10 best pest control companies in Seattle, Washington

Pests regularly found in Seattle are rats, flies and spiders. While you can try DIY removal and prevention methods, an active infestation often requires the attention of a pest control company. Qualified pest control professionals in the Seattle area have the knowledge to inspect your home and treat your pest problem.

A pest infestation can lead to structural damage and pose health risks to you and your family, including your pets. Insects and small animals can cause long-term damage to your home, contaminate your food and spread disease.

A professional pest control company can lower these risks. They'll determine where pests have nested, and create a treatment plan that could include blocking access points, using traps or applying pesticides. With the right solution in place, your pest problem can be resolved for the long term.

Find the best local pest control company for you in Seattle

Look for pest control companies in Seattle with at least 3.5 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews and a good rating on Better Business Bureau (BBB). Use the filters below to help you find the right company for your needs.

What are common pests in Seattle?

Different pests infest different places. Here are some indications of common pests in the Seattle area.

• Cockroaches: Cockroaches come out at night and flee when you turn a light on. With a major infestation, however, you may see them during the day. Their nesting spots tend to be in bathrooms, kitchens and basements. Cockroaches often leave droppings that look like brown or black specks, egg casings and brown stains on walls and floors. They can spread disease and worsen allergies and respiratory issues.
• Snakes: Snakes are more active during the warmer months and make homes among areas withovergrown grass, wood, rock piles and debris. Signs of a snake infestation include the appearance of snake skins and snake eggs. You can test for a snake infestation by laying down some flour where you think a snake lives. If you see trail marks in the flour, call a pest control professional right away.
• Rats: Signs of a rat infestation include seeing a rat, finding droppings about half an inch long or hearing skittering in your walls or ceiling. Rats can chew through doors, food packaging and walls to create more entry points for themselves.
• Flies: Flies often buzz around homes in the summer, but a noticeable increase could mean an infestation. Fly droppings look like black specks and are often found in around trash, high shelves and sink drains. Another sign of an infestation is finding maggots, which are fly larvae, in waste.
• Ticks: Ticks can easily enter homes by hitching a ride on pets, clothing or shoes, after they're picked up by you or your family while outdoors. Once inside, a female tick will lay her eggs in upholstery, in carpet fibers or on curtains. Other common nesting spots include in the lining or pockets of clothing, along baseboards and in corners.
• Beetles: A variety of beetles can enter into your home and cause considerable damage. Carpet beetles will damage upholstered furniture, carpets and bedding. Biscuit beetles make their way into products such as spices, rice, beans, pasta and seeds. While beetles are rarely a hazard to your health, some can trigger allergic reactions.
• Bees: more bees inside or around your home, humming within your walls or dark stains on your walls maysignal a bee infestation. You may also smell an odd odor coming from your walls, which happens as bees die or honey seeps into the walls, leading to mold and fungi growth. Bees can easily harm your family or pets by stinging them and potentially causing allergic reactions.

How can you prevent pests in your Seattle home?

Fighting a pest infestation can be a headache, so preventative measures are the most effective strategy to prevent future problems. Though infestations often require expert intervention, you can implement the following measures to keep pests out before they make their way into your home.

Schedule regular preventative pest control

Bugs and small animals can cause significant damage to your home and health if not addressed quickly. Talk to a pest control expert about preventative measures to stop pests from entering your living space. Their recommendations may include sealing off small entry points, placing traps or applying pesticides around the area.

Cover, seal or eliminate food sources

As pests are commonly looking for food, making food difficult to access will keep them from invading your home. Food should be a minimum of six inches off the floor and a modest distance away from the walls. Make sure to keep food storage areas, counters and sinks clean and disinfected when not in use, and dispose of food scraps and other trash consistently. Maintain the areas around your trash cans and dumpsters.

Keep up with yard maintenance

Insects and small animals can hide in leaves, standing water, trash and tall grass. Keeping your yard clear of debris and your lawn and foliage well-maintained is one of the easiest ways to stop an infestation before it starts. If professional lawn maintenance is needed, find out if national lawn care services such as TruGreen cover your region.

Seal off pest entrances

Sealing off small entrances will help keep insects and small animals from entering your home. Rats can maneuver through holes as little as half-inch in diameter. Inspect your roof and siding for cracks, and be sure to seal off damaged window frames. Some pest control companies specialize in pest exclusion.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

When selecting a pest control service, ask the following questions to verify they have the knowledge to handle your unique situation.

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the use of pest control chemicals. Moreover, the EPA requires restricted-use pesticide applicators and their supervisors to hold certifications consistent with the agency's standards and the laws of the affected states, territories and tribes.

Those using pesticides in Washington must earn a Commercial or Private Applicator License from the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

A pest expert's recommended treatment frequency will depend on factors such as the treatment type, pest type, property location and infestation severity. Generally, pest control professionals do not recommend only a single treatment, since insects are often at different stages of their life cycle, and may have laid eggs in difficult-to-reach areas.

Pest professionals generally advise continuous treatments, with some taking place only in the warmer months and others occurring year-round. Preventative measures may also be recommended to stop infestations before they begin.

How long will it take to get rid of pests?

How long it will take for your pest problem to go away depends on the infestation type and severity and the insect's life cycle. When the pest control professional applies the first treatment, you may see a decline in activity, but pests can return after they hatch, requiring further treatments. You may also notice increased activity after the first treatment, as it can flush pests out of hiding places. Luckily, this should subside within a few days.

Can I remain in my home during pest control treatments?

You should be able to stay in your home during certain portions of the pest control process, such as when holes and cracks are being sealed. However, if your service technician applies a pesticide, it might take a few hours to dry completely, and you'll need to leave the house during this period.

Certain treatments can be especially time-consuming like termite fumigation. The pest control provider erects a tent around your home, which is left in place for three days to release the pesticide. During this period, you'll need to stay in a hotel or other accommodations.

Are your treatments safe for my family and pets?

A skilled service technician has the knowledge to determine the appropriate amount of product to apply, the drying time required and when it is all right for children and pets to re-enter the treated space. Before administering any treatment, they should instruct you on which items such as plants, animals and food must be cleared from the area.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

A number of pest control companies provide green solutions for treating an infestation. This means they use techniques with a lower environmental impact than traditional methods. Examples include sealing areas where pests can enter, humanely trapping rodents or using pesticides made from organic materials.

What do I do if pests come back?

Most pest control providers offer guarantees and warranties should pests reappear before a specified date. Some companies may provide a one-time solution, while others offer continuous service to address recurring pest issues. Discuss the available options with your service professional.

Our methodology for selecting pest control companies

The Homefront Local team employs a proprietary scoring algorithm that evaluates companies based on key factors you value, such as average customer review ratings and trustworthiness indicators. Our method for determining trust involves a comparative analysis of the number of reviews a company receives compared to its local competitors. This leads to companies that have earned more trust from your local community being awarded a higher score. We review national pest control companies against our full pest control methodology. We score pest control companies based on service options, safety and certifications, service guarantees and customer service.