When you run a restaurant, the last thing you want to see or hear about is pests running across the establishment. Your kids may have loved the cooking scenes in Ratatouille, but rats and mice in your restaurant kitchen aren’t cute: they’re a health hazard that can get you shut down. What’s even worse is when a customer notices a cockroach scuttling among the tables, posts a photo on social media, and tags your business. Instant reputation loss!

If you manage or own a restaurant and there are signs of an infestation, take the following steps to protect your business from further harm.

Clean The Area Outside The Building

When you’re dealing with an internal infestation, it can be easy to overlook the cleanliness of the area surrounding your restaurant. Take the following precautions:

  • Take out the trash on a regular basis and keep it in a sealed container, as the food odour can attract rodents. 
  • Clean up discarded drink cups and take-out containers.
  • Eliminate any sources of standing water, like plastic buckets.
  • Get rid of any junk, like broken pallets or old kitchen equipment, as they serve as nesting sites for rodents.

Block Entry Points

Rats, mice, and other pests typically enter buildings through openings like windows and doors, so keep them closed when not in use. Doors should be self-closing and protected with door sweeps while windows need to have cracked caulking and other gaps sealed.

Clean Inside

Be diligent in keeping the inside your restaurant clean. This includes:

  • Cleaning up all spills and food scraps.
  • Never leaving food out overnight.
  • Sealing crevices and cracks in the walls or floor.
  • Training employees on pest control measures. 

When you’ve had a busy night and your staff have been run off their feet, it can be tempting to tackle cleaning duties in the morning. Don’t do it. A lot can happen overnight, and you could discover an infestation when you open the next day. 

Use Pest Control Services

Laying traps and poison yourself can help control the problem, but if the infestation is extensive, contact a professional restaurant pest control company. An exterminator will visit your business, evaluate the severity of the situation, and take the appropriate protection measures, so that you don’t end up on social media for less than flattering reasons.If you need restaurant pest control services in and around Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, and Mississauga, let Action Pest help. We take an integrated approach that includes eliminating the problem and helping you identify what caused it in the first place, so that your reputation, cash flow, and staff wellbeing aren’t put at risk again. For more information, contact Action Pest today.