4 Tips to Keep Rodents out of Your Restaurant
Rodents always make their way to the list of the most threatening pests in the food industry. Their activity in food establishments especially increases during the cooler months since low temperatures prompt mice and rats to seek shelter in warm areas with easily accessible food and water.
Do Not Underestimate Rodents
Pest control matters a lot in restaurant health inspections, which is why restaurateurs ought to have a plan to prevent rodent issues. In fact, a mere evidence of a live mouse or rat being discovered can lead to a food establishment being shut down until the problem is resolved.
Protect your business and reputation by keeping rodents out of your establishment and its online reviews. Here are a few steps on how you can keep rodents out of your restaurant.
1. Inspect or Get Inspected
Proper inspection starts with determining rodent hot spots and knowing what to find. The following are a few of the most common rodent hot spots and runways:
- Stored Product Areas
- Cluttered Offices/Back Rooms
- Behind and Under Kitchen Appliances
- Within Wall, Ceiling and Floor Voids
Signs of Rodents
In these hot spots, look for chew marks on walls, insulation and wiring, packages as well as pellet droppings that look like capsules. Grease or rub marks along walls are also another sign of live rodents. These marks are from their fur.
Secluded places such as roofs, wall voids and attics can also have rodent nests made of shredded material paper and cloth. Inspect for burrows outside your restaurant as well, specifically near areas where garbage is placed and along the side of your establishment’s foundation.
2. Block All Possible Entryways
Rats can fit through quarter-sized holes while mice can fit through holes with the size of a dime. For this reason, it’s important to seal off any potential points of entry. You can do this by…
- Installing door sweeps
- Sealing cracks
- Removing gaps around utility lines
- Getting rid of any low-hanging tree limbs that touch the building
Keep rodents out by also ensuring that products, before being brought inside your establishment, are checked for rodent warning signs. These include chew marks and suspicious holes. If there are any, refuse the delivery and inform your supplier as soon as possible.
3. Maintain Cleanliness
Keeping a clean establishment is one of the best ways to prevent pest infestations from happening. Here are a few steps you can take every day to ensure your building is pest-free:
• Repair leaky sinks and equipment immediately as moisture attracts rodents.
• Clean food debris and spills as soon as possible
• Make an established cleaning procedure for the start and finish of each shift.
• Never leave dirty dishes overnight.
• Cover trash receptacles always.
• De-clutter your office space and storage closets regularly—this is always forgotten.
4. Educate Your Employees
Much like running a great restaurant, pest management cannot be done by one person alone. For this reason, it’s important to teach your staff what to look for and who to tell before your issue becomes your customer’s. If everyone helps to keep rodents out of your restaurant, pest management should be a piece of cake.
Talk to a trustworthy pest manager —just like Bob Gunn Termite Solutions —today. We’re more than glad to discuss and address the concerns you have regarding rodents, cockroaches, flies, ants and other pests. Call us today on 07 3286 9877. Book online to get a discounted price for pest control service.
