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Is Pest Control Safe Around Children?

Written by PestMan Editorial TeamTechnical review pendingPublished Updated

Quick answer

Pest control can be carried out safely in homes with children when registered products are used strictly according to the label, children are kept away until treated areas are dry or the label’s re-entry time has passed, and baits are placed out of reach in tamper-resistant stations. Ask your pest manager to explain the products and precautions before treatment.

Why this happens

Children spend more time on floors and put their hands in their mouths, so they can have more contact with treated surfaces than adults.

Label directions are designed to manage these risks, and following them is a legal requirement.

What you can do

  • Ask for the product names and safety data before treatment.
  • Keep children away from treated areas for the time stated on the label.
  • Put toys away before treatment and wash any that were exposed.
  • Store any leftover products locked away in their original containers.

What not to do

  • Do not decant pesticides into food or drink containers.
  • Do not place baits where children can reach them.
Safety first

If a child may have swallowed or touched a pesticide, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 (24 hours, Australia-wide), or 000 in an emergency. PestMan does not provide medical advice.

When professional help may be needed

Choose a licensed pest manager who will explain their approach and prefer targeted methods such as baits in secured stations and crack-and-crevice application.

Cockroaches

Fast, flat-bodied insects that hide in warm, damp gaps and come out at night to feed. A few introduced species cause most household problems in Australia.

Ants

Social insects that live in colonies and follow scent trails to food and water. Most ant problems in homes are nuisance foraging trails from colonies outside the house.

Guide

How to Pest-Proof Your Home

A practical, room-by-room approach to reducing pests without relying on chemicals: remove what attracts them, close the ways in, and make your property less comfortable for them.

Guide

The Australian Guide to Cockroaches

Everything an Australian household needs to know about cockroaches: which species you are seeing, why they are there, how they get in, the health implications, and how to prevent and manage them.

Guide

Common Brisbane Household Pests

A Brisbane-specific overview of the pests residents meet most often, when they are active, and what the subtropical climate, storms, creeks and Queenslander homes mean for pest pressure.

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Sources & further reading

PestMan provides general information only and does not replace licensed pest-management, medical, veterinary or structural advice. Always read and follow product labels. Read our disclaimer.