Dubai: The onset of summer also raises the risk of bed bugs, rats and other pests affecting households as these get more active in hot and humid weather conditions.
Effective preventive and remedial measures are a must to keep the pests away in the first place or, to get rid of them, say pest control professionals.
Bed bugs: Even though the common perception about bedbugs is that they thrive in dirty surroundings, you can find them in the cleanest of places, says Dinesh Ramachandran, technical director with National Pest Control, Dubai.
You could be carrying bed bugs from anywhere around your environment from taxis, already infested used furniture, laundry service, hotel rooms or even public transport. They key, say professionals, is to be cautious and visually inspect the areas that you visit. Says Dr Faith Oi from the University of Florida, USA: “For instance, if you go to a hotel room, the places you should be checking are the bed and also the head board, creeks and crevices and also where the carpet meets the wall.”
Rats and cockroaches: Professional advice that you declutter your house as excessive clutter could provide a place for pests like rats and cockroaches to hide and would also make it tough to eliminate even if you get pest control done.
Openings like drains should be kept closed and never leave food out in the open. This includes leftovers, beverages and snacks that people tend to leave in the open.
In case your house is affected by pests, do not waste time in trying to handle the problem by yourself. Professional help would ensure timely and effective solution, according to the experts.
“Professional help is much safer and effective. Instead of trying to handle the pest problem on their own, people should go in for certified pest control companies,” says Hani Shehadeh, President of Ecovar, which is the representative of National Pest Management Association in MENA region.
For the treatment to be effective, cooperation from customer is as important as the efficacy with which the pest control company handles its task.
“But cooperation from clients is very important before and after the treatment,” according to Ramachandran.
He explained that people getting the treatment done should clean the rooms and provide access to all the areas of the house which could be infested to the pest control company. Curtains, bed covers, pillow covers etc. need to be placed in plastic bags and taken to laundry and after the treatment the treated areas need to be left unattended for three hours.
According to industry professionals, pests like bed bugs cannot be eradicated in a single treatment and need proper treatment as well as follow ups. “
Qualified technicians provide the clients with a follow up plan after the treatment.
While professional services are recommended for pest control, people usually cite cost as the key factor due to which they try to deal with the problem themselves.
The cost of single treatment for residential accommodation, as enquired from different companies by Gulf News, could vary from Dh 250 to Dh 500, depending on the size of the apartment. An annual contract could cost Dh 1,000-1,200.
Wrong usage of pesticides could cause numerous problems ranging from skin irritation, suffocation and even be fatal.
The Dubai Municipality has already issued a warning against using chemicals like aluminium phosphide, which is usually available in grey tablets and used to eradicate rats and other pests.
“‘Consumers buy aluminium phosphide, which is usually in the form of tablets in grey colour from individuals not licensed to sell or circulate or not qualified to use. It is packed in cheap plastic bags with no warning labels on them,” said Hisham Abdul Rahman Al-Yahya, Head of Pest Control Section of the municipality, had stated while issuing the warning.
In case you are buying any products, you should buy the ones that are approved by the Ministry of Environment and Water.
