Supplies stored in warehouses, waiting for use, are always at risk of harbouring pests if the piles of things aren't inspected and cleaned regularly. Add to this the risk that something like a wood pallet could bring in pests, and you can see how quickly pallets could turn into second homes for unwanted guests. If you're going to buy extra pallets and end up storing any of them indefinitely, you need to know how to keep that pile clean and safe to use.

Make Sure Any Wood Pallets Are Treated

Any wood pallets you buy should be treated, either with heat or with methyl bromide. Note that pallets produced domestically and used domestically – and never sent overseas or received from overseas shippers – do not have to be treated, legally. But you should aim to purchase only those pallets that have been treated to eliminate bugs; there's no real reason not to. The cost for untreated wood pallets might be less at first, but the risk of having to replace the pallets and treat your warehouse for pests could eliminate those savings.

Look Into Plastic

You could also look at high-strength plastic pallets. Those shouldn't harbour bugs in terms of having bugs living in them or feeding off them. However, if a pile of plastic pallets just sits in a corner, waiting for use, then pests can hide in that pile. So, plastic helps you avoid some pest problems, but you'll still have to regularly clean and inspect the pallets.

Conduct Regular Cleaning

No matter what material you get, ensure the pallets and the area they're stored in are kept clean. Basic dusting and floor mopping are fine; you just want to be sure you do it often enough so that nothing has the opportunity to take hold. Occasionally you'll want to move the stored pallets and give the area a good deep clean, just as you would with furniture and other portable machinery.

Inspect Before Storing

As pallets come in with shipments, you'll want to inspect each pallet to ensure you're not bringing in pests that got onto the pallet during shipping. Usually, a quick glance is all that's needed, but don't ignore signs like termite damage, even if you see no bugs.

With orders in all sectors increasing rapidly, your warehouse needs to be able to send out shipments quickly, and that means having pallets at the ready. Keep those stored pallets clean, bug-free, and ready to use, and you'll help keep those shipments moving.

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