Protecting Your Restaurant from Pests
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
If you are a restaurant owner, one of the most important parts of maintaining your space is ensuring that you remain pest-free. Aside from sanitation issues, there is your reputation to consider. Even a single rodent or cockroach can cause your patrons to think less of your establishment, and they will tell others about it, too. The overall impact on your business can be devastating.
To keep your property free of pests, the first thing you need to do is have a regular self-inspection. It’s also a good idea to make sure your staff knows what to look for and have them keep their eyes open for anything that could signify an infestation. The earlier you can address a pest problem, the more likely you’ll be to eliminate it.
Create a checklist that you and your managers can use to identify pests, droppings, tracks and other evidence–and keep a record of your findings. Your checklist can even include a map of the facility where you can easily mark areas where you’ve found problems. Be sure your staff has flashlights so that they can be thorough and look in cracks, pipes, or crevices where pests can remain hidden.
Once you’ve determined you have a pest problem, you don’t want to hesitate calling a professional pest control service. Your restaurant’s reputation may be on the line, so find an experienced company as soon as possible and make sure they have other restaurant clients. Be sure to take the time to interview with a representative and find out specifics about how often they visit and what exactly is covered under your contract.
In addition to hiring someone to remove and control pests, you also want to consider making improvements in your facility which can help prevent future infestations. If you are leasing your space, make a thorough list of the issues you find and bring it to the attention of your landlord. If you own your space, be sure to have a maintenance schedule that includes making repairs, sealing openings in floors and ceilings, and keeping the food preparation areas clean and free of refuse.
Pest control is simply part of owning a restaurant, so don’t start to panic if you find you have a problem. Rather, look for a way to take care of it quickly and think ahead to prevent future issues. For a free Los Angles pest control inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to www.accuracypluscalifornia.com.
Tags: Pests