No More Dine And Dash: 3 Tips For Keeping Restaurants Pest-Free

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Restaurants are especially vulnerable to pests. An endless supply of food combined with a warm kitchen is a pest's dream. Routine pest prevention will give your restaurant the best chance of preventing pests or eliminating them if they do visit.

Develop A Cleaning Schedule

Set aside specific days for cleaning your restaurant, and give each employee an assignment. When everyone works together and you consistently make strides to keep your restaurant clean, the task will not become overwhelming. Each night, work areas should be cleaned and disinfected as needed. This includes any cook tops, counter spaces, or other locations within the kitchen where food is prepared. Difficult areas where debris tends to accumulate, such as grease traps, should be thoroughly cleaned at least weekly before debris accumulates and they become harder to clean.

The dining area should be cleaned each night ,with intermittent cleanings throughout the day. When customers leave a specific table, someone should wipe down the table and chairs with a disinfecting wipe before the next customers are seated. At the end of the day, it can be easier to wipe crumbs and other debris onto the floor, then clean the floor using a bagged vacuum. This is more efficient than cleaning up the floor after you wipe every table, and it will remove more food off the floor than sweeping. You will likely need to invest in a specific vacuum based on the type of floor you have, since some vacuums work better on either hard floors or carpet. After you have finished vacuuming, the vacuum bag should be tossed in the trash so a fresh bag is ready for the next day.

Be Mindful Of The Walk-In

The walk-in refrigerator and freezer are often overlooked as a source for feeding pests. Keep a thermometer in each walk-in so you can quickly identify the temperature to ensure they are at safe temperatures. If you notice any problems, immediately have the refrigeration fixed. This also includes any problems with doors not sealing properly. If it is easy for the cold air to get out, it is equally easy for pests to get in. Instruct your employees to keep the door closed when no one is inside the walk-in. You should have a system in place for preventing waste of food and removing items from the walk-in when they are nearly expired or are going bad. Labeling items is the easiest way to know when the items were purchased. You should also add the date when the items should be thrown away. Doing a quick scan each day for items that need to be thrown out will help you keep your walk-ins clean.

Make Your Restaurant Less Appealing To Pests

You should routinely have a contractor evaluate your restaurant for any structural weaknesses that will make it easy for pests to enter. Some common entrance points are cracks in the foundation or roof and gaps around windows, doors, and ventilation pipes. Having these issues fixed as soon as you find them will minimize the chance of pests exploiting vulnerabilities in your restaurant.

Another concern that can make your restaurant more or less appealing is dealing with food waste from your restaurant. Depending on the amount of space in the back of your restaurant, it may not be possible to create considerable distance between the trash and the building. When possible, you want the trash cans or dumpsters to be as far away from the building as possible. There will be plenty of pests near the trash dining on food waste. Keeping the trash away from the building can make them more likely to stay with the trash as opposed to investigating your restaurant.

In addition to preventative and maintenance pest control, there are several daily tasks to minimize your chances of developing a pest problem. Spending a few minutes each day keeping your restaurant clean can save you considerable time and money in the future. For professional assistance with handling any pests you may find, contact a company like Paffy's Pest Control.

9 November 2017