As a business owner, you’re responsible for your employees, clients and the condition of your building. Maintaining your property is not too challenging until you have to handle a pest infestation. Any business that has a water supply and source of food is vulnerable to insects and rodents. Although a single bug or mouse scurrying across your floors may seem like a minor problem, any pest spotted indoors is unlikely a solo character. Roaches, bed bugs and mice do not hunt in packs, and you’re unlikely to see a large group of pests until the outbreak gets out of control. The four types of businesses that pests are more likely to invade are discussed here.

Restaurants

Invasive pests can target any location with food and water, but restaurants are their favorite business to attack. The entire building is devoted to producing and consuming food and beverages, and it doesn’t take long for pests to move in and feed on an almost unlimited supply of nourishment. Keeping the property clean is a top priority, but merely telling your staff to clean up is insufficient.

A successful cleaning program must include daily cleaning duties, weekly maintenance and aggressive supervision. A posted checklist of cleaning chores that each employee initials after completing can help managers and owners determine which sections of the property need more attention. Maintaining a sanitary workplace is a team effort that affects the future of the business.

A single customer complaint about a mouse or roach should immediately convince management to contact a pest control expert. If issues with pests aren’t addressed promptly, the health department will not hesitate to shut the business down. After the public hears about the shutdown, the restaurant is unlikely to open its doors again. Some of the steps you can take to minimize the chances of a pest infestation include:

• Monthly inspections and service from commercial pest control
• Keeping the dumpster closed and the surrounding area clean
• Storing all equipment and supplies at least six inches above the floor
• Cleaning inspections after every shift
• Ordering from trusted, certified vendors
• Cleaning the interior and exterior thoroughly

Convenience Stores

Like restaurants, convenience stores have a vast supply of food that must be protected from rodents and insects. Although most stores do not have indoor dining areas, employees often neglect the bathrooms and exterior. Customers frequently dump trash from their vehicles into the property’s waste bins, and the staff must empty the bins frequently to keep pests away. The parking should be swept and periodically pressure-washed to remove grease stains and decayed food. To keep the bathrooms sanitary, each manager on duty should be required to clean each room thoroughly before leaving work.

Hotels

Hotels with cafes and small shops should have robust cleaning programs similar to restaurants, but hotel owners face another threat not commonly associated with other businesses. Bed bugs reproduce at an astonishing rate and can infest an entire building in a short time. Even though their name implies they congregate in mattresses, the bugs are present in carpet, drapes, crown molding and furniture. If you have bed bugs, you should contact a pest control service that has experience with bed bug removal. Any failure to eradicate the nasty bugs could result in a permanent shutdown. Word travels fast about bed bug invasions, and you’re unlikely to have many guests after an outbreak.

Offices

Office buildings are not places that most people associate with pest problems, but roaches, rodents and bed bugs aren’t picky about locations as long as they provide sustenance. Office workers eat lunch and sometimes snacks in the building, and the smallest crumb can attract an unwanted visitor. Managers must hold the staff responsible for keeping the area clean during work hours, and a nighttime cleaning crew can clean the bathrooms, carpeting and hallways.

Contact Truly Nolen Canada

Preventative maintenance is crucial for nearly every type of business, and you can protect your company from pests by contacting Truly Nolen. Before a problem becomes an outbreak, we can eradicate the pests and discuss ways to prevent a further attack. Whether you have concerns about rodents, roaches or bed bugs, we can take care of them all.