Restaurants have to follow strict rules regarding sanitation, and for good reason: people eat there. Keeping up with the latest best practices for pest prevention should be a top priority of restaurant owners everywhere. It won’t matter how good your huevos rancheros is if a rat scurries over your customer’s foot while they’re eating! …Well, maybe it’ll matter a little, but you want your customers to feel comfortable anyway.

That’s where we come in. We’ll walk you through the main steps you should take to keep pests out long term. Follow along and you’ll be able to focus on earning your Michelin stars instead of fighting off flies.
 

Inside

• Every time a patron leaves, make sure you wipe down the table and the area beneath the table.
• Remember: it doesn’t matter to pests whether crumbs, spills, or garbage is in the dining area or the kitchen. Keep every area of the restaurant as clean as all the others.
• Store dried goods like grains, cereals, and breads in food storage containers. These are containers with hard plastic sides and lids that click shut. They keep even the most determined pests from chewing or pushing through.
• Don’t just put dry goods in hard-shell containers and leave it at that, either. Make sure they’re stored off the ground where they’re harder to access, too. Keep stored food at least six inches off the ground and a foot away from walls. That way it’s as easy to clean and inspect as it is hard for critters to access.
• Your indoor trash cans will be the main draw for potential pests in your establishment. That means they’re also one of the most important things for you to keep an eye on. Use liners in all indoor trash cans. Never use garbage cans without tight-fitting lids. At the end of each day, wipe out the inside of the cans to pick up any spills. Thoroughly wash out the inside of every garbage can at least once a month.

Outside

• Insects like the warmth given off by lighting, no matter the variety. In fact, ultraviolet lighting is so appealing to pests that it’s used as a means of drawing them in. This means that you should pay particular attention to the location and variety of lights outside your restaurant. Install light fixtures away from the direct outer walls of your establishment. Instead, try to use free standing lights to draw pests away from your perimeter.
• We already mentioned how trash cans are the number one breeding ground for potential pest infestations. That goes double for dumpsters. Hose them out regularly, keep them away from your building, and make sure yours has a tight-fitting lids.

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, pests can still find their way inside your restaurant. They’re pesky like that. When that happens, all you have to do is call on the trained professionals at Assured Environments. We’ll get you back on track quickly, without disturbing your business or its customers.