Pests are an ever-present threat that bring a slew of problems with them when they invade commercial buildings. Pests can cause serious problems for a food business, including food-borne illness, food waste, health code violations and hefty fines, damage to the building and to the business’s reputation. This makes appearance, cleanliness, sanitation and food safety especially important.
*In 2013, a McDonald’s chain in Brisbane was fined $70,000 after a council inspection found traces of cockroaches, and a pest bait resting above an ice container. As well as finding cockroaches in parts of the premises, inspectors recorded a build-up of grime and grease on the floor near a washing-up area, while food waste was found on a slicer.
If you’re dealing with a pest problem in the commercial sector and want to protect your business and reputation, it may be best to acquire the services of a commercial pest control company to tackle the problem efficiently and discreetly. These are 5 common pest problems for the commercial sector.
1) Rodents
Rodents will usually make an appearance at the presence of food. When it comes to rodent control, the most important thing is exclusion or proofing to make sure they do not get into the premises in the first place.
Secondly, it’s vital to keep the place clean from food remains by properly storing away food in tightly sealed containers at least 18 inches away from the wall.
To help avoid rodents from infiltrating a commercial setting, be sure to always keep food service zones and food preparation zones clean.
If a hotel offers room service, it’s always best to not leave dirty dishes out for too long, while making sure that staff promptly collect dirty dishes once guests have finished their meals.
2) Ants
Ants can often be overlooked due to their size but should never be underestimated. Ants can easily enter your premises through the tiniest opening. A single mature ant colony is likely to contain around 3,000 members that will excavate moist and decaying wood to create passageways and galleries. Once inside your property, ants colony can be difficult to control.
It’s rare for ants to cause extensive damage, however, Carpenter Ants are known to cause significant structural damage that you will want to avoid at all costs. Of course, if you are in the hospitality industry, the sight of ants would do damage to your brand image.
If you spot any species of ants in your place of business, be sure to call in a professional pest exterminator. It’s important that in the first sign of infestation, your building is to be thoroughly inspected and treated.
3) Cockroaches
Cockroaches can survive months without any food and over a week without water. They can be a difficult problem to get rid of, which make preventative measures so important.
German Cockroaches carry a large number of viruses, bacteria, and parasites on their bodies and in their faeces which can cause diarrhoea, dysentery, salmonella and other serious health concerns.
Trying to control and treat the infestation of cockroaches yourselves in a commercial setting is not advised even though there are many DIY articles about using baits, non-repellent insecticides, insect growth regulators or traps. A professional pest control company will be able to thoroughly inspect, treat with the right insecticides, aerosols, dusts, and insect growth regulators.
4) Flies
The commercial sector as a whole, can be prone to fly infestations but this is especially prevalent in restaurants. The key to managing flies successfully is staying on top of managing your rubbish and in particular, any rubbish bins left outside. It’s integral to ensure these are sealed properly and picked up regularly, with rubbish bins cleaned frequently.
Due to their ability to lay hundreds of eggs into food shipments easily, just a few flies can lead to a major problem. It’s important to also remember that flies aren’t just a nuisance but are a serious health hazard. Flies can harbour thousands of diseases, while transmitting bacteria and contaminating food and surfaces.
Cleanliness is key in preventing fly infestations from occurring. Be sure to clean crumbs, spilled sauces and any other food with disinfectant cleaners, while storing food in sealed containers. It’s important to also remember to thoroughly clean drains on a regular basis.
5) Bedbugs
Bed bugs are known to spread easily and are hard to detect in the early stages of infestation. It’s crucial in hotels and other hospitality services to have staff regularly inspect bedding for any signs of bedbugs, which can include rusty or reddish stains on bedsheets or mattresses.
Other indications of a bed bug infestation could be pale yellow eggshells that are shed by nymphs as they mature into adult bed bugs, small dark spots which are bed bug excrement, as well as actual live bed bugs. If you do see any signs of bed bugs, be sure to get immediate treatment as soon as possible.
Whether it’s a hotel, restaurant or office, any kind of pest problem can be a serious concern. If not dealt with promptly, pests can not only cause significant damage through repair costs, but also damage the reputation of your business.
Integrated Pest Management
Not all pest problems have to be solved with pesticide. There is a more holistic approach, such as Exclusion, which is the first line of management in preventing invasion of pests. It is normally achieved by modifying or improving the premises’ environment and surrounding. Upon assessment, our expert technicians are able to identify various entry points like cracks, garbage chutes and drains. This is a very thorough and arduous process which untrained personnel will not be able to sufficiently undertake.
Another good reason to engage professionals instead of DIY is that the usage of unnecessary harsh chemicals (as a result of online research or advise from a salesperson in hardware store for example) often results in a bigger problem, and could endanger other animals that are not categorised as pests.
For a limited time throughout the month of May, Positive Pest Solutions are offering all new commercial clients $100 off a pest treatment package in your homes to ensure any potential or existing issues are eradicated. We are so confident in the quality of our work that all works are guaranteed. Book an obligation-free appointment today whether you want us to look into your business or home.
