Watch Wild Wild Pest Control demonstrate how to prep food before a fumigation
You’ve got unwanted houseguests. Perhaps a couple hundred thousand of them chewing you out of house and home…literally. Drywood termites are a pain, and they can cause lots of damage to the wood structures in your home. In fact, termites across the United States cause billions of dollars in damage every year. Once you find termites, it is time to get rid of them! If you have drywood termites (as opposed to the other popular home invaders, subterranean termites), the best option is probably to fumigate.
You’ve probably seen houses in your neighborhoods or even buildings downtown draped in colorful, stripped tents. These are fumigation tents that help keep toxic chemicals in the home so that it can seep into every nook and cranny and kill all those pesky termites. A lot of homeowners worry about whether or not the chemicals are dangerous, especially to food left in the home. You may be wondering this yourself, especially if you have a fumigation scheduled. Do you need to take all of your food with you? Is it safe for your family to eat if it stays in the house during the fumigation?
How to Prepare Your Food Items During Fumigation
First, at Wild Wild Pest Control, we use a chemical fumigant calledVikane®. It is deadly to termites, but it will disperse. By the time you and your family return to the home, you will be completely safe. But what about your food? Vikane is a potent chemical, which is why it is so good at getting rid of termites. If certain food items are left un-protected, they may no longer be safe for your family to consume.
That is why we use specialNylofume® bags, per government regulations, that are made specifically to protect food items during fumigation. A Nylofume bag is a thick, plastic bag that won’t allow fumigant through.
You must double-bag all food items in your home except for a few exceptions. This includes your pet’s food too!
Things You Don’t Have to Bag
Any food item that comes in a glass, plastic, or metal bottle, jar, or can that still has the manufacture’s seal does NOT need to be bagged. For instance, if you have an unopened can of soup in your pantry, an unopened plastic bottle of soda, or an unopened glass jar of pickles or olives in the fridge, you don’t have to bag up these items. If they have been opened (even if you put the lid tightly back on), it needs to be bagged.
Unopened wine bottles do not need to be bagged, but make sure to lay all wine bottles with corks on their side. If you are at all unsure whether or not something needs to be bagged, then just bag it to be safe.
Securing the Bags
Always secure each bag individually. Fill up your Nylofume bag (you can put as many different food items in it as can fit) and then seal it with a twisty tie or a piece of tape. Then slip it into another bag and seal that bag the same way. Your food should then be safe and sound during the fumigation process.
Let Us Help You Safely Seal Your Food
At Wild Wild Pest Control, we want to make sure every fumigation process is as safe and stress-free as possible for our clients. That’s why our team gladly assists homeowners with bagging. We show you how to bag, what to bag, and pitch in if you need our help. We also do a careful walkthrough of the home before fumigation to make sure everything that needs to be bagged is.
As far as we know, no other termite company in the country does this. Most other termite companies will hand out bags and an instruction sheet and leave families to do all the bagging work on their own. If you’d rather work with a termite company focused on your safety that will help you every step of the way to prepare your home for fumigation, give Wild Wild Pest Control a call
FAQs
Food, animal feed, drugs and medications
Products in unopened bottles, jars or cans with the original seal intact do not need to be removed. If you will be leaving any opened food or products (such as refrigerated or frozen items) during fumigation, double bag them using bags designed specifically for this purpose.
What food can stay during fumigation? ›
Remove ALL items for human consumption INCLUDING food in refrigerators and freezers PRIOR to the fumigation. (Food items in cans, glass jars and plastic bottles with the ORIGINAL FACTORY SEAL do not have to be removed. Any other food and/or medicines MUST be removed even with the factory seal intact.
Is food safe after termite tenting? ›
Remove all edible items like food and medicines or double bag them. Food in plastic covers, glass jars and cans can be left as it is given that the seal is intact. Double bag frozen foods and leave them in the refrigerator. Use special bags that offer maximum protection against fumigants for sealing food items.
Do dishes need to be washed after fumigation? ›
What do I have to wash after fumigation? Nothing! It is unnecessary to wash dishes, linens, clothing, etc., as the fumigant is a gas that will dissipate from the structure and its contents.
Is food in refrigerator safe during fumigation? ›
All items such as food, feed, drugs and medicinals not adequately packaged (in- cluding those items in refrigerators and freezers) must either be removed from the structure being fumigated or sealed in the protective Nylofume bags.
Do I need to bag my dishes for fumigation? ›
Before your home is treated with a fumigant, all consumable items in unsealed containers (such as food, medicine, pet food, beverages and candy) need to be protected in special bags or removed from the structure.
Does soap need to be bagged for fumigation? ›
Preparation instructions for termite fumigation do not include removing soap or detergent. These items are not to be ingested, therefore may remain inside the house during termite fumigation. It is with an abundance of caution that editable items are either bagged or removed during termite fumigation preparation.
How do I prepare my kitchen for fumigation? ›
Food and beverages: Any food or beverage container that is not factory sealed should be removed from your house or placed into special fumigation bags. This includes items that are inside cabinets, refrigerators, freezers, and pantries. Gas lines: Please turn off the gas to your home prior to our arrival for treatment.
What foods should be bagged for fumigation? ›
Double-bag or remove these items:
Chips, pasta, rice, and other foods packaged in plastic bags. Cereals, crackers and other foods packaged in cardboard boxes (even if the boxes have never been opened) Spices, salts and pepper shakers, and other items where the seal has been broken.
Can you leave toothpaste during fumigation? ›
Medicines, Toiletries, and Skin Care Products
Of course, you can leave behind unopened bottles of shampoo or toothpaste, buy anything with a broken seal that could absorb chemicals and release them later on, should be carried out with you.
Does makeup, shampoo/conditioner, and lotions need to be removed? Make-up, shampoo/conditioner, and lotions DO NOT need to be removed. The gas does not have an odor and does not leave any residue. The gas will not have any chemical reactions with these items.
Do you need to wash sheets after termite fumigation? ›
Your clothes are not affected by the fumigation process, therefore you do not need to wash your clothes once it is done. On the contrary, if you want to be extra safe, you can go ahead and wash them. Washing your clothes after fumigation will not cause adverse effects or problems for you.
Can I sleep in my house after fumigation? ›
When your home undergoes fumigation for drywood termites, you will typically need to leave your home for three days. That means that you, your family, and your pets (houseplants included) need to stay somewhere else during that time.
Do cleaning supplies need to be bagged during fumigation? ›
Preparation instructions for termite fumigation do not include removing soap or detergent. These items are not to be ingested, therefore may remain inside the house during termite fumigation. It is with an abundance of caution that editable items are either bagged or removed during termite fumigation preparation.
Do cans need to be bagged for fumigation? ›
If these items are not sealed, they must be removed or double-bagged in special nylon bags provided by your fumigator. Bottled or canned items that have not been opened and still have the original manufacturer's airtight seal do not need to be removed.
How do you bag items for fumigation? ›
Nylofume Bag Instructions - Preparing For Your Termite Fumigation
- While bags are still empty, place one inside another. ...
- Place items to be protected inside the inner bag. ...
- Twist the top of the inner bag, fold once and secure the fold in place using a suitable fastener such as a twist tie, tape, rubber band or string.
