Pesticide Safety Around Children and Pets: What Homeowners Should Know

Pest control products are designed to affect pests, which is why they need careful handling around people and animals. The steps below come from guidance published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and apply whether a professional treats your home or you use a product yourself. They are general safety information, not medical advice.

GetPestFixed is an advertising and referral service and does not apply treatments. If you hire a provider, the provider's instructions and the product label come first.

Read the Label First, and Follow It Exactly

The label tells you how to use a product safely and effectively, how to store it, what first aid to give, and whom to call. EPA's advice includes:

• Use the product only on the pests the label lists.
• Do not use more than the label directs. Doubling the amount does not double the results.
• Look for an EPA registration number on the container. EPA must approve a pesticide label before the product can be sold, and EPA recommends avoiding illegal products that lack one.

Keep Children and Pets Away From Treated Areas

Before a pesticide is applied, indoors or outdoors, EPA advises removing children, toys, and pets from the area and keeping them away until the product has dried or as the label recommends. The label also determines when children and pets can re-enter. If a professional is treating your home, ask how long to stay out and what to wipe down or cover. Our guide to what to expect during a pest control visit explains how preparation usually works.

Be Careful With Baits

Rodent and insect baits can attract children and animals. EPA advises keeping baits where small children and pets cannot reach them and recommends tamper-resistant bait stations for rodent products.

Store Products Safely

• Keep pesticides and other household chemicals out of children's reach, preferably in a locked cabinet.
• Store products in their original containers. The label is the emergency reference.
• Never pour a pesticide into a food or drink container. People have been poisoned this way.
• Seal the container tightly after each use.

Use Pet Flea and Tick Products Correctly

EPA notes that pesticides on a pet can be transferred to children. Use products only on the animal species and size or weight listed on the label, and never apply a dog product to a cat or the reverse. If a pet has a reaction, EPA advises bathing it with mild soap and rinsing with plenty of water, then contacting your veterinarian or the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) at 1-800-858-7378. Keep the packaging so you can share the product details.

Know Whom to Call

EPA recommends posting the Poison Control helpline number, 1-800-222-1222, near your phone. In an emergency, call it or your local emergency number, and have the product label with you when you call.

Tell Your Provider About Your Household

If you hire a pest control company, EPA suggests telling it about allergies, infants or elderly residents, pets, and nearby wildlife or fish so these concerns are reflected in the products it chooses. You can also ask it to use the least toxic method that will do the job and to show you the label or Safety Data Sheet. Our list of questions to ask before hiring a pest control company covers more.

Reduce the Need for Treatment

The fewer pests that get in, the less you may need to treat. See our prevention checklist.

If you would like an independent provider in your area to contact you about an inspection, you can submit a request through GetPestFixed.

Sources and Further Reading

• EPA: Pesticide safety tips
• EPA: Reduce your child's chances of pesticide poisoning
• EPA: Read the label first, protect your pets
• Poison Control: poison.org