Are you a commercial property owner who is worried about the possibility of a bedbug infestation? Do you already have a bed bug problem on your hands and you’re concerned about the bed bugs spreading?

Or perhaps you don’t have a bed bug problem now, but you want to arm yourself against the very real potential that you might be faced with bed bugs at some point. 

Bedbugs can devastate a business, especially for business owners in the hospitality industry whose reputation and success depends upon the satisfaction of their guests.

In fact, recent surveys show that bed bugs are concern number one for people when choosing a hotel. For many guests, they’ll ditch a hotel immediately if they come across a single bed bug. 

If you suspect that you have bed bugs, or if you want to know more about how a commercial property owner can benefit from a professional exterminator, here are 8 good reasons why expert help is a must: 

1. Bed Bugs Can Be Carried by Anyone

Most commercial property owners go to great lengths to keep their buildings clean and accommodating and sanitized. They understand the importance that cleanliness has on making a good impression with their guests.

But when it comes to bed bugs, you could have the cleanest place in town and still find yourself with a bed bug problem on your hands. This is because anyone can transmit bedbugs from one location to another. 

Unlike cockroaches, an infestation with bed bugs has nothing to do with cleanliness. They can be brought onto a property unknowingly by an employee, a resident, a guest, a service person, or a client at any time. 

And while bed bugs aren’t able to fly, they are small and quick and adept at hiding and burrowing. A person can pick up a bed bug on their luggage, handbag, clothing, or shoes and move them from one location to another without realizing it’s been done. 

Because a bed bug infestation can happen so quickly, commercial property owners find themselves turning to a professional exterminator to get rid of the problem. 

2. Identifying a Bed Bug Problem Often Requires an Expert

In many situations, it can be difficult to identify a bed bug problem, especially if no one at your facility has actually seen the insect. This is another reason why an expert exterminator is essential. 

Bed bugs are flat, oval-shaped bugs that are reddish-brown in color. If they’ve recently eaten they will be red in color and shaped like a balloon. 

A bed bug exterminator is able to find those areas where bed bugs tend to hide most. Unlike bees and ants who form colonies and are easy to spot when they’ve grown to large numbers, bed bugs hide in crevices largely unseen. 

They might hide in the edges of the carpet, in the creases of furniture, in wall dividers, at the seams of curtains or bedding, behind picture frames, and behind electrical sockets and surge protectors. 

Their ability to hide so well and in so many places makes it nearly impossible for a property owner to locate them all and rid of them without help. 

3. Bed Bugs Can Spread Quickly

Another big reason to seek professional extermination help as soon as you suspect a bed bug problem is because bed bugs can spread multiply and spread quickly.

All it takes is one bed bug to begin a full-blown infestation. One single bed bug can lay up to 500 eggs in its lifetime (over the course of a year). That’s an average of 1-12 eggs each day. 

With each developed adult bed bug, these numbers only multiply. This is why it’s crucial that a bed bug issue is dealt with swiftly. A professional exterminator will be able to identify the problem and treat it before the situation becomes much worse. 

4. Bed Bugs Are Resilient

Bed bugs are harder to get rid of than many people realize. They are very resilient and can survive in even the most extreme temperatures ranging from freezing to upwards of 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

These pests aren’t just resilient when it comes to extreme temperatures either. Many infestations have developed a resistance to common pesticides making them even more difficult to kill.

And unlike cockroaches, bed bugs can survive many generations of inbreeding and still manage to produce healthy, thriving offspring. In most animals and insect groups, inbreeding would soon result in a population collapse, but this isn’t the case with bed bugs. 

Some property owners hope that if they leave a unit vacant for a while, the bed bugs will simply starve to death and no longer be a problem. This is not a way to solve a bed bug issue.

Bed bugs can live for many months, even up to a year, without feeding on blood. If you leave bed bugs unattended in the hopes that they will starve to death, it’s more likely that they will multiply and spread throughout the complex. 

An exterminator can treat the affected room or unit and the neighboring rooms to ensure that all the bed bugs have been killed. 

5. Full Elimination is Difficult to Attain

Though there are some methods and kits that allow people to attempt to kill a bed bug infestation themselves, it’s very unlikely that all the bed bugs will be obliterated. Since they are so effective at hiding and multiplying, it’s best to save the time and money and allow someone who has been trained in exterminating bed bugs to do the job. 

There are many situations in which it takes more than one treatment to get rid of a bed bug infestation. It can take many thorough treatments to kill off bed bugs completely and this process often takes extreme conditions, the proper tools, and lots of experience. 

6. Protect Your Property Against Extensive Damage

Bed bugs can cause serious damage to your inventory. They can destroy towels, furniture, carpet, mattresses, sheets, curtains, and more. If you have bed bugs spreading into many rooms, the cost for replacing all of these items can start to add up. 

It’s advised that you replace all soft materials and furniture after a bed bug infestation. It’s best to get professional help before the bugs are able to spread throughout the facility. 

Bed bugs love to hide anywhere that’s dark and warm which means they might hunker down in electronics or appliances as well. This could lead to damage done to more than the furniture. 

7. You Understand that Your Reputation Counts

As a property owner, you understand how important your reputation is in keeping your business afloat. News of a bed bug infestation can be devastating to your business as guests and visitors spread the news to others and encourage them to avoid your place at all costs. 

It might take years to rebuild your reputation once the word has gotten out that bedbugs had once called your hotel or apartment complex home. Online reviews mentioning bed bugs are there for anyone to find and can raise concerns among potential guests even if the bed bug problem has long since been addressed. 

Most guests expect full disclosure if a bedbug infestation has taken place at any point in the last several years. For their peace of mind, you want to be able to assure each guest that the problem has been handled professionally. 

Don’t risk the health and well-being of your guests and clients. Keep your reputation intact and preserve all that you’ve worked hard for over the years by turning to a professional to get rid of your bed bug problem. 

8. Consider Your Employees

It’s not just your guests who matter when it comes to keeping your commercial property free from bed bug devastation. Your employees count on having a safe, clean place to work.

If they discover there’s a bed bug infestation that is going untreated, many of them will soon look elsewhere for employment. However, if they realize that you’re acting quickly to treat the problem with the help of a professional, they’ll feel reassured and safer about coming to work. 

Consider the health and well-being of each person you work with and serve, including yourself. Trust the experts to exterminate bedbugs for good. 

Say Goodbye to Bed Bugs for Good

We’ve discussed some of the most important reasons why commercial property managers should turn to an experienced exterminator to get rid of their bedbug problem, now we invite you to do just that. 

At Inman-Murphy Termite & Pest Control, we’ve got the skills and experience to rid your home or business of bedbugs quickly and efficiently, no matter how bad the infestation has become. We use an effective heat treatment to raise temperatures in the infected areas to 140 degrees Fahrenheit to kill off each and every bed bug wherever they might hide. 

We understand that discovering a bed bug problem on your property can cause alarm and we’re here to help. 

Learn more about our extermination process by browsing our website or by giving us a call today. 

We also offer free estimates to all customers so schedule your appointment with us today! We look forward to serving you! 

In the United States, restaurants are regularly inspected by health inspectors and may be shut down if they do not have proper food safety. One common problem that health inspectors find is issues with pest control, which makes up 20% of a restaurant’s health inspection score. 

Do you want to learn how you can have proper bug prevention to prevent restaurant bugs and to avoid issues with a health inspector? Keep reading each of these tips to prevent restaurant pests and critters. 

Remove Food Sources & Attractions

One of the easiest ways that you can prevent pests from entering your restaurant is to remove their food sources and other things that attract bugs. For example, if you are constantly leaving food out, it is not only bad for food health inspectors but can also attract bugs. 

If you notice a lot of ants in your kitchen, you can try to eliminate any crumbs that they are searching for. This can help you remove them without the need for ant control.

Pests, like cockroaches, are also often attracted to warm lighting. While you cannot change your lighting completely, you can turn off lights that are not needed and you can set up traps that will remove any pests that come inside. 

Block Common Pest Entrances

Next, you want to block any potential entrances for pests. These include areas where you have seen pests come from in the past or other potential sources. 

Most often, bugs get into your restaurant from open doors and windows. This is especially true for drive-thru restaurants, as the window is constantly opening and closing. 

Another common pest entrance is through any cracks and crevices in your building. By sealing these off with silicone or caulk, you can stop the critters from ever entering the premises of your business. You can also invest in other types of screens and seals for your doors and windows that will block the entrances for you. 

If you have tried everything and you are still unsure of how pests are getting into your restaurant, you can always ask a professional pest control company to help you identify weak spots in your entrances. 

Keep Your Dumpster and Garbages Clean

While many kitchens are kept pristine and clean in a restaurant, many owners forget the importance of cleaning dumpsters and garbage cans. 

Having a dirty dumpster, even though it is kept outside, can attract larger pests, like mice and rats. When these pests nest near your dumpster, there will be more opportunities for them to get into your restaurant. 

One way that you can prevent pests with your dumpster is by never allowing it to overflow. It is also important to keep the lid shut to keep pests from getting inside. Finally, regularly hosing down the inside of your dumpster can flush out any pests and can help keep your dumpster cleaner. 

To keep your regular garbage bins clean, it is important that you always put a bag or liner into your bin to prevent any food or residue from building up. If you notice that your bag has leaked, make sure you clean the garbage can with a disinfectant. 

Continually Clean

Pests are naturally attracted to dirty areas, especially in kitchens. If you do not continually wipe down surfaces, they can quickly become sticky and dirty from food prep. This is something that can quickly attract bugs into your kitchen. 

By thoroughly cleaning your entire restaurant throughout each day, you will eliminate things that will attract bugs. For example, after each customer leaves, you should wipe down their table with disinfectant. Throughout the day, it is important to sweep up any crumbs that may attract pests. 

Continually cleaning and preventing your restaurant from getting dirty is an easy way to prevent pests. 

Store Food Correctly

Every restaurant kitchen needs to learn how to store food correctly. Not only is this important for the safety of their customers, but it will also prevent pests from accessing the food. 

Make sure you follow the FIFO rule, meaning first in first out. This will keep food from spoiling and can keep pests at bay. It is also vital that you never store food on the floor, as this provides easier access for pests. 

Finally, storing food in airtight containers can prevent them from being contaminated and will keep them usable for much longer. 

Check Deliveries for Pests

It is also important to closely examine all the deliveries that come to your restaurant. As food is shipped across the country, it is an easy place for pests to nest. If you put the food straight into your storage, you may find that bugs spread and infiltrate your kitchen more easily. 

By checking each delivery for any signs of pests, you can prevent infestations and you can also improve the food health of your kitchen. 

Get Professional Pest Control

Finally, if you are unable to stop the pests on your own, it is time to find a professional pest control company to help. Commercial pest control services specialize in safely removing and preventing pests from a variety of businesses.

Whether you need help removing ants, roaches, or even rodents, professional companies can help you quickly and efficiently. 

Avoid The Health Inspector With Pest Prevention Today

The best way to avoid issues with health inspector jobs is to prioritize pest prevention. It is much easier to prevent pests than it is to remove them from your building. If you follow each of these tips, you can keep any unwanted critters from entering your restaurant and putting your health and safety at risk. 

However, sometimes pests are unavoidable. In these situations, rather than learning how to call a health inspector, it is best to turn to a professional pest control company to help. If you need pest control in the Memphis area, Inman-Murphy can help!

Contact our team today to learn more about our Memphis pest control services or to get a free estimate for our services!

The movie Ratatouille was cute, but no one wants a rat in their kitchen in real life, no matter how “helpful”. Unfortunately, because kitchens and restaurants are stocked with food, it’s going to attract unwanted critters at some point if not kept clean.

Here’s your ultimate restaurant cleaning checklist, to help you keep the pests at bay and keep your customers coming back for more.

Daily Duties

The day to day responsibilities add up and if kept up, they will ensure that your restaurant stays as clean as possible. Here is the restaurant cleaning schedule that you should be keeping up with on a daily basis.

Clean Your Equipment

Your restaurant’s kitchen gets a lot of use and everything you use on a daily basis will need to get cleaned on a daily basis. If not, you’re just asking for pests to come in and visit. It’s virtually impossible to cook without leaving some sort of mess. Especially when you run a restaurant in which people are waiting for their food and there’s a sense of urgency. The kitchen is often left a mess, but the food looks (and tastes!) impeccable of course. To keep your kitchen looking the same once the day is done, you’ll want to stay on top of certain tasks.  

After using the range, make sure it’s free of oil and grease to prevent accumulation which will make it harder to clean later. Don’t just focus on your range, clean the doors and interior to wipe up any spills there as well. Same applies to your flattop or grill.  Clean out the deep fryer and drain out any oil and wipe down the sink and make sure there’s no food in it.

Sanitize to Prevent Food Contamination

Wash out all utensils and sanitize all surfaces, including your cutting boards.  This isn’t just a cleanliness issue, it’s a health issue and you’ll want to make sure these surfaces are kept as clean as possible, at all times to prevent food contamination.

Vacuum and Clean the Area

Once you’re done cleaning up your equipment, don’t forget the floors. It’s easy for crumbs to accumulate and little pieces of food to end up on the floor and under the cabinets and equipment. You should vacuum every single day to make sure you leave nothing behind, as food particles are basically invites to pests to come calling. Take out the trash at the end of each day. Essentially, you want to remove all traces of food that is not stored and not in the freezer or fridge.  Clean around the tables and chairs to remove all food debris and wipe down and sanitize the tables before you leave for the night. This should be done after every customer, but you’ll want to make sure it’s done when you close so you don’t miss anything.

Clean the Beverage Station 

The coffee, tea, and other beverage areas are prone to spills, and spills are going to attract pests like ants, flies, rodents and other creatures that simply don’t belong in your restaurant.  To prevent this from happening you’ll need t clean up this area thoroughly every day. 

Clean the tea and coffee brewers and wipe down the equipment to ensure you get all spills and sticky messes. 

Clean the Bathrooms

You need to keep your kitchen and your food service area clean, and the bathroom is just as important for your restaurant cleanliness standards. How many of you judge a business on the cleanliness of its bathroom?  If a bathroom isn’t clean, it hardly matters whether the rest of the area is. Because that’s what your customer is going to remember.  Wipe down the stalls, clean the toilets and mop the floors. Install air fresheners and make sure they’re not empty.

These are daily activities because they’re essential to keeping your restaurant truly clean and safe.

Weekly Duties

There are activities that are still important but don’t need to be done daily. However, don’t skimp on these weekly tasks or you could still find unwanted pests.

Inspect Your Food Storage

Check out your dry food storage area and make sure all dried goods are fresh and unexpired. Make sure it’s organized and if not put everything where it’s supposed to be. It’s easy to lose track and overtime to let it get to the point where things aren’t in their proper places. This becomes an issue when you have new people come in and can’t find anything.  To make this easier on you and on any newbies, you can label your shelves to show what belongs where. Same with the fridge.

Clean the Fridge

Speaking of fridges, here’s another area to clean on a weekly basis. Much like your dried food storage, make sure the items in your fridge are fresh and unexpired. You’ll also want to keep it organized so it’s easy to find on those hectic days (i.e. every day in the restaurant business).

Clean the Doors and Windows

Moving out of the kitchen, you’ll want to ensure you’re always making a great first impression. Windows and glass doors will show smudges and handprints, which is not what you want to display to your customers. Grab the Windex and wipe down all windows and your doors, so they can clearly see what you have to offer within your venue.

Clean the Floor Drains

The last thing you need is buildup in your drains. It’s important to use drain cleaner and make sure that they’re working at full capacity. Don’t get backed up otherwise your drains will and can result in bad odors and bacteria growth. This applies to your kitchen and bathroom drains.

Monthly Duties

These are tasks you can do less often, but they’re a little heftier than the daily or weekly tasks. Keep up to date with this restaurant deep cleaning checklist because you don’t want to find yourself playing catch up.

Wash the Walls (and Ceilings!)

Over time, all the grease and smoke in the kitchen is going to wreak havoc on your walls and ceiling. You’ll want to make sure you wipe down the walls monthly, so it doesn’t get to the point where you’ve got smoke-covered walls or evidence of splatter. Doing so will keep your environment fresh, and it will prevent pests from being attracted to the build up on your walls.  

Thoroughly Clean Ranges and Grills

Oil and grease buildup around your ranges and grills is a fire hazard. Do a monthly deep cleaning to ensure that nothing is built up that can pose a hazard to your employees and your restaurant.  Exhaust hoods are a magnet for grime and debris. You’ll want to clean your exhaust hood to remove any buildup there.

Empty the Grease Traps

To stay up to code you need to stay on top of this task. It’s an important part of your restaurant deep cleaning. The last thing you need is for grease to clog your plumbing. Remove the traps, place grease in a separate container to discard (do not empty into the drain) and submerge the traps into a large tub of water with a degreaser. Soak for 10 minutes, dry and then reinstall them.

Sanitize the Ice Machine

Who would’ve thought the ice machine would get dirty too? Like anything else in the kitchen, the ice machine will have to be emptied, cleaned and sanitized at least once a month.  

Check Your Equipment and Workspace

When conduction a restaurant cleaning, you’ll need to keep on top of all your stuff to make sure it’s working as it should be. This includes sharpening knives, calibrating your thermostat and oven and checking for evidence of pest droppings. 

Success with the Restaurant Cleaning Checklist

Food should attract customers, not pests. If you’ve followed this restaurant cleaning checklist you’re closer to a cleaner kitchen with less chance of unwanted rodents and other pests.

However, sometimes against your best efforts you may run into issues and need to call a food service commercial pest control company.  

If you find yourself in this position, contact us and we’ll help you get rid of the problem and get back to business, quickly.

When working in the restaurant industry, it’s critical to have proper pest control systems in place as pests can be a serious health hazard to customers. Pests can also result in a significant monetary loss for restaurant owners due to damaged property, food products going to waste, or from health code violations.

Rodents are capable of chewing through wires, containers, furniture, and other structures inside your restaurant. If pests are visible or seen by your patrons, you’ll lose consumer confidence and tarnish your restaurant’s reputation.

Start your plan for commercial food service pest management before a problem starts. Learn more about why pest control should be your restaurant’s number one concern.

Food Contamination Concerns

Pest control is a basic aspect of food safety. If pests are present in your restaurant, you’ll rank low on safety inspections and could be shut down. Pests are attracted to food and can contaminate food products with germs and food-borne illnesses. Make sure your kitchen and food prep areas are always kept clean, sanitized, and free of rodents, flies, cockroaches, and other pests.

Property Damage

Pests can cause expensive damage to restaurant equipment and the structure of your building. Termites weaken your building’s structure and rodents can chew through wires leading to damaged equipment and even fires. Protect your building and equipment with food service commercial pest control services to make sure there’s no chance of pests entering your restaurant.

Happy, Satisfied Guests

Restaurants are held to a higher standard than many other industries. Your restaurant’s reputation is critical to making your business a success. A few bad reviews could be all it takes for your business to go under. If insects of any kind are present, a restaurant can be deemed unsanitary and word spreads quickly. While certain pests may not be harmful to humans, they can still hurt your reputation. Maintain raving reviews and happy guests by keeping your restaurant completely pest-free*.

Healthier Employees

It’s not just the health of your customers that’s at risk when pests are present. Many people are allergic to common pests and exposure could make your employees sick. This could cost you in higher turnover or missed work. Keep your staff happy and healthy by maintaining a clean and safe work environment.

Eco-Friendly Pest Control Solutions

When your business is centered around food, you can’t use harsh chemicals near food preparation areas. That’s why it’s important to always use safe, eco-friendly pest control solutions to get the job done and keep your employees and customers safe. Make sure to choose commercial pest control experts with solutions that are effective and safe for use around food. Create an ongoing treatment plan to ensure you never see a pest in your kitchen or dining area.

At Inman-Murphy Termite & Pest Control, we understand the importance of maintaining a pest-free* establishment.

Did you know that, according to Memphis Travel, Memphis has around 100 barbecue restaurants? This is an addition to the grand array of restaurants of other types, like those that offer eclectic cuisine, rich soul food, and renowned fine dining experiences.

If you’re a restaurant owner in Memphis, or you run a commercial kitchen, you know how important it is to keep your restaurant guests happy.

So the last thing you want is a cockroach or mouse scurrying between diners’ feet as it makes its getaway from your kitchen.

This is why pest control is so important. If you’ve recently noticed some signs of kitchen pests, or you’re afraid it might happen to you, you might be feeling stressed and worried about the state of your kitchen.

However, with the right information and restaurant pest control, you can make sure that you don’t have any issues with pests anymore.

That’s why we’ve put together this guide. In it, you’ll learn everything you need to learn about commercial pest control for food service. Finally, your restaurant can be pest-free* and more successful than ever. Read on to learn more.

The Types of Pest Control You May Need

When you run a restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee, your restaurant is at risk of having an infestation of pests such as cockroaches, rodents, stored product pests, and flies. Some of these pests are dangerous, while others can totally ruin your customers’ appetites.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are one of the worst pests that can invade your commercial food service company. This is for several reasons. First of all, cockroaches are unsightly and can make your customers swear off going to your restaurant forever if they see them.

They have hairy legs, a hardened body, and long antennae. They’re dark and creepy-looking. No one wants to eat at a restaurant with a cockroach infestation.

There’s an additional problem with cockroaches. They can easily spread pathogens, including those that cause food poisoning.

Additionally, they contaminate restaurants by leaving shed exoskeletons, regurgitated food, and feces everywhere.

The biggest problem with cockroaches is how difficult it is to get rid of them. They’re resilient, so even if you cut them off from water and food, they can survive for weeks.

Fortunately, you can get your roach problem under control with our professional roach control service.

Rodents

Another common pest that food service pest control services often find in Tennesee-based restaurants is rodents. When your restaurant has this type of infestation, it’s possible for these rodents to spread diseases like E. Coli, Listeria, and Salmonella.

Additionally, rodents contaminate restaurants with their urine and feces.

They can also bite through stored food bags, allowing the food to spoil, and they can chew on plumbing and wiring, which makes your restaurant less safe.

Another problem is that if a customer sees a rodent in your restaurant, they’ll immediately think that it’s unsafe or unclean to eat at. Your restaurant ratings will begin to plummet and you could even be reported to health services.

Fortunately, we offer commercial pest management services for rodent control and removal.

Stored Product Pests

Stored product pests may not be visible to your customers, but they can still wreak a lot of havoc in your restaurant. These include mites, beetles, moths, weevils, and other insects that come into your restaurant hidden in packaged products like flour.

Once they’ve arrived, they can multiply within the same package of flour, nuts, or grains.

When this happens, they also eat the product and excrete in it. This creates bacteria that can irritate the digestive tracts of your customers, cause allergic reactions, or alter the flavor of the food they live in.

The problem with stored product pests is that they’re so insidious. Subtle signs of an infestation include adult pests that are visible, larvae, and webbing.

If you’ve started noticing any of these signs, there’s no need to panic. We have commercial pest control services for Memphis area businesses.

Flies

Finally, one of the most common types of pest control services you may need is pest control for flies. In addition to being gross to guests and annoying to wave away, flies can carry many different types of diseases. Usually, they contaminate liquids.

However, sometimes they’re drawn to food. Flies, after eating, vomit the food back up. So this could be a real problem for your restaurant, consider how unclean this is. Sometimes, they’ll also release fecal matter before flying away.

If you run a food processing plant, then we can help you with our food processing pest control service to get rid of those pesky flies.

Common Pest Problems

There are several common pest problems that can occur if you have pests in your restaurant. These include food contamination, damaging the reputation of your restaurant, and hefty fines or closure if you can’t pass your local health inspection.

Food Contamination

The last thing you want is for the food you make to cause your patrons to become sick. Unfortunately, if you have a pest infestation, it’s likely that from their feces or because of the diseases they carry that your food will become contaminated.

In addition to making patrons ill, food contamination can make the taste of the meals you spend so much time perfecting far less appetizing.

Finally, you can lose money if your food is contaminated. You might have to throw out a ton of food that’s been contaminated, such as sacks of flour that have are all full of weevils.

Damaging Your Restaurant’s Reputation

If you have a pest problem, this can also damage your restaurant’s reputation. One bad review on Yelp about a cockroach found in a salad can cause most people to choose another restaurant instead of yours.

Before you know it, you could end up with a dining area so empty that you have to start firing staff and buying produce that isn’t as high-quality as you know it should be.

Worse, you could end up having to close your restaurant entirely. It’s a cutthroat industry, and you won’t be able to break even if rumors about your infestation circulate to all your clientele.

Health Inspection Issues

According to the Tennesse Department of Health, they come in to visit restaurants at least twice a year for inspections. This might be as much as four times a year if there are any red flags that give them cause to come in.

Generally, they look for red flags that something in your restaurant could end up causing a foodborne illness.

One of these red flags, of course, could be an infestation. So if you have one in your restaurant, you could receive a low rating, be shut down, or have to pay a hefty fine.

Usually, a follow-up inspection occurs after any issues have come up. For this reason, it’s important that you deal with your infestation professionally and fast. This way, you won’t have any additional health inspection problems.

The best way is to hire a pest control service, for example, rodent control and removal. In the following section, we’ll review other ways for you to deal with pests in your kitchen.

How to Deal With Pests

There are several ways to deal with pests. It’s all about knowing where to find them, using strategies to avoid them coming into (or near) your restaurant, and how to deal with them if you spot any signs. Let’s review these strategies now.

Exterior Considerations

There are three exterior considerations to think about when dealing with pests. Outside of your restaurant, you want to think about lights, dumpsters, and entrances and exits. When it comes to lights, many insects will be drawn to them.

So if you have an issue with flies outside, for example, and it hasn’t gotten too bad yet, it’s smart to place bug zappers and glue traps around the lights.

This way, you can keep the flies from coming into your building. Another strategy is to change the lighting outside of your restaurant. While the lights can still point at your restaurant, have them installed a little farther away.

This way the insects won’t come close to your building at all, staying in the exterior area.

Dumpsters

Dumpsters are also a popular place for pests to gather. This is because there are so many foodstuffs that are dumped there, which can easily attract many types of animals, such as rodents. To avoid this problem, make sure you buy the right dumpster for the job.

This dumpster should actually hold all the trash you produce. This way it won’t overflow or stay open slightly, inviting intruders to creep in.

You should also ensure that lids are tight. When you wash out your dumpsters, remember to make sure the water to go into an actual drain so that there isn’t any leftover trash residue outside of your restaurant.

Entrances and Exits

Finally, you want to protect your entrances and exits. For the most part, you want to keep these areas closed. Of course, if you have primary entrances or drive-thru windows, it can be difficult to keep these closed at all times.

To avoid insects from flying in, use an air curtain. Additionally, a door sweep makes it difficult for pests to crawl in from beneath doors.

Additionally, inspect your building for any crevices or cracks through which pests could crawl in. Close these up to avoid any future pest control issues.

Interior Considerations

In addition to securing the outside of your restaurant against the invasion of pests, you need to secure the interior of your restaurant. This includes dealing with your storage area, dining and food prep areas, floor drains, and trash cans properly.

Storage Area

In your storage area, you need to keep your dry food products tightly sealed. This is because boxes and bags that are loosely closed are basically inviting pests to come in and make a little home in them. Additionally, you’ll want to:

• Store food 6 inches or more away from the ground
• Store food 12 inches away from the wall

By storing it 12 inches away from the wall, you’ll more easily be able to walk around and inspect your storage area for pests. You’ll also want to keep track of stock, taking out the oldest stock first so any infestations don’t spread.

Dining and Prep Areas

In dining areas, wipe off surfaces immediately and clean away the area underneath where people have been dining. In the area where you prep food, clean off splashes, drips, and loose crumbs so the area will be less likely to attract pests.

Floor Drains

Floor drains can easily attract pests, especially flies. After your janitor has cleaned the restaurant, use an enzyme-based cleaner to keep the drain clean. Before doing this, sweep any debris away and clean out the grate itself.

Trash Cans

Finally, you’ll want to manage your trash cans properly. Use a liner in all of them, and make sure you buy trash cans with secure lids. Additionally, clean the trash can regularly. Many people forget that trash can slip between the bag and the trash can body.

Need More Information?

Now that you’ve learned everything you need about commercial pest control for food service, you might need more information. Maybe you’ve noticed some signs of an infestation, but you aren’t sure what pest is causing it and you want help figuring it out.

 

Or maybe you have an infestation that’s started to get totally out of control.

 

Whatever you need, we can help. At Inman-Murphy, we’re experts when it comes to pest control. We also offer a variety of pest control services. To learn more about how we can help you, contact us now.

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Related Topics:

• Ultimate Restaurant Cleaning Checklist
• Why Restaurants Need to Make Pest Control Their #1 Concern

Pests in healthcare facilities literally add insult to injury. The last thing a sick or injured person needs while recovering is annoying and disease-carrying pests! If a facility has pests, pest control should be initiated immediately.

But pest control involves a much bigger picture than just bringing in commercial pest control services or “exterminators.” Rather, it involves what we might call a culture of pest control.

In other words, healthcare staff need to think of pest control as their collective responsibility. We’ll discuss what this entails in the following paragraphs. If all this interests you, stay with us!

The Major Pests in North American Healthcare Facilities

By “healthcare facilities”—we mean not only hospitals, but also medical practices, clinics, retirement facilities, and any other places where professionals prevent or treat illness or injury.

All of these places are subject to pest infiltration that could lead to infestation—which is the last thing anyone wants. Healthcare facilities have delicate ecosystems and need to be protected from the risk of pest infestation.

So, what are the most common of these pests? We’re going to focus here on the top four for North America: cockroaches, bed bugs, flies, and rodents.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches have a long history of grossing people out.

They’re attracted to grease, spoiled food, dark and moist places, bathroom and kitchen plumbing, and other places people hate to deal with. We sometimes ignore the invaders out of revulsion, but definitely shouldn’t.

And roaches literally stink: the uric acid they store in their bodies is a major component of human urine. Although roaches technically do less harm to humans than some other insects, we don’t want them anywhere near us.

Cockroaches and Disease

There are numerous bacteria, fungi, molds, and viruses that cockroaches can spread, not to mention an amoeba that causes dysentery, and another parasite that causes giardiasis.

But asthma caused by an allergy to cockroaches themselves is the big public health concern. A 2005 study found that children living in poorer urban areas in the U.S. were at greater risk of asthmatic illness from cockroach allergy than from allergies to dog or cat dander.

For those who already are sick with something else, one of these illnesses can be doubly awful. Besides, a single cockroach can quickly lead to an infestation–and even greater risk of disease transmission.

Preventing the Entry and Spread of Cockroaches

Here are some preventive measures to try, especially if your facility is located in a crowded area that is prone to roaches:

• Cut off their food supply–including any unwrapped and unsealed food, but also cardboard (especially wet cardboard, which they love).
• Eliminate possible hiding places by clearing up clutter and sealing any holes or large cracks.
• Put out bait periodically and check those areas regularly.

Also, look for evidence of them, such as:

• Dead roaches
• A foul, musty smell
• Cockroach feces (which look like black pepper or coffee grounds)
• Cockroaches fleeing, especially from dark, moist places
• What happens when you put out bait

If you find evidence of cockroaches, calling a pest control service is the best option. In a professional setting like a hospital or retirement home that cares for sick and/or disabled people, time is of the essence in dealing with a pest problem.

Bed Bugs

If there are bed bugs in a healthcare facility, they came in on someone’s clothing–whether staff or patient–or in their belongings. Large cities, where people live in close proximity to one another, are especially prone to bed bugs.

And they can be very hard to get rid of!

Large cities also tend to have large hospitals and other large healthcare facilities. So, the bed bugs–which hide out during the daytime–have a plethora of places to lurk, sleep, or whatever they do.

Bedbugs and Disease

Bed bugs generally don’t carry or spread disease. but they do bite. In fact, like many insects, they require a “blood meal.” They annoy people with their presence–and their bites–which can cause itching and sleeplessness.

In rare cases, bed bug bites can cause anemia due to extensive blood loss. More often, though, the itching can lead to excessive scratching that can sometimes increase the chance of a secondary skin infection.

Preventing the Entry and Spread of Bed Bugs

The best way to prevent bed bugs is regular inspection for the signs of infestation. For example:

• Bloodstains on sheets or pillowcases
• Dark or rusty spots of bedbug excrement on sheets and mattresses, bedclothes, and walls
• Bedbug fecal spots, shells, or shed skins in areas where bedbugs hide
• An offensive, musty odor from the bugs’ scent glands

Another way to prevent bed bugs from taking hold is to cover all mattresses and pillows in specially made covers before the bugs even arrive. By doing this, you are, in effect, starving them–and thereby saving some sick patient further discomfort.

Flies

Flies are everywhere, continually in some places. But they don’t belong in healthcare facilities, so you need to make some serious efforts to prevent their entry. Once they’re inside, they will go everywhere, taking germs with them.

While most of us just put up with the limited number of flies that inevitably come into our homes, waving them away from food and occasionally catching one with a flyswatter, healthcare facilities have more to be concerned about.

Flies and Disease

As with other pests, flies can serve as vectors for spreading illness and disease; they can contaminate food and some species bite. Plus, flies can present an annoyance and a potential danger when they distract medical staff from performing their jobs.

Preventing the Entry and Spread of Flies

First, try to prevent flies from entering the facility. Entryways should be double-door and/or close automatically. Windows should be screened and screens patched when necessary. If possible, eating establishments should be away from entries.

All employees should use common precautions such as keeping garbage, especially food waste, bagged and in closed containers. All fresh food should be refrigerated and/or kept in sealed containers until ready for consumption.

Flies can be challenging, though–an age-old problem. Unlike roaches and bedbugs, houseflies are mostly airborne and tend not to cluster. If they do cluster, though, this probably indicates an infestation.

Check for larvae (maggots) in the places where flies are congregating and kill the larvae with boiling water and a half cup of bleach. Larvae look like tiny pale worms, and they thrive in damp environments near a food source. 

And there are always fly traps and baits. But should more common-sense measures fail, calling pest control is imperative–both to address the problem expeditiously and to uphold the facility’s image as being sanitary and well-maintained.

Rodents

Rodents are a different kind of pest. For one thing, they’re mammals, not insects. And they look back at us. So, the goal with rodents is to keep them outdoors. Rodents are no better to have in a hospital or other facility than any other pests.

Rodents and Disease

In fact, rats and mice carry some seriously dangerous diseases, such as hantavirus, plague, salmonellosis, and tularemia. They also carry dangerous insects, like fleas and ticks, that spread even more diseases.

Preventing the Entry and Spread of Rodents

As with the insect pests discussed above, the first key to rodent control is entry prevention. Rodents are larger than insects but still can get through some pretty tiny holes and cracks. So, be sure to seal up  any that exist on your premises.

And, like insects, rodents come inside in search of food. The trouble with them is that they have much bigger mouths to feed–and will eat just about anything humans eat.

You also should lay traps for mice and rats, and clean up any nesting sites you find. If at all possible, help them find their way back outside. Whoever cleans up after the rodents should dress appropriately, with gloves, a mask, and protective clothing.

What Are the Pest Control Responsibilities of Healthcare Workers at the Facility?

As we’ve discussed, the best way to prevent a pest problem is by understanding how pests gain access to facilities, what pests are most problematic, where an infestation is most likely to occur, and how to prevent pests in the first place.

To what extent is pest control the responsibility of people working in healthcare facilities, though? Health Facilities Management argues that:

“Due to the complicated physical infrastructure and organizational complexity of health care facilities, the importance of educating all levels of staff and cooperation with an experienced pest management company should not be underestimated.”

The message here seems to be that routine facilities upkeep should be the responsibility of all who work there–to the extent that they’re attentive about such concerns as:

• Where and how to store their personal food
• Alerting custodians to any water leaks
• Alerting a manager to any signs of pests on the premises
• Taking care when entering  building not to let flies in
• Checking personal belongings for any pests that might have “hitched a ride”
• Making sure any buffets or hors d’oeuvre remain covered until ready for consumption

The phrase, “If you see something, say something,” often associated with crime prevention, applies here as well. It might not be in your job description to fix a leaking toilet, for instance, but you should notify the person whose job it is.

Are They Gone Now?

Finding pests in a building is not exactly a catastrophe. However, if good pest control habits aren’t practiced, the pests could lead to contagion—which puts both the hospital and its patients at risk. It also leads to a poor reputation.

While most of us deal with pests regularly, especially at certain times of the year, if we’re reasonably healthy, we just tolerate them the best we can until we finally have to call in a commercial pest control service.

But pest control is their job, isn’t it? And don’t they have all kinds of safety protocols that we might never have heard of, much less practice ourselves.

And while healthy people might be able to wait before calling commercial pest control services, hospitals shouldn’t.

So if you work for a hospital or other healthcare facility and have a pest problem, let us know right away. We’ll come and do our job, and soon you’ll forget all about those pesky pests.

Healthcare facilities can have a lot of different areas that are inviting to pests — exam rooms, waiting areas, restrooms, and break rooms are some of the most common areas we see pest problems. And unfortunately, a pest infestation (or a reputation for pests) can discourage patients from visiting your facility. Presence of pests such as flies, rodents, and bed bugs ruin the reputation of healthcare facilities and affect quality of care.

What are the Common Pests found in Healthcare Settings?

There are various types of pests found in the healthcare setting. Some of the most common include:

1. Rodents

Rodents are among the most dangerous pests found in healthcare settings. They are not only unsightly to the patients but are capable of spreading a lot of disease. They pose a risk both to the patient and the hospital management.

As the rodents walk around, they carry pathogens causing diseases from one place to another. The unsanitary droppings they leave can lead to the contamination of food meant for patients and hospital staff. Some rodent droppings can cause harmful viruses when fresh rodent urine, droppings, or nesting materials are stirred up, causing tiny droplets containing virus to get into the air.

Aside from health issues, rodents also damage hospital equipment, products, and packaging. Rodents can effortlessly enter a healthcare facility without anyone’s knowledge. The rats and mice can get in through the open doors, the small cracks on walls, and holes, and packages in shipments.

2. Bedbugs

Bedbugs are pests that can cause discomfort to patients admitted to the hospitals. Since bedbugs are such small insects, it is hard for the hospital management to spot them easily. Bedbugs are prevalent in beds, pictures, furniture, cracks, and folds found in the bed.

The insects mostly feed on the blood of the patients occupying the hospital beds. It is possible for the bedbugs to spread in the healthcare setting due to their easy transferability. A patient can transfer bedbugs from their home to the hospital through their clothing or the luggage. It is crucial for hospitals to conduct regular bedbugs pest control practices.

3. Cockroaches

Cockroaches are resilient pests that can quickly develop into large infestations within a short period of time. Cockroaches are vectors capable of spreading bacteria such as salmonella and E-coli. Roaches can also contaminate food meant for patients and hospital staff.

Another adverse effect of cockroaches is that they trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks in susceptible patients. Roaches are one of the most common pests around and it is easy for them to get into the healthcare setting.

4. Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes may not seem like a common pest for healthcare facilities, but they are found everywhere in the world and carry some of the worst diseases and pathogens. They’ll become active when the temps rise above 50 degrees (so mid Spring in Memphis) and mostly breed in the shallow waters, clogged gutters, decorative ponds, and fountains. If you have a serenity area for patients, it’s a good idea to regularly control for mosquitoes or it won’t be very serene for long!

5. Flies

Mostly irritating and annoying, flies can bring other problems. And they’re another pest that leads people to create a bad impression of your facility. According to the findings of the Center for Disease Control, flies can carry twice the amount of pathogens transmitted by cockroaches.

The medical facilities and clinics need to control for flies to prevent the spread of food-borne illness. Flies easily enter facilities through doors and windows. Flies also tend to be abundant in/near garbage and food areas — keeping these areas clean and clear will go a long way to keeping flies under control.

6. Ants

Ants move in massive populations within their colonies. They migrate from one region to another in search of food. Due to their changing diets, they are likely to take shelter in healthcare facilities, and certain ants are very attracted to foodstuffs and create problems with inventory. Although they do not tend to carry disease they are unsightly and you will have to get rid of some inventory and food if infested with ants.

Why is it Important to Control Pests in Healthcare Settings?

The primary goal of all healthcare facilities is to offer quality care and comfort to patients. Unfortunately, healthcare facilities are no different from any other building and they can be infested with pests as well. Obviously, a pest infestation in a healthcare facility is going to affect its reputation how the public and patients view the institution. If not handled properly it can also affect healthcare and outcomes for patients.

Healthcare settings can choose to handle their own pest control strategies or they can a hire a professional commercial pest control partner to handle the job for them. In most instances, a professional option is the best solution.

Tips on how to Control Pests in a Medical Facility or Clinic

Timely response to all pests is critical once you realize your facility has an infestation.

Pests such as cockroaches can multiply fast within a short time. A rapid response can prevent a small issue from turning into a major one. Ignoring a pest problem can lead to health violations and an eventual shutdown of your building. For this and other reasons, healthcare facility ought to take a proactive approach towards managing pests. It is crucial for hospitals to put in place protocols and integrated pest management practices. The presence of control measures will help ensure a timely and proper response to pest infestations.

Identifying risk factors, both internally and externally, is also critical. Understanding  a facilities risk factors will enable the healthcare facility manager to plan and respond to any issue.

Pest control professionals have a high level of specialization and expertise that can help in effective pest control for healthcare environments.

If you need pest control services for your healthcare facility contact our professionals at Inman-Murphy — we have the experience and know-how to handle pest control problems in a healthcare setting and the professionalism to understand your patient’s welfare and confidentiality as well as health code compliance are of utmost importance. Contact us today for a free quote or to schedule a pest control evaluation and plan.

Roaches, bed bugs, ants, and termites — these are just a few of the common pests that we see when we visit Memphis businesses to do perform professional commercial pest control services.

These pests are not only annoying, they have the power to close down a business for health reasons. While we’re thrilled to help our fellow Memphis businesses out, we know you’d rather not have to contact us to begin with!

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to discourage these pests from entering your facility. Discover what steps you can take to keep your Memphis business pest free.

Offices

A major issue with office spaces is leftover food and drinks that attract bugs and rodents.

Ask employees to avoid leaving open soda, juice and similar containers on desks, shelves and elsewhere around the office. Most pests are attracted to these sugary drinks, so they should be thrown away after each work day in a covered wastebasket. Plus, if they aren’t left out on desks, they are less likely to spill leaving sugary residue on carpets and floors (which attract bugs as well).

Clean the break room each week, dropped food items or even a few crumbs left on the counter can attract pests.

Empty waste baskets each day. Foods and drinks that are left in a waste basket for more than a day can cause pests to show up in your office. Be sure to have a plastic bag in each waste basket to keep the receptacle itself clean.

Warehouses

Pests can hide in the smallest cracks and crevices of a warehouse. Look through your warehouse for areas around pipes and breaks in walls that you can seal to prevent pests from entering.

Check the condition of the doors and windows in your warehouse. Pests often slip through broken areas on the seal of a window or door. So, if you find any damaged or broken areas, be sure to fix them.

Keep food consumption in one area like a break room. This keeps crumbs, spilled food and drinks to one area, so it can be cleaned thoroughly to discourage pests.

Don’t forget that pests can travel into a warehouse from shipments of boxes, pallets and other items. Giving these items a quick examination before bringing them into the warehouse gives you the opportunity to brush any pests off them before they get into your warehouse.

Medical Buildings

Many pests live in trees and feed off of the leaves. Keeping trees and bushes near the entrances well maintained and manicured can go a long way to limiting pests getting into healthcare buildings.

Similar to warehouses, another common entrance point is around windows and pipes. Facility management should regularly check the sealing and caulking around windows and entrances in a medical facility to reduce the opportunities pests will have entering the building.

Disposing of flowers, empty food containers and drinks each day can keep pests from appearing in a medical office.

Don’t store food or any edible items on shelves near the floor. This makes it harder for pests to detect and reach things they can eat.

Food Service and Restaurants

Keeping a restaurant or any type of food service facility clean is a very effective way to deter pests. Frequent sweeping, vacuuming and sanitizing a food service facility is essential.

Dumpsters and garbage cans near a food service facility are very attractive to pests. Dumpsters and garbage cans must have firmly closing lids (and preferably lockable lids). Any spilled or overflowing garbage need to be cleaned up as soon as possible — outdoor garbage containers attract rats and rodents, and even sometimes much larger animals…

Store food items and boxes off the floor of a restaurant. Rodents and other pests can chew through cardboard and plastic to get to food items.

Hotels and Motels

Clean around the edges of the mattresses and behind the headboard every day. Bed bugs commonly hide and reproduce in these areas in a hotel room.

Wash the bed linens including the pillowcases in hot water every day. This can keep an invasion of bed bugs from occurring. Understand that guests often bring bed bugs with them, and that can set off an infestation. Once your places has reputation for bed bugs it can be extremely difficult to break that reputation.

Vacuum and dust rooms after each set of guests checks out. When spilled drinks, crumbs and dropped food items are cleaned up right away it’s less likely that roaches and other pests will show up.

Get your hotel rooms checked by a professional pest control technician on a regular basis to prevent an infestation.

Putting these simple tips into practice can keep pests of all kinds out of your business or facility making it a healthier, more pleasant place to be.