Serve Up an Extra Helping of Sanitation
Implement Simple Cleaning Techniques to Turn Pests Away from Your Restaurant
By Zia Siddiqi, Ph.D., B.C.E., Director of Quality Systems, Orkin, Inc.
The fast-paced world of foodservice requires you to juggle hundreds of details at once. Your sanitation program can have a domino effect on other aspects of your business, so it’s one area you can’t afford to overlook. In addition to earning you points on your health inspections and impressing customers, sanitation plays an integral role in pest prevention.
The presence of pests is not only a nuisance to you and your staff, but also a turn-off to patrons and a health hazard to inspectors. Flies, cockroaches and rodents can transmit dangerous foodborne illnesses such as Salmonella, E. coli and Hantavirus.
While there’s no doubt that pests pose a major threat to your establishment, a simple solution lies in the form of three letters: IPM, or Integrated Pest Management. By implementing preventive practices before pest problems occur, IPM programs take a proactive approach to pest control. In the daily fight against pests, you and your staff can implement stringent sanitation, one of the cornerstones of effective IPM.
What attracts pests to restaurants?
Restaurants are naturally attractive to pests, thanks to the constant availability of food, moisture, and shelter. Busy kitchen environments, with ongoing food prep and waste buildup, are particularly enticing to insects and rodents. Dining areas can also become a hotspot for pests if food crumbs and spills aren’t promptly cleaned up. Even the exterior of a restaurant can invite trouble. Poorly maintained dumpster areas and cluttered surroundings often act as a gateway for pests looking to make their way inside.
Best Practices for Sanitation in Restaurants
To address these challenges, restaurants should prioritize strong sanitation practices. Regular cleaning, proper food storage, effective waste management, and keeping outdoor areas tidy are all essential steps. By understanding what draws pests in and taking proactive measures, restaurant owners and staff can create a cleaner, safer environment for their patrons while reducing the risk of infestations.
In the Kitchen
Implement the following sanitation techniques in your establishment, starting with the most likely place pests will gather – the kitchen.
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Inspect Food Storage Regularly: Make it a habit to check incoming deliveries and stored products for any signs of pests. If you find damaged items, discard them immediately to stop infestations from spreading.
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Remove Trash Daily: Empty all trash containers every day, especially those holding food waste. Avoid leaving garbage bags or boxes outside, as they can quickly attract pests.
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Keep Drains Clean: Take time to remove drain covers and scrub the area with organic cleaners to clear away grease buildup. This simple step helps prevent flies from turning your drains into breeding grounds.
The Dining Room
The dining room is where your customers spend most of their time, so keeping it clean is essential for both their experience and pest prevention.By staying on top of cleaning routines and addressing messes quickly, you can create a welcoming environment for guests while minimizing pest risks.
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Thorough Floor Cleaning: Regularly sweep or vacuum under tables and chairs, focusing on crumbs and spills. Use a HEPA filter vacuum to remove dust from potential pest hideouts like wall edges and crevices.
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Prompt Table Sanitation: Wipe down tables and chairs immediately after customers leave. Even tiny crumbs can attract small pests like ants, so be thorough.
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Immediate Spill Response: Clean up all spills promptly, including water. Remember, even a few drops can sustain pests like mice in your establishment.
Outdoors
Addressing exterior sanitation is just as important as keeping the kitchen clean, as it helps prevent pests from finding their way indoors. Here are a few best practices to get started:
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Keep the Exterior Clean: Regularly hose down sidewalks and parking lots to clear away debris that could attract pests. This simple practice helps eliminate potential food sources for unwanted visitors.
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Manage Dumpsters Strategically: Place dumpsters as far from the building as possible to keep pests at a distance. Be sure to clean and rotate them often to disrupt any pest activity.
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Get Rid of Standing Water: Check for and remove sources of stagnant water around your property, like rain puddles or leaks from AC units. Standing water can attract pest birds and other nuisance pests looking for hydration.
Work with your pest management provider to create a thorough sanitation plan that will correspond with your IPM program. A reputable provider will work with your staff to not only implement the techniques above, but also to educate your team on the importance of sanitation. Effective pest management is contingent on an open line of communication between you, your pest management provider and your employees. By adopting these ongoing sanitation practices, your foodservice business can make the grade and impress patrons all at once.
Contact Orkin to learn more about our commercial disinfectant services and how we can add to your restaurant’s sanitation practices.
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