There’s nothing worse than trying a new place and seeing flies. We’ve all been there. You walk into a nice, cute little mom and pop store. You look around once you get inside, though, and see flies. One on the counter. One at the door. One in the food display. It’s just a massive appetite ruiner. That’s why today, we’ll talk about some common restaurant pests and how you can deal with them.
Common Restaurant Pests: Overview
There’s plenty of different kinds of insects you can end up dealing with when it comes to restaurant pest control. It can be flying insects, crawling insects, or rodents. A single one seen by paying customers can be a never-come-back kind of deal-breaker. A pest invasion can also violate sanitation requirements you have to even stay open. This also puts your establishment at risk. Serving someone a dish with harmful disease and bacteria is just going to be the end of you.
While an infestation is likely going to take the experience of a pest control specialist, there are a few steps you can take yourself.
Exterior Control
- Lighting: A lot of insects are drawn to the warmth given off by lighting and are so attracted to ultraviolet light that it is actually used to lure insects into glue traps and bug zappers as a means of pest control. These are great tools for luring flying pests away from your building or taking care of any that may sneak inside, but this also illustrates why you want to be judicious with your lighting strategy. Affix a minimum amount of lighting directly to your establishment and instead, install fixtures away from the building while directing light toward doorways.
- Dumpsters: Cleanliness is important in all facets of foodservice, but dumpsters are of particular concern because they’re sure to attract pests and become a public eyesore if not properly maintained. Be sure you invest in a dumpster that’s appropriately-sized for your needs to help prevent overflow and regularly clean the area with a hose in a manner that allows water to flow into a drain (unless using a dumpster deodorizer, which should not be discharged into the environment). Dumpsters should be located away from your main building and equipped with lids that shut tightly.
- Entrances & Exits: Doors and windows should be kept closed when possible, but certain spaces like receiving areas, drive-thru windows, and primary entrances are going to be opened frequently and sometimes for extended periods out of necessity. In these situations, consider investing in an air curtain to deter flying insects. Many doors would also benefit from a door sweep, which seals gaps between the bottom of the door and the floor/threshold for added protection against not only moisture and drafts but also insects and rodents. Be on the lookout for unintended entrances as well; a great pest control technique is to regularly inspect your facility’s exterior and seal any cracks and crevices that pests may use to sneak inside.
Interior Control
And when it comes to deterring pests on the inside, there are a few other steps. Regular cleaning and sanitizing are very important. Also, prompt attention to messes is just vital.
For starters, dining and food prep areas. Seats and tables need to be wiped down. On top of that, make sure you clean the areas beneath and around the table any time a party leaves. In your food prep area, be on the lookout for splashes, drips, and crumbs of food. Anything that goes astray can end up feeding a pest.
In your storage areas, make sure to keep dry food in tightly sealed containers. Loosely closed bags are just inviting pests inside. And make sure to store food six inches off the ground. Also, the food should be stored twelve inches away from the walls to make them easily clean and inspectable. And rotate your food by date, so nothing goes bad. The rotting matter is like a magnet to pests, and unsafe for your customers.
Never throw food into a trash can without a liner. And make sure they all have lids! Another important step is to keep the can itself clean of any refuse that can slip or drip through the trash bags. And finally, make sure to clean out floor drains regularly. Leaving those uncleaned can be a breeding ground for common restaurant pests. Clean beneath the drain grate for loose debris, and clean the drain itself whenever you can.
Common Restaurant Pests: The suspects
To start with, rodents are going to be some of the first to find your unprotected food and garbage. Mice and rats can carry salmonella, listeria, and E. Coli into your establishment. Havaheart traps work to some extent, but a large infestation is going to require a pro.
After that, of course, comes the common roach. Cockroaches aren’t just unsafe, they’re kind of terrifying. With their long, hard bodies and hairy legs. It’s just disgusting to imagine them crawling across something you ate or are about to eat. They spread plenty of germs too, such as those that cause food poisoning. This comes to form with them either just walking across your food, throwing it back up onto it, or even shedding their exoskeletons onto it! They’re resilient to because even a headless one can live weeks without water, food, or their heads! And you have to be careful using chemical control methods as well, or you may end up poisoning your own food.
And, finally, we have the humble fly. They’re a fitting pest that may not make patrons run out the door, but just one fly too many can ruin your business. They can do plenty of damage to both your reputation and the safety and quality of the food you serve. These buzzing annoyances can carry hundreds of diseases on their bodies alone and are drawn to liquid food. But don’t get confused, they’ll contaminate anything that’s edible in your store. They land on food, vomit, and then suck the vomit back into their system. And after that? Well, you know what happens when your body is done processing food.
