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Babies and toddlers crawl on floors, put everything in their mouths and weigh very little. All of that makes them more exposed to whatever lands on floors and surfaces. That doesn’t mean you have to live with bugs. It means choosing targeted methods and putting every product out of reach.
Prevention that cuts most problems
- Seal entry points: door sweeps, window screens and caulk around pipes.
- Keep food contained: snack crumbs under high chairs and car seats are the classic ant magnet.
- Fix moisture: leaks attract roaches, silverfish and more.
- Vacuum often, especially where kids eat and play.
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Room by room
Kitchen
Ants and roaches are the main problems. Use enclosed bait stations placed behind appliances or inside cabinets with child locks, not on open floors. Clean up crumbs before bed. See our ant guide and roach guide.
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Living areas and nursery
Avoid spraying floors, rugs and play mats. If fleas come in with a pet, treat the pet with a vet-recommended product and vacuum daily rather than spraying the whole room. If you do use a home spray, keep children out until it’s completely dry and follow the label’s re-entry directions. Never use foggers.
Bathroom and laundry
Silverfish and roaches love damp spaces. Run the exhaust fan, fix drips, and put any dust treatment only inside wall voids or behind panels, never on open surfaces.
Yard and play areas
For mosquitoes, empty standing water weekly (toys, kiddie pools, buckets) and use Bti dunks in water you can’t empty. Skip broadcast yard sprays near sandboxes and play sets. See our mosquito guide. For bug repellent on kids, use an EPA-registered product and follow age limits on the label. Oil of lemon eucalyptus, for example, isn’t for children under 3.
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Storage rules
- Lock pesticides up, high and out of sight.
- Keep them in their original labeled containers. Never pour them into drink bottles.
- Close child-resistant caps fully, every time.
- Remove kids, toys and pacifiers from an area before treating it.
If you hire a pest control company
Ask for an integrated pest management (IPM) approach: inspection, sealing, baiting and targeted crack-and-crevice treatment rather than routine spraying. Ask which products they’ll use, what the re-entry time is, and tell them you have an infant.
If a child swallows or touches a pesticide, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 if the child is having trouble breathing, is unconscious or is having a seizure. Always follow product labels.