The Orkin Blog

Rodents are some of the craftiest pests around. They’re always on the lookout for food, water and shelter. If you’re a homeowner or a business owner (or both), your property likely provides everything they’re looking for in one convenient place. And in an age of heightened health concerns due to COVID-19, a small rodent problem can quickly become a serious one. While rodents haven’t been shown to be carriers of the disease, they are known to carry other pathogens that can compromise the safety of your home or business. They thrive in filth and clutter, which means their presence is a sure signal that you need to take action. But where should you start? If you suspect there may be rodents around, you’ll want to identify the key markers of their presence.

When it comes to pest control, we’ve all heard our fair share of rumors about what works best. And let’s be honest—amateur pest fighters love telling others about their latest makeshift solutions. Chances are, you’ve heard a friend or family member boast about how they conquered a rat problem in their own abode. Maybe you’ve traveled deep into the online video abyss and listened to vloggers describe their “proven” ways to keep flies off your property. Or perhaps you’re still holding on to pest control advice you heard decades ago and mistakenly took for fact. No matter where you’ve picked up your pest knowledge, it’s crucial to separate fact from fiction so you can effectively combat these unwanted invaders. Let’s break down a few of the most common (but false) beliefs about pests

Pests don’t scan their key card on the way in the door, so you’ll never know when they show up at your facility — especially if they’re already inside. Crawling critters are always looking for a way to make themselves at home if your building offers any food, water or shelter. Chances are, it contains a bit of all three. That’s why it’s important to take preventive measures to keep pests where they belong: outside. Orkin Canada’s exclusion services do just that, using a variety of tools to help fortify your facility at its most vulnerable entry points.

Renovating your home is a rewarding but challenging undertaking. Whether you’re updating a single room or your entire living space, it’s gratifying to see the finished product and share it with friends and family. Unfortunately, pests are always waiting to revel in the celebration with you. The renovation process can leave your home vulnerable to insects, rodents and other unwanted invaders looking for shelter. That’s why it’s important to factor pest exclusion and prevention into your home renovation plans.

In the foodservice industry, there’s little room for error when it comes to health and safety. As a manager, you’re responsible for ensuring sanitary conditions in both front-of-house and back-of-house areas of the building. Proper sanitation is key for passing third-party inspection and maintaining an exceptional customer experience, and pest management is a crucial part of that. Just one pest sighting can ruin a customer’s experience, and an infestation can cause significant issues for any restaurant.

In an age of heightened health concerns, maintaining proper cleaning and sanitation procedures at your restaurant is more important than ever. As a manager, you know how important it is to create an outstanding guest experience, and that starts with ensuring a clean dining environment for your patrons. Perhaps nowhere is this more important than outdoor areas like patios, porches and decks. Unfortunately, they are also highly susceptible to pest issues. With little or no protective barriers between the outdoors and your customers, pests can more easily take up a seat at your tables—leaving dissatisfied diners in their wake.

When looking at the various disinfectants that are on the market currently, it is important to understand that not all disinfectants are made equal when trying to mitigate transmission of the SARS Coronavirus-2. Here are some factors you need to consider when choosing a disinfection.

Flies are an ever-present threat in the restaurant industry. As a manager, you’ve probably experienced how difficult it can be to keep these pests from disrupting your guest experience. That’s why it’s important to take steps to keep flies out of your building and away from your food, starting with the greatest food source of all: your kitchen. The best thing you can do to keep flies out of this food preparation area is to apply a proven fly management program comprised of monitoring, sanitation and exclusion techniques.

If you haven't done a home inspection recently, you could have a ticking time bomb underneath your feet, termites. You don't have to know which wire to cut in order to diffuse an explosive situation. Here are a few simple tips to conduct a home inspection that will help keep any potential termites at bay.

During these uncertain times, understanding the differences between a clean environment versus a disinfected one can be crucial. You may have presumed that words such as clean, sanitize, disinfect or sterilize were somewhat the same, or at least interchangeable. However, there are dramatic differences between a surface that is clean compared to a surface that is sterile. Here’s everything you need to know about the differences in cleanliness.