Dealing with Pest Phobias
The first time I suspected we had mice in our property was when my husband found droppings in a rarely-used kitchen cupboard. I would not have known what mice droppings looked like previously but he recognised what they were immediately and knowing I have a pest phobia we needed to deal with it pdq.
At the time, my youngest child was not yet 2 and my eldest 4. I already had a thousand thoughts in my head at any given time of day and the idea of dealing with mice in our home felt overwhelming. Add to the mix that I have had a serious rodent phobia for as long as I can remember and I went directly into a sense of denial about the problem.
We could hear them scratching around
I put off contacting professional services and asked my husband to try and deal with it. He put mouse traps down under the outdoor terrace but this did nothing to change the issue. We didn’t know how they were getting in and the problem was just getting worse – as was my pest phobia state.
We could hear them scratching around in the cupboards and the droppings kept coming. By the time I had to confront the fact we needed professional support, I had heard noises in the cupboards for months. But it was not until I actually saw a mouse running around the dining area that I couldn’t deny the issue anymore and knew I had to call in the professionals.
Even the process of finding somebody to help felt daunting to me. My phobia is such to the extent that even typing the word ‘mice’ or ‘rats’ into Google made my hands shake.
I didn’t want to click onto anything more than I needed to in case there were images of rodents so I Googled “pest control Palmers Green” and the first name that came up was Sparta.
Rodent Phobia is not uncommon
I clicked the listing to read their reviews and appreciated the fact there were no images of rodents in the Google listing. I was immediately drawn to the number of customers that talked about how ‘sensitive’ ‘empathetic’ and ‘patient’ Tanju was.
Despite the fact that I know rodent phobia is not uncommon, I still felt silly and embarrassed about being so scared as a fully grown adult. The fact that many people talked about how reassuring his manner was sealed the deal for me.
I also appreciated the fact that I knew we had quite a major job on our hands as I had left it untreated so long. The last thing I wanted was to have somebody come in who couldn’t effectively deal with the issue but the reviews suggested we would be in good hands.
I was afraid!
I gave Sparta a call. I spoke to Tanju and explained that I was very worried and could he get somebody round as soon as possible. I explained that I had two small children and two dogs at the house and that I was phobic about rodents.
Although I felt too self-conscious to explain the full extent of my fears, he seemed to understand quickly how nervous I was.
I also explained that my husband works long hours and I was afraid of having to confront any mouse-related issue on my own.
It was early morning when I phoned Sparta and Tanju was already on his way to another job but he promised to squeeze me in later in the day. As I was so local, it made it easier and he was at my home just after lunch.
Tanju of Sparta Pest Control put me at ease
When he came round, we initially had a chat about where I had seen the mice and where we had found the droppings. He then did a proper kitchen and dining area inspection. I asked if I could wait in another room while he looked around, and he was extremely discreet and understanding about my not wanting to be present while he looked for the issue.
He called me back in once he had done an inspection and explained that we would need a course of three visits to address the issue. He showed me where he would put the poison to ease my worries as it was completely inaccessible to both my children and my dogs.
This was especially relevant as my children are at the age where they like to get into everything and my dogs – well, like most dogs, they are scavengers so the poison needed to be firmly out of reach.
You need a professional!
Tanju explained to me that many customers try to treat the initial problem themselves but mice will always find different routes – and reasons – to enter the home and take a different pattern in all properties.
It needs a professional to work out how the pests are getting in – and how to get them back out.
I asked a lot of questions including how and why the mice had got in, and how long it would take to get rid of them. I appreciated the fact that Tanju answered all of my questions patiently and didn’t give me space to feel silly for asking them.
This is even when I asked the same question two or three times as my nerves were getting the better of me.
He was also honest – he didn’t pretend that the issue would disappear within a day or two because that was unrealistic, even though it’s what I wanted to hear. He explained how it would all work and was extremely calm and logical in the face of my anxiety.
The process would involve putting down poison, coming back to check it and then coming back once again to check that it had worked. It also included putting a special type of grating cover over our external air vents to stop the mice getting in through the holes.
A reassuring and realistic approach
When you find pests in your home or workplace, the last thing you need is any more stress and anxiety and this reassuring yet realistic approach was exactly what I needed.
This was 10 months ago and the mice have not returned. I genuinely never thought that my phobia would lessen but the experience with Sparta has made the whole concept of rodents in the home slightly less terrifying. And for someone with my level of fear, that really does say something.
How to choose a pest control company
There are some essentials when it comes to choosing the right pest control company. They should be fully licensed and trained to offer full pest control services.
All of their products and equipment should also have been tested and regularly inspected for the highest quality standards. They should also prioritise health and safety when it comes to products and methods used to treat the problem.
But, far more than that, the personal service truly stands out when it comes to dealing with such a sensitive issue. I felt physically sick with fear at dealing with mice in my home but somehow the calm, measured and patient nature of my experience with Sparta has lessened my fear ever so slightly.
While I know I cannot forever avoid the issue of pests in my home and there is always a chance they may return (this is London after all), I feel reassured that I have a company on hand that can treat the issue quickly, effectively, and calmly whilst accommodating my fears.
