Pest Control Tips for Restaurants

Have you ever seen a pest in a restaurant? If so, did you continue eating? Most people will not. If they see a rodent or a cockroach scurry across a restaurant floor, most customers will stop eating and refuse to pay for their meals. Most of them will also blast you on social media. A single pest can ruin your restaurant’s reputation. That is one of the reasons we have some tips to share, as pest control is so important for restaurant owners.

Unfortunately, restaurants are very attractive for pests. They provide a consistent source of food and water. Plus, it is virtually impossible to exclude all pests because you have to have ways for people to get into your restaurant and loading doors for goods and merchandise.

The most important thing you can do is keep a clean kitchen. You need to ensure the kitchen is thoroughly cleaned every day, including removing any scraps or crumbs, so that pests cannot find any food to eat. You also want to eliminate water sources. That means fixing any leaks, cleaning up water spills, and not leaving standing water in the kitchen.

Another important step is proper food storage. You want to make sure all food is stored in closed containers. Do not keep it in original paper packaging, but transfer it immediately to pest-proof storage. You can also move it into other secure areas. For example, if you store items in a deep freezer, you can use original packaging because the secure facility and cold temperatures will keep pests from entering.

You might not think of your pipes as an access point, but rodents can enter through sewer pipes. They can also hide in your walls, roofs, or other hidden areas. So, you want to check access points. Flick can help you design an exclusion plan that focuses on keeping pests out of your restaurant. That means inspecting the exterior.

Speaking of the exterior, you also need to look at trash disposal. Pests are attracted to dumpsters, where they can easily feast on food scraps. Make sure that the dumpsters are secure at all times. Place all garbage in the dumpsters. If you notice that the dumpsters are often overflowing, you want to change the removal schedule, because stacked up food refuse will absolutely attract all sorts of pests.

Is handling pests too much for you? No problem. You are in the restaurant business. We are in the pest control business. Contact Flick. We can help you with all three aspects of pest control: exclusion, prevention, and extermination. We help you secure a perimeter around your building, which will discourage pests from entering your restaurant. We will focus on prevention efforts that help keep pests from making themselves at home if they do get inside. Finally, we plan a safe extermination program that eliminates the risk of cross-contamination and still keeps your products and your guests free from pests.