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Commercial facilities everywhere, especially warehouses, are plagued with the ongoing dilemma of how to effectively protect their premises from the damages incurred by unwanted insects and rodents.
Pest infestations can be devastating in more ways than just the pocketbook; they affect company morale and reputation.
One rather disgusting fact concerns the diversity of smells that are associated with insects and other pests that can range from musty to ammonia-like odors to more creative ones, such as: rotting coconut and even sharper than normal blue cheese.
Not exactly comforting is the fact that no matter how thorough a warehouse or other facility’s sanitary regimen may be in terms of maintaining a pest-control and pest maintenance program, odors are inevitable, and must be addressed in order to sustain an effective regimen.
A bit of knowledge about the types of pests and odors they are attracted to knowledge goes a long way here, and according to the experts at Pestco is vital to effective treatments and solutions.
Where Do Commercial Odors Come From?
Sources are literally everywhere. The can range from dumpsters and sewer drains to trash cans, food crumbs and storage areas, just to name a few.
Many warehouses and other commercial facilities miscalculate the need for vigilance because they may not process food products.
They may not realize that they still can attract food sources and odors that are very appealing to a number of pests that are not.
Unwanted pests flourish in human environments, and are attracted to both food odors and smells related to waste production that includes among other lovely things, sewage and feces.
Insects And Rodents That Can Cause Odors
From rodents to roaches and even tiny ants, many pests transport unpleasant odors along with disease and dangerous allergens to both the home and the work place. Diverse critters bring diverse odors.
Mice, for example, are often linked to the musky, pungent odors of ammonia and decay, which is understandable because rodents urinate very often.
Others believe the smell is musky, but in either case, these malodors are known to linger for a long time even after a visit from our pest-control and pest-maintenance experts have long gone.
Stale urine is putrid and it can permeate any space, even baseboards and floor boards, but it is even worse in those areas that are enclosed such as: cabinets, pantries, drawers etc.
The smell of dead mice has often been compared to that of rotting cabbage.
This followed by the smell of decomposition and decay is so potent that it can linger months even after their corpses are removed from the premises.
Rats have their own odor profile, which is just as disgusting as mice but slightly different. Live rat smells are funky, resulting from fecal matter and the oddly fragrant oil that coats their pelts.
A dead rat malodor is a putrid mix of chemicals that include methane and sulfur dioxide.
Both species tend to seek out hard-to-reach corners to die and their bodies often get trapped behind walls and small spaces.
The smell of their rotting flesh is unforgettable and like no other.
Only Pestco Professional Services provides a holistic approach to rodent control, which entails a cautious balance between baiting and trapping methods as well as environmental management strategies.
Technicians also make rodent targeted sanitation and maintenance recommendations to commercial space owners and managers.
The emphasis on any insect or rodent control initiative is always geared towards prevention.
The smell of ants is manifold and yet not so easy to detect. The species determines the odor that follows them about like a bad perfume.
Citronella ants, for example, release citrus odors when they are crushed that are not intolerable, but carpenter ants spray formic acid over everything they encounter, which renders a vinegary aroma.
When released in large doses, this acid burns their natural predators.
The Odorous House Ant (aka coconut ant) emits a chemical whose smell has been described as rotting coconut, rancid butter or blue cheese. Dead ants are said to smell a bit like olive oil.
Some use words like musty and oily to describe the smells of the world’s most ubiquitous insect; namely the cockroach.
Others suggest soy sauce is the prevalent aroma. Smells serve as communication between roaches and when they die, the odor become acidic during the decomposition process.
The odor is caused by a combination of roach feces, body oil and pheromones.
The smell becomes exponentially worse as an infestation advances, and facilities should not hesitate to call for help as soon as possible.
The smell of termites is likened to mildew, damp leaves or mold and reflects the environment in which they live; namely, underground in mud tubes or dampened wood.
Sometimes, their malodors are mistaken for an indication of water damage.
These odors signal bad news ahead because they mark the presence of a large infestation, indicating that the time to call a pest-control and pest-maintenance specialist.
Often described as musky, sweet and somewhat berry-like or similar to the stench of rotten cilantro, bedbugs use scent as a means of communication with other insects.
They release hormones such as histamines, which aid in navigation and pheromones that signal potential dangers.
Although the bedbug smell is a positive indication of an infestation, it is more likely that they will be seen in large quantities before a scent is detected.
While bedbugs certainly prefer life where a blood meal is available, they are opportunists, and known to hitch hike wherever the carrier takes them. This can be anywhere, including warehouses and similar facilities.
They are particularly attracted to padding and storage areas where they can thrive for more than a year without a blood meal and survive in temperatures from nearly freezing to 122 degrees.
They wait patiently for a means to hitchhike via clothing, luggage or open bags into homes with their favorite menu fare; namely, sleeping people.
Odor Control As a Weapon To Combat Commercial Infestations
While this may at face value to appear to be an unlikely scenario, it is not.
Scent placement is integral to the effective maintenance of every commercial space, albeit it is often overlooked.
It is vital because pests thrive on their keen sense of smell and they are attracted to malodors.
Locating the source of an odor is an important first step that must be followed by elimination.
This means powerful neutralizing with their one-of-a-kind additive known as Metazene, which destroys odors dead forever rather than just masking them, which makes it possible for them to reappear, like an unwanted relative on a door step.
Pestco Professional Services Solutions and Services
Quick action is required once an infestation gains a foothold in a commercial facility because most insects reproduce very rapidly.
Cockroaches, fleas, bedbugs, termites and ants can easily multiply almost to oblivion without specific and very aggressive pest-control measures.
Insects spread filth and disease and can easily destroy the hard earned reputations of products and many a commercial enterprise.
All Pestco insect control and management programs include skillful monitoring as part of the solution, which also includes the careful application of eco-friendly insecticides.
Our Complete Facility Care Service Plan
Founded in 1948, protecting the environment is and always has been an issue of primary concern to this family-run five-star business. Our Complete Facility Care program is ideal for commercial spaces of all kinds, including warehouses.
This efficient initiative provides a trinity of bundled services that are both cost-effective and all-inclusive.
These include: sanitation solutions by Enviro-Master, ambient air air care and air freshening strategies by Air Scent International and superior pest control and pest-management help from Pestco.
This diversity of services represents almost eight decades of dedicated, quality care and commitment to customers located in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area and environs.
If your commercial space is infested with pests of any kind, do not hesitate to call Pestco. Our teams are always here to help!
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