Tips for Keeping Pests Out

By: Modern Pest Services

Bars and restaurants can easily be infested with pests. Since many of them can contaminate food with disease-causing microorganisms such as salmonella, the complete eradication of pests infecting the premises is particularly necessary.

The main pests that affect bars and restaurants and pose a greater risk due to their ability to contaminate food are cockroaches, flying insects and rodents.

“Every year, thousands of food poisonings occur in the US, mostly in bars and restaurants.” Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that pests have an extraordinary capacity to reproduce and survive. For this reason, their populations can expand enormously in a short time, exacerbating the health problem and decreasing the chances of complete eradication. That’s why it’s so important to act at the first sign of infestation, as early detection can greatly facilitate the complete elimination of the pest.

he best tools fight pests is prevention and early detection.

5 Tips to Keep Pests Out

1 . Designing the premises in a way that makes cleaning easier.

Although many pests, such as cockroaches, are traditionally related to lack of hygiene, they are not actually associated with this factor. However, it’s true that lack of cleaning facilitates their reproduction and subsequent spread.

“It’s essential to design premises that allow rapid daily cleaning and disinfestation.”

2. Eliminating food and water sources.

One of the main reasons pests enter and stay in bars and restaurants is due to the large amount of food available to them. Preventing them from accessing this food one of the best ways to fight pests. It’s recommended to store food in airtight containers, clean grease and food debris off walls, floors and electrical appliances daily and perform good waste management.

It’s important to fix leaky faucets or pipes remove puddles of water from floors corners.

“This prevents pests from and water.” having access to food

3. Hinder the creation of shelters.

Keeping spaces open and free of clutter is one of the main ways of preventing the formation of shelters that can be used by pests.

The use of wooden baseboards or false ceilings is strongly discouraged, as many pests such as cockroaches and rodents can find shelter in them.

In food storerooms, boxes and other should be kept away from the wall and 15 centimeters above the floor.

“Prevent shelters that can be used by pests to go unnoticed and reproduce.”

4. Preventing their entry.

To prevent the entry of pests into bars and restaurants, a good inspection routine must be maintained for any external items that enter the establishment. This is especially important in the case of food brought into warehouses or kitchens. Boxes, bags and sacks should be inspected thoroughly each time they are brought in from outside.

To prevent the entry of pests, it’s important to seal any holes that communicate with the outside and, in the case of drains or pipes, use screens to prevent their entry as far as possible.

“Inspect external items that enter and seal holes that communicate with the outside.”

5. Conduct periodic reviews by employees.

Another key element to prevent the appearance of pests is to conduct periodic reviews of the facilities to guarantee that they are free of pests, and if not, detect them early.

A pest control plan should be the “Train all staff in the early detection of pests.”

- Provided by Anticimex and Modern Pest Services. An NHLRA Business Member.