If you run a restaurant, you know how important it is to keep food safe for your customers, as well as keep your kitchen clean. One thing you must be concerned with is pests that may invade your building. Keep reading to learn what pests you should watch out for, as well as tips on preventing this problem from happening. 

Frequent Pests 

Having food in your restaurant is the perfect place for pests to invade. They will have everything they need from food to moisture that they need to survive. The pest will also infest your restaurant if you do not take care of the problem quickly. 

Some frequent pests to watch out for include cockroaches, flies, mice, rats, and much more. Pests will contaminate your food and may cause serious illnesses to your customers, as well as any employees that may eat at your restaurant. Cockroaches are the most dangerous pests you can have as they can cause things like Salmonella and E. coli that can infect humans and cause serious illnesses. Some pests do not transmit diseases, but they will still get into your food and urinate and put droppings in the food. 

Prevent Pests

One of the best ways to prevent pests from getting into your restaurant is to hire a pest control company. They can do preventative maintenance in your restaurant. This may be installing traps to catch rodents, spraying different areas, using pesticide dust, and more. Talk with the pest control contractor to determine how often they should come to your restaurant. 

There are also many things you can do to help prevent pests. Keep a close eye out for rodents. You may notice marks on wood that look like chewing marks. Cockroaches will leave behind eggs and droppings. Inspect the machinery you use in your kitchen, as well as in the bathrooms for signs of cockroaches. 

You should also be careful with shipments you receive in your restaurant. You never know if any packages will bring in pests, especially cockroaches. Keep your kitchen clean and make it a practice for your employees to clean each night including wiping down machinery, cleaning inside stoves, cleaning countertops, and much more. Sweep the floor to remove food and other debris that may have dropped. Make sure your trash receptacles have tightly sealed lids and remove garbage regularly throughout the day as needed. 

You should also inspect the exterior of your restaurant and repair any kind of openings. Hire a contractor if needed as mice and rats can easily get through even small openings you may have. Inspect around windows and doors and close any gaps. 

To learn more, contact a commercial pest control service.