Okay, so you’ve turned your property into an Airbnb rental.
It can be a wise financial decision that earns you some significant income on the side. You’ll have that mortgage paid off ahead of schedule with some money to spare if you run your Airbnb the right way.
Though it’s not always the passive form of income that people might make it out to be.
The upkeep required to generate good reviews and ratings to attract guests necessitates enough effort to make you sweat.
Your Airbnb needs to provide optimal hospitality, especially if you’re charging enough to earn a profit. That level of comfort isn’t possible if creeping, crawling insects, and rodents have burrowed their way into the property.
Frankly, you can’t afford such a disaster in your Airbnb if it’s going to be a successful business venture.
And while your home-sharing property can play host to unwanted guests such as termite, bed bugs, and spiders, it’s most vulnerable to one intruder: rodents
What are Rodents?
People’s knowledge of rodent extends as far as the childhood fairy-tales they were told about the nasty little cretins.
Known as mammals of the order Rodentia, rodents include rats, mice, squirrels, hamsters, porcupines, and their relatives, distinguished by strong constantly growing incisors and no canine teeth. They constitute the largest order of mammals.
Rodentscan spread disease, and bothratsandmicecan cause a great deal ofdamageto the structure ofyourhome as well as eating and contaminatingyour–andyourpet’s–food.
Frankly, this description is enough to make anyone a little weak at the knees.
What’s worse is that they’re a real-life problem, and not just something your parents used to say before bedtime.
Airbnb and Similar Services Are at a Greater Risk to Rodents
People who use services such as Airbnb are going from home-to-home, sometimes all over the world, and they’re entirely unaware of what they pick up along the way.
Now, there are specific guidelines for these services. They’re offered to both guests and hosts, and there’s even a screening process.
Unfortunately, properties aren’t inspected and generally aren’t required to maintain the same stringent safety standards as hotels.
Such a lack of standards leaves you at risk for two reasons:
Your guests’ previous Airbnb host won’t know they have rodents, potentially leading to an infestation.
In the case of an infestation, you won’t know when your home becomes overrun with rodents and will only realize when someone actually sees a rat/mouse running in the house
The worst part about these rodents is they don’t even pay for room and board!
Precautions You Can Take
It’s wise to:
- Remove all potential sources of food from the premises, such as birdseed left out for birds. Routinely harvest ripe fruit and pick up all fruit that has fallen to the ground.
- Store pet food in metal containers with tight sealing lids and do not leave uneaten pet food outdoors.
- Avoid storing food in garages and storage sheds unless it is in rat-proof covered metal containers
- We also suggest regularly scheduled maintenance checks from an expert pest control team, such as the one at Third Coast Home and Commercial Services.
Yes, we can take care of any rodents infestation with as little hassle as possible. Still, our maintenance services will prevent rodents problems in your Airbnb before they start.
So, avoid rodents infestations in your Airbnb by scheduling a free inspection today!