The saying goes you’re never more than six feet away from a rat. In fact, our troublesome rodent neighbours are more likely to be around 160 feet away from us… but that’s still close enough if you’re running a business!
Rats are an all-too-common problem in business premises across the UK. In 2012, the BBC reported that around five per cent of our 1.8 million commercial premises had rats present.
The survey also estimated that the total number of rats in and around commercial premises was around 200,000.
Rats pose a real health risk, spreading the contagious bacterial infection Leptospirosis through their urine, especially in wet conditions when the bacteria can survive outside the rodent’s body for longer periods.
Leptospirosis causes flu-like symptoms in people, and, having just endured one of the wettest winters since records began, the potential dangers to health are perhaps as high as they have ever been.
Areas which have fallen victim to this years’ terrible floods are most likely to fall victim to the spread of infection as they clean up their homes and rebuild their businesses.
So if you’re in the painful process of assessing the damage of flooding on your premises or if you spot those tell-tale rubbing marks along skirting boards and walls, hear those characteristic scratching sounds or even catch a glimpse of these pesky rodents on your premises, ensure you take the following precautions:
- Cover all cuts and grazes with waterproof plasters to prevent infection.
- Wear waterproof clothing, including gloves, to prevent exposure to contaminated water and soil.
- Avoid swallowing contaminated water.
- Wash and dry hands thoroughly before eating and drinking.
Rats are a stubborn scourge, and once they enter your premises, they can be difficult to remove.
Identifying the signs and dealing with the problem early will minimise the risk of a full-scale infestation.
We provide professional carpet cleaning, commercial cleaning and upholstery cleaning to individuals and businesses in the North West, Crewe and Nantwich.
