Bugs and rodents are one of the most pressing concerns for restaurants in Roseville. The climate in the local area is already ideal for bugs, and restaurants make for even more tempting habitats with plenty of food and moisture in busy kitchens.
But an infestation will quickly hurt your restaurant’s financials and reputation. Customers who notice bugs are unlikely to come back and because of the health risks many bugs and rodents pose, you can face steep penalties if the health department finds bugs. Taking preventative steps before you have to deal with pests is often the best choice for local restaurants.
Where Bugs Cause Issues in Restaurants and How to Solve them
The first challenge in restaurant pest control is spotting pests. Rats, roaches, and flies are often easier to notice because you can see the pest itself or it will leave behind obvious signs. Pantry moths can be more discrete. These are some of the most common places you will see pests in your restaurant:
- Food Storage – As a restaurant, you probably keep a lot of food on hand. The longer food sits, the more time bugs and rodents have to get into it. Dry food storage should always use airtight containers, storage areas should be kept clean, and you should follow FIFO (“first in, first out”).
- Drains – Moisture and food particles caught in drains are attractive to flies and roaches. You should regularly clean and bleach drains to get rid of food, and ensuring your kitchen area has good ventilation can help with moisture problems.
- Cleaning Supplies – It may seem counterintuitive, but cleaning supplies like brooms, mops, and rags can often be one of the dirtiest items in your restaurant, and provide a feast for bugs. During cleaning, your tools will pick up bits of food that will attract bugs. Putting away items wet can also draw bugs like roaches that like moisture. Regularly cleaning and sanitizing cleaning supplies, as well as storing them away from food preparation areas can help limit pest problems.
- Dumpsters – The food waste and grease in dumpsters will attract flies, roaches, rodents, and ants, and it is usually only a quick trip for pests from the dumpster to your kitchen. Storing trash in sealed bags, closing dumpster lids when not in use, and regularly spraying down and sanitizing dumpster areas will help prevent pests.
Pests that are already inside your restaurant have some solutions. Baits, glue traps, and liquid treatments might be successful when applied alongside the preventative measures described above. This is especially true if you have just started to notice pests.
Many of the same factors that attract pests like moisture, steam, heat, and grease also impact how well traps and baits work by making them less effective. If you are using any DIY restaurant pest control methods, be sure to check them frequently and adjust your approach as needed.
But effective pest control for restaurants will often require more than store bought baits or treatments. The extensive monitoring, cleaning, and treatments can be intensive and can take you and your employees away from more important tasks.
Ongoing restaurant pest control from ADAPT Pest reduces pest concerns at businesses in Rocklin, Roseville, adn beyond. We start by getting existing pest populations under control. In the following months, we apply preventative treatments around each of these problem areas and monitor for a return of pests so that you or your customers never have to worry about bugs in your restaurant. Call us today to set up your first visit.
