Keeping Pests Out of a Self Storage Unit

Pests such as rodents or insects are not only an annoyance, but can also be damaging to your possessions. When storing your items in a self storage unit, it is important to take the same precautions as you do at home, if not more, to keep these pests away from your valuables.  While most storage facilities have pest control plans, here are some tips on how to keep your storage unit clean and pest-free:

• Thoroughly clean all items you plan on storing prior to storage. Be sure to clean any residue or stains off of clothing and furniture, and leave no crumbs or food remnants inside kitchen appliances.
• Do not store any perishable food items inside the storage unit. Canned or jarred items are ok, but any open or previously opened and resealed food items will attract ants, mice, and other unwanted pests.
• Both moth balls and cedar blocks work well to help keep moths from ruining your stored clothing. Do not store them in direct contact with the clothes however as both can be damaging to clothing if in contact for extended periods of time.
• Before placing your items into your storage unit, double check to make sure that no bugs got into or on any boxes or other items during transport. Bugs breed more bugs, so keep this in mind before you shut that unit door.
• Store boxes on a raised pallet to prevent smaller pests from finding refuge underneath them. Ants and silverfish especially will thrive underneath boxes stored directly on the ground.
• Regularly do a quick cleaning of your storage unit to maintain the cleanliness of your unit and to check for possible traces of pests.
• Be sure not to store live plants in your unit, as the leaf, soil, and root structure provide a prime location for ants and other small insects to make their home.

Finally, if you do suspect there may be pests in your storage unit, notify the manager immediately.  Most facilities offering self storage San Diego Storage for example, offer pest control plans, so the manager can notify the pest control service as soon as you let him or her know about the problem. Once the manager has been notified, glue traps can be placed in the unit to trap any unwanted visitors. It is important to remember however, that if you do decide to put traps into your storage unit, you must check your storage unit frequently to be sure there are no pests trapped in the unit. If a rodent was to stay trapped in a storage unit for an extended period of time, not only would it decay and bring in smaller pests such as ants, but your storage unit will smell horrible. Never use a conventional baited trap, as the bait can attract pests that weren't there before. Glue traps are not only more humane, but they also require no bait.