Is it Safe to Use Pest Control Around Kids and Pets?

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When it comes to devising a pest control treatment strategy in your home, you’ll want to ensure that your home’s residents, including any high-risk children and pets, are safe from potential contaminations. While it’s wise to eradicate pests as soon as they infest your home, you should understand that all pesticides introduce some level of risk to your home. As you plan to spray either store-bought or commercial-grade pesticides, ensure these areas of application aren’t accessible to your curious kids or pets, as they may ingest the chemical through one way or another. 

Remember, protecting your family from chemical poisoning is only possible when you’re acting as a responsible homeowner. That said, here are some suggestions to help you treat pests efficiently while keeping your loved ones as safe as possible.

Get professional help

If you lack prior pest control knowledge, finding a pest control professional can help to ensure that your children and pets stay protected from accidental poisonings. Most of these professionals have modernized and refined their methods of treatment. 

Unlike outdated pest control methods where homeowners spray excessive amounts of chemicals to ensure pest elimination, today, professionals adopt advanced and safer methods that are less abrasive. Natural pest control solutions can help minimize the risk of poisoning or any other household accidents. 

Reputable professionals like Moxie Pest Control will target areas of your home that aren’t easily accessible to the average homeowner, like inside walls, behind furniture, and under cabinets. While DIY solutions can treat your primary living spaces, commercial-grade pest control treatments cover every nook and cranny, from the cracks in your foundation to your attic’s hard-to-reach corners. These teams of pest control experts can apply these solutions strategically in a way that can protect your children and household pets from the adverse effects of pesticides.

Understand the type of pesticide you need

There are various types of pesticides on the market designed for different purposes. Purchasing an over-the-counter pesticide before understanding its risk factors and list of benefits is one of the most potentially-detrimental mistakes you can make as a homeowner. For that reason, researching before making a purchase is key to ensuring you acquire the necessary products that will eradicate your household pests while protecting your family from undue harm. 

You don’t need to use a large quantity of pesticide solution, as it can flood your home with dangerous chemicals that will take longer to dry and become problematic to at-risk groups. Ensure you carefully review the product instructions and use the recommended amount of pesticides during the application process.

Try prevention methods first

No matter how closely you follow the safety precautions during pest control treatment, there’s always a risk of negatively affecting your home’s residents, mostly if consumed. To minimize the risk of coming in contact with disease-transmitting pests, you’ll want to implement necessary prevention measures, which can help keep your family safe from harmful pests and chemicals.

As a first step, start by keeping your home clean, sweeping up spilled crumbs, storing your food in airtight containers, and routinely vacuuming. By observing these prevention measures, you’ll remove pest attractants, eliminating the need to resort to pesticides for extermination purposes.

How to use pesticides around your kids and pets

If you’re wondering if it’s safe to use pesticides in your toddler and pet-friendly home, the answer is that it’s possible as long as you observe the printed health and safety guidelines. To further protect your loved ones, it would help if you took crucial actions when applying pest control treatment around your home and yard. 

Some of the steps to keep in mind when spraying pesticides include reading and following the label or package directions carefully before use. You should also remove any children’s toys and pets’ belongings such as food, bedding, water, and toys, before treating infected areas. Also, keep pets and kids out of the treatment area for the specified period and ensure you store pesticides away out of young children’s reach.

What to do in the case of poisoning

Regardless of how hard you try, there’s always a chance of your child or pet accidentally ingesting these treatment solutions. Some of the symptoms of poisoning may include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and drooling. If your child or household pet exhibits any of the symptoms mentioned above, they’ve likely consumed these pesticides, meaning you’ll need to take immediate action. 

You can visit your doctor or contact your local animal poison control center so these trained medical professionals can assess the situation and prescribe the necessary course-of-action, including medications. Remember that chemical poisoning is a severe issue that can have severe and life-threatening consequences.

If your child or pet doesn’t receive the necessary treatment, they may start experiencing more severe symptoms, including tremors, convulsions, seizures, tremors, and difficulty breathing. Therefore, make sure you contact a professional to help at the first sign of poisoning-related symptoms. 

Final thoughts

By adhering to the guidelines listed above, you can promote a safety-conscious and pest-free environment simultaneously. Don’t expose your beloved pets or curious young children to potentially life-threatening pesticides. Do your due diligence to prioritize your family’s safety when treating household infestations.

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