The classic muscle car of pest control

This 1973 Plymouth Duster is the same color, year and model of the family car PMP Editor-in-Chief Heather Gooch had growing up, although she admits she didn’t appreciate it back then. Photo: Different_Brian/iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

A little over 50 years ago, one of the all-time great industry-related vehicles was born: the Plymouth Duster (1970-76).

Compared to some other muscle cars of its era, it might not have been the star of the show. But
it made up for its lack of horsepower with a lighter weight, which translated into greater performance, proving that good things sometimes come in small packages.

Some of the same lightweight benefits can be claimed for a time-tested workhorse of our industry, also conveniently named the duster. Incorporating void dusting into service visits can enhance other pest management efforts.

Jim Fredericks

Dusts, being lightweight, can float through void spaces before settling on horizontal surfaces to create a nearly invisible layer of protection (when applied correctly) against crawling pests. Because dusts typically are applied in void areas, they are protected from sunlight and can last a long time. Hard-to-access areas like cabinet bottoms can be the perfect location for springtime pests, like ants, to travel and nest undetected. But a fine layer of dust can control scout ants before they return to the primary nest to guide other workers to your clients’ kitchens to take advantage of food sources or nesting locations.

This long-lasting, no-nonsense approach can be easily forgotten in today’s world of high-tech pest control. But like the Plymouth Duster, applying dusts can add a little “classic muscle” to your pest control service.