in containers with tightly fitting lids to help prevent stored product pests from getting in and to help contain any infestations that do occur. Throwing out fruits or vegetables that are old and bruised will keep fruit flies away.

4. Seal entry points

Rodents are excellent climbers, with the ability to scale your building to enter attics or roofs as well as squeeze through extremely small openings. Make sure to properly seal all holes, cracks, fissures and crevices using caulk or another sealant. This would also reduce the easy migration of ants and cockroaches between any other adjoining units. Installing metal covers over pipes and drains as well as door sweeps in available gaps are the perfect deterrent to these pests. Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible to help prevent fly entry. Instead of propping doors or unscreened windows open, install self-closing doors or windows.

For more information on food safety practices and general requirements of the hospitality industry in Australia, visit the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) website.

If you’re looking for commercial pest control in Melbourne, Positive Pest Solutions can help your business avoid serious damage to not only your premises, but also your reputation. Providing quality pest maintenance services, our team stays up-to-date with the latest restaurant pest control practices to ensure your complete peace of mind. Get in touch with our friendly and reliable team and find out more about how we can help you today!

As one of the most common – and persistent – household pests, cockroaches are a cause for concern due to the bacteria they carry as they crawl along unhygienic surfaces. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), these pests also carry infectious diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera, leprosy, plague, typhoid fever, and many more viral illnesses. As such, if you have cockroaches in your home or apartment in areas such as kitchen cabinets, the attic, or in your bathroom, it’s important to get rid of them fast.

In this article, we share some tips on how you can manage and effectively remove these critters from your home.

Signs of a cockroach invasion

Before taking you through tips on how to remove these pests, it is important to firstly identify them. The following are some tell-tale signs that indicate there are cockroaches in your home:

• Droppings. Black grainy droppings found around commonly travelled routes such as cabinets, countertops, and walls.
• Moulted skin and egg cases. Nymphs, or young cockroaches shed their skin 5 to 8 times as they mature to adulthood, leaving behind brownish skins around their breeding area. Similarly, traces of egg cases – which are small, oval-shaped dark brown, can also be found in these spots.
• Odour. Cockroaches release an oily smell that is usually pungent and musty. The smell grows in its intensity the longer the infestation.

1. Clean and eliminate food sources

Cockroaches are attracted to dirt, filth and are constantly searching for new sources of food. Just like most pests, cockroaches flourish where food, moisture, and shelter are readily available. They are also omnivores, which means they eat anything. It is essential that you remove easy sources of food like dirty dishes left overnight in the sink, pet food left opened or uncovered, open cardboard boxes of snacks and cereals. Cleanliness is also a particularly important step in preventing and correcting roach invasions. This not only includes cleaning your counters, cabinets, and drawers but also taking out the trash on a regular basis.

2. Fix water leaks

Did you know cockroaches can survive up to a month without food, but only a week or two without water? Oftentimes homeowners have leaks in their homes which go unnoticed, which is why it is important to regularly inspect the faucets, sinks, refrigerators, and appliances in your home to make sure they aren’t leaking or producing excess moisture. Extra measures to wipe down the shower, tub, and kitchen sinks are also effective in deterring this pest.

3. Set cockroach baits

Part of the challenge in dealing with cockroaches is finding their nest, which may not always be feasible without the help of professionals. Even if you successfully identify their location, applying the appropriate product, or baits, can be tricky. Considered as one of the more common cockroach control methods, cockroach baits are an effective solution to dealing with these roach infestation issues. Available in three different forms – solid, gel and liquid, these baits contain a slow-acting insecticide combined with a food attractant to eradicate the critters without having to look for their hiding place.

As the effects of the toxins in the bait take several hours to act, this allows the foraging cockroaches to return to their nests where they will defecate. Following this, any other cockroach that consumes the faeces, saliva, or carcass of the infected roach will then also be affected by the cockroach bait. As such, this method is designed to successfully exterminate whole colonies of cockroaches and future cycles that may be produced.

4. Close off entryways

Once you have removed the cockroaches from your home, it’s time to seal off any possible entryways that would permit access to your home. This method would not only be effective in keeping cockroaches at bay, but also other pests as well. To prevent cockroaches from getting inside your home, use caulk or another sealant to fill possible entry points, including gaps between walls or tile, small crevices, openings around faucets and waste pipes. This is especially useful in homes such as apartments in order to reduce the easy migration of cockroaches between adjoining units.

If you have a cockroach problem on your property, do not wait around before getting the appropriate cockroach treatment – get in touch with an exterminator as quickly as possible.

With years of experience, Positive Pest Solutions is the expert of choice when it comes to cockroach control. From end of lease pest control to pest control maintenance, termite control in Melbourne and rodent control in Melbourne, we have the expertise and level of service ready to solve all your pest related problems with ease. Get in touch with our friendly and reliable team for pest control in Burwood and find out more about how we can help you today!