There are few pests that are more troublesome than those associated with waste, garbage, and leftover or decaying foods. This rings particularly true for commercial businesses, especially those that use or dispose of food products regularly. Restaurants, hotels, B&B’s, office, and apartment buildings are all prone to the real threat of pest infestations, causing a myriad of health and structural property damage, not to mention the harm that they are bound to cause to your business’s hard-earned reputation.  The need for a commercial pest control plan, and the professional implementation thereof are essential mechanisms necessary to protect the best interests of your business and its hard-earned reputation. Knowing the threats that you face are essential to your success in the fight against these invaders, and the following information is going to help you win this on-going battle.

Know Your Enemy

Indoor, as well as outdoor pests, are a threat to any commercial pest control strategy, and knowing your enemy is the first and best place to start.

Rodents: seeking some food and warmth, rats, mice, and squirrels sneak in through the smallest of openings, and are attracted heavily by the smell of food. Keep on the lookout for tracks and burrows under dumpsters and around garbage disposal sites, and keep an ear open for any strange scratching or squeaking noises.

Flies: flies love the smell of garbage and decaying foods, while their maggot offspring make for the most unappetizing entrée you could imagine. Although there are no foolproof methods for keeping flies away, spilt food debris and any liquid run-off should be removed immediately.

Cockroaches: nothing is more appetizing to cockroaches than the smell of garbage, making your trash deposits the ideal home for nesting roaches. Restaurants and other commercial food service businesses are under serious threat from these invaders, and taking preventative measure is absolutely essential to keeping them away.

Best Waste Management Practices

By following these proactive pest control best practices, you as a business owner can take control of any pest control problems before they become a serious issue.

Dumpster Placement – dumpsters should be placed a minimum of 50-feet away from the entrance to your premises. A dumpster placed outside your businesses door is an open invitation for pests to come inside and make themselves at home.

Dumpster Foundation – ideally your dumpster should be on wheels, raising it from the ground, and making it difficult for a pest to hide out underneath. If wheels are not options, a solid base should be considered to prevent pests from entering through the bottom.

Dumpster Liners – food waste in particular needs to be securely and properly discarded and stored. Using heavy duty trash bags for this is a must as not to invite and pests to your premises.

Keep it Closed – Dumpster lids should always be closed and firmly secured. This is a simple yet effective measure to keep flies from swarming above your garbage, as well as prevents them from laying their eggs in your trash.

These simple yet effective measures are the bare minimum that you can do to take control of any possible pest problems that may arise.

Waste Strategy Maintenance

Commercial pest control is never a one-off gig and is something that needs to be practiced daily to ensure its long-term success and sustainability. Maintaining high standards of sanitation regarding food disposal and waste is a must, and it works best when every employee is involved and proactive. Planning your strategy, implementing that strategy, and continuous monitoring, your pest control problems can become a thing of the past.

Developing and implementing your commercial pest control plan and strategy is best done in conjunction with your Truly Nolen commercial pest control professional, to ensure that you do not miss a beat, and get the job done right, the first time.