As students prepare to return to campus, facilities managers face a critical opportunity, and responsibility, to ensure that dormitories and campus buildings are clean, safe, and pest-free. College and university environments are particularly vulnerable to pest activity due to high foot traffic, shared living spaces, and frequent food and waste accumulation.
Getting ahead of pest concerns before the school year starts is not only essential for health and safety—it also supports student satisfaction, protects institutional reputation, and can help reduce long-term remediation costs. Here’s how facilities teams can be proactive.
Common Dorm and Campus Pests
Rodents (Mice and Rats)
Rodents are drawn to food crumbs, garbage bins, and warm shelter. Dorm kitchens, vending machine areas, and laundry rooms offer perfect conditions. Once inside, they can gnaw on wires, contaminate surfaces, and spread diseases like salmonella and hantavirus.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches thrive in damp, dark environments—think shared bathrooms, boiler rooms, or behind mini-fridges. They’re fast breeders and can be hard to eradicate once established. Roaches are known allergens and can trigger asthma, especially in children and young adults.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are easily transported via luggage, used furniture, or even clothing. With students constantly moving in and out, dorms can quickly become hotspots. Though not known to transmit diseases, bed bugs can cause itching, sleepless nights, and public relations nightmares.
Ants
Small but persistent, ants enter buildings in search of sugary snacks or water. Poorly sealed entry points, crumbs on dorm floors, and spills in cafeterias all invite them in. Colonies can become widespread without proper control.
Flies and Gnats
Food courts, trash rooms, and drains can all contribute to fly infestations. Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) and drain flies (Psychoda grisescens), while small, are major nuisances and can suggest sanitation issues to students and parents alike.
Why Now? The Importance of Pre-Semester Preparation
Early fall marks a high-risk period for pest invasions. Summer warmth fuels insect activity, and the increased movement of people and goods during move-in brings new opportunities for pests to hitch a ride indoors.
By conducting inspections and implementing controls before students return, facilities managers can:
- Prevent pest establishment
- Avoid emergency treatments during the school year
- Minimize student complaints and exposure
- Reduce the spread of pests between rooms or even buildings
Proactive Steps Facilities Teams Can Take
Schedule a Professional Inspection
Engage your pest management provider, like Sprague, for a comprehensive inspection of dorms, dining halls, and high-risk utility areas. Early detection is key to preventing costly outbreaks.
Seal Entry Points
Use weather stripping, door sweeps, and caulking to seal cracks and gaps around doors, windows, and utility penetrations. Even a dime-sized hole can invite pests indoors.
Improve Sanitation Protocols
Work with janitorial teams to clean under furniture, behind appliances, and in storage rooms. Ensure trash bins are emptied regularly and food waste is properly contained.
Educate Residence Staff and Students
Create awareness around pest prevention: no food left out, proper waste disposal, and prompt reporting of pest sightings. Signage in common areas can be an effective reminder.
Implement a Dorm-Specific Pest Control Program
Ongoing monitoring and targeted treatments during the semester can make all the difference. Work with pest control professionals to design a program that includes traps, bait stations, and regular follow-ups.
Partner with Sprague for Peace of Mind
Our expert technicians are trained to handle large-scale facilities and sensitive areas like student housing, labs, and cafeterias. With customized Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plans, we help you protect your campus community and maintain a pest-free environment, before the first welcome packet is handed out.
Let’s get your campus ready. Reach out today to schedule your back-to-school pest inspection or consultation.