Picking The Right Treatment
November 2025 Edition:
By Trevor Bowling - Ohio Asst. Regional Manager
Pests can arise in various ways inside of a facility. That may be in the form of infested ingredients stored inside of a 3,000,000ft² warehouse or an infestation inside of a dry storage hopper bin that leads to other equipment inside of a pet food manufacturing facility. Each one has different ways you can approach taking control over the issue.
There is a general fumigation using Profume. This treatment involves treating structures or spaces where the issue is located. Typically, this is when the issue is throughout a large area, where sanitation is no longer a viable option to clean up insects. Control can be met after a 24 hour exposure. Plus, the time to seal up before the fumigant is introduced and time after for aeration. The process is usually a 2-4 day venture. Temperature for this treatment needs to be >75°F.
A general fumigation can also be used to clean up an established population of rodents inside of a structure. Targeting rodents in a structure using Profume is a great option too because during exposure, the gas will make it’s way to burrows or behind conduit pipes where trapping rodents is sometimes difficult. In some cases, it takes 24x less gas to control rodent populations than if targeting certain insects. This makes it much cheaper than an insect rate fumigation.
If issues are isolated to production equipment and small bins but only a few issues outside the area of the equipment, I’d look at a combination fumigation / fogging / spray of the area. The fogging, as long as its above 60°F, would be completed with DDVP, otherwise known as Vapona. As well as an IGR (insect growth regulator). For the systems, Mag Toxin Spot Fumigant is a magnesium phosphide (ph3) that works great for cleaning up bins and connecting equipment. The fumigator in charge needs to make a sealing plan to execute to ensure successful treatment. This involves access pipes, holes, or hatches. Also, usually a dust collector or 2 are connected to the equipment. With the minimum temperature only needing to be >40°F and a minimum 34hr exposure, it is a much cheaper fumigant as well.
A cost-effective option to clean up infestations is to load problem items / pallets onto a semi-trailer and to fumigate the trailer using phosphine (ph3). Typically requiring less fumigant and sealing, and a quick turn around time of 3-5 days pending temperature. Also, trailers can be parked out in the back of a parking lot to be fumigated, and all personnel do not have to vacate a building.
If you have any questions about types of treatments and need help determining which treatment will resolve your challenging issues, please reach out anytime for more info!