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In the restaurant industry, even one tiny bug can be a huge problem. If you’re dealing with a full on infestation it can be so overwhelming that you may even be tempting to just throw in the towel. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to come to that. Here are a few tips to make sure bugs stay out of your place of business, even with all that delicious food everywhere:
- Seal & Screen All Entrances
The best place to start is by finding any entry ways bugs could be using to enter your establishment. Examine the perimeter of your restaurant for cracks and crevices that they could come in through, and fill them with caulking. Next, check all your windows and doors. Make sure they are completely sealed when closed, or have screens for when they are open. Check the screens for rips and replace or patch them right away.
- Clear Out Clutter
The main attractor of bugs is clutter. The more you allow things to accumulate, the more likely it is that pests will invade. Store objects up on shelves and off the floor as much as possible. Don’t let paper or other trash to pile up. Pests love finding a good place to hide, so clutter is something to be avoided at all costs.
- Take Out the Trash
As much as this seems like common sense, it might be a good idea to start taking out the trash more often than normal. Since so much food waste goes through a kitchen, trash cans should be emptied throughout the day. Any food that sits around for a length of time will attract pests quickly.
- Keep Things Clean
Pests aren’t only attracted to actual items of food, they’re also attracted to particles of food and sticky residue left behind. Sweep, vacuum, and mop every single day. Wipe up crumbs and scrub down counters. Wipe up any spills immediately, before they have time to become a sticky mess. Making sure all floors and surfaces are free of crumbs and spills is one of the best ways to prevent pests.
- Store Food Properly
With the amount of food coming in and out of a restaurant it is imperative store it all correctly. Dry foods, such as flour, sugar, and other staples, should be stored in airtight containers. Any bags need to be sealed tightly. Even the smallest gap in a food container can be an open invitation for pests to come right in.
- Invest in Routine Pest Control
The best way to solve a problem, is by preventing it. Scheduling a routine pest control inspection is an important step in making sure you never have to worry about an infestation. Check with your pest control technician to ensure that any chemicals they use are safe in a food preparation environment so that you aren’t putting yourself and customers at risk.
Keeping your establishment clean is one of the most important steps you can take as a business owner, so follow the steps above and make sure your restaurant is a welcome environment for patrons, not pests.
