Clean Up!

Litter, dirty dishes, crumb-cluttered corners and plumbing leaks are common indoor clean-up issues that attract ants. Outside, it’s leaf debris, mulch, pine needles and brush too close to the home and foundation, along with damp firewood and backyards that haven’t seen Fido’s poop scoop in a while.

Do you call out the client? Is there a low-key way to say, “Get your act together!” Could clean-up be a billable service opportunity? Here’s what some industry professionals have to say on the matter.

WASTE OF BAND-AIDS. “Until this base sanitation issue is fixed, I’m just a Band-Aid.” This is what Jason Dimick, owner, PAH Weed and Pest, Eugene, Ore., tells customers who aren’t doing their part. He wants them to know: “You are wasting your resources.” Do clients appreciate this message?

“I find that open and frank discussions, even though they can get uncomfortable, play a huge part in managing expectations,” said Dimick. Yes, some people just won’t do it. But he says it can help to gently remind, “‘We talked about this — and this is why the issue isn’t getting better.’”

PUT AWAY THE PARTY. In Edisto, S.C., beach rentals and waterfront homes are entertainment destinations. Sanitation issues are rare, said Brad Drawdy, owner of Apex of Edisto Pest Management.

But there’s the byproduct of grilling and chilling, which creates waste that ants like.

“Ants find the trash cans, uncleaned grills, dumped pots of shrimp and fish boils on the ground,” he said.

Also, he advises homeowners and landlords to keep limbs trimmed and away from roofs, soffits and siding. “We started offering this service at an extra cost,” he said. “We just cut back the limbs with a pole saw. It works great because we mainly deal with palmetto and palm trees and live oaks.”

PRUNE OR POLITELY PAY. Joe Pfaff coaches customers to pay close attention to limbs, brush, pine needles and leaf debris crowding structures. If they want a “keep out” policy for ants, then some light-duty landscaping is a must.

No cheating with the cleanup.

“If you trim hedges and never remove the debris that falls down into the base of boxwoods or hollies, you can just pull ant colonies out of there like crazy,” said the president of Joey’s Elite Pest Control in Harvest, Ala.

Pfaff starts with a conversation and a quick overview of culprits that can be eliminated. If the next visit reveals the same old landscape issues, he’ll introduce an option.

“It usually ends up with, ‘If you don’t want to do it, I will.’”

Not for free. But most clients are just fine with that. “If they have a pest control service and lawn care, they don’t want to go out there and do the leaves,” Pfaff said.