Seeing a pest in your Richmond rental does not always mean the same response. An ant trail, a single spider, repeated cockroaches, suspected mice, and possible bed bugs all call for different first steps.
For most ordinary household pests, start with the basics: remove accessible food and water, clean the affected area, reduce easy shelter, and look for a simple visible entry point. Then use the focused guide below when the pest needs a more specific approach.
If reasonable household steps do not resolve the issue, the problem returns or continues, or you cannot proceed safely, submit a maintenance request through the PMI James River resident portal.
Start With Food, Water, and Easy Entry Points
Many household pests are easier to control when they have less access to food, water, and shelter.
- Store pantry food and pet food in closed containers.
- Clean crumbs, grease, sugary spills, and food residue.
- Keep trash contained and remove food waste regularly.
- Wipe up ordinary standing water and spills.
- Reduce unnecessary cardboard, paper, and similar clutter where practical.
- Check readily accessible doors, windows, screens, baseboards, and plumbing penetrations for an obvious small opening.
If you find a tiny accessible opening that can be blocked safely with a simple removable material without damaging the property, you can temporarily block it. Do not remove trim, open walls, take apart cabinets, enter concealed spaces, or make a permanent building repair.
If you use a household pesticide or bait, use a product labeled for the pest and location, follow the product label, and keep it inaccessible to children and pets.
Use the Guide for the Pest You Are Seeing
Ants: Start with food and water cleanup, wipe away active trails, and use bait when appropriate. See Ant Problems in a Richmond Rental.
Cockroaches: Cleanup, sticky monitoring traps, and targeted cockroach bait are more useful than simply spraying whatever roaches are visible. See Cockroach Problems in a Richmond Rental.
Mice or rats: Check what you actually saw or found, secure food, use an appropriately sized snap trap when safe, and clean possible rodent waste correctly. See Mice and Rat Problems in a Richmond Rental.
Bed bugs: Start with physical signs around sleeping and resting areas, keep belongings from being spread between rooms, and report suspected activity promptly. See Bed Bug Problems in a Richmond Rental.
Other Common Household Pests
Flies
For ordinary house flies, start with food waste, trash, spills, pet waste, and screens. Keep trash covered and clean up the material attracting the flies.
If tiny fuzzy flies repeatedly appear around a sink, tub, or other drain, they may be drain flies. Cleaning the accessible drain opening and removing the organic buildup they breed in is more useful than repeatedly killing the adult flies. Do not mix drain-cleaning chemicals or pour insecticide into the drain.
Fleas
Vacuum carpets, rugs, upholstered areas, and pet resting areas regularly while fleas are active, and wash pet bedding frequently. If pets are present, keep them on an appropriate veterinarian-recommended flea prevention program.
Spiders
An occasional indoor spider can usually be removed or vacuumed along with its web. Check nearby accessible screens, doors, and windows if spiders or other insects are repeatedly entering.
If you are unsure what kind of spider you are dealing with and do not feel comfortable handling it, take a clear photo from a safe distance and report it rather than trying to catch it.
Wasps and Other Stinging Insects
An occasional wasp outdoors does not usually require a maintenance response. A nest or repeated stinging-insect activity beside a regular doorway, walkway, porch, mailbox, or similar access area is different. Stay away from the nest, keep children and pets away, and do not knock it down or disturb it.
Submit a maintenance request with its location and a photo taken from a safe distance.
Wildlife and Wood-Destroying Insects
If a bat, snake, squirrel, raccoon, or other larger wild animal gets inside the living space, keep people and pets away from it and close an interior door to isolate the area if that can be done safely. Do not catch, corner, poison, or handle the animal.
If you find termites or another suspected wood-destroying insect, take a clear photo and submit a maintenance request rather than treating it as an ordinary household insect problem.
When to Submit a Maintenance Request
If reasonable household pest-control steps do not resolve the problem, the activity returns or continues, or you cannot handle the situation safely, submit a maintenance request.
Tell us what you saw, where you saw it, how often it is occurring, what household steps you tried, and include clear photos when available. If you noticed an obvious opening, leak, damaged screen, or other unusual condition in the same accessible area, include that too.
Submit a maintenance request through the PMI James River resident portal.
You can also return to the Resident Troubleshooting Library or the Resident Maintenance hub for other household maintenance guidance.
Published: September 2, 2026
