One solitary little insect or bug can ruin the fine reputation of a restaurant or hotel in a flash. 20 years of careful work in developing and nurturing your fine reputation in the restaurant , catering , food preparation or hotel hospitality industry may be gone in a second - all from one little insect or their family. The major role of fire departments is not to fight fires - but to prevent these disasters. So should be your bug, insect or general pest control measures and procedures.

Remember first and foremost that in most cases pest control problems are seldom, if ever the result of unsanitary conditions in a food serving establishment. Yet any issues or problems you have will deal your establishment with a fatal blow to your food service business that will be difficult if ever to erase or remove. Your efforts should be directed to prevention rather than in fighting the fire and resulting damage

What steps and procedures can you implement to prevent or at the worst control any pest control problems?

First and foremost pay particular attention to sealing any cracks and crevices in your building, walls and floors. Doors and ceiling should be noted as well. This way rodents or other pests can not enter or even “run in” to your work / serving areas in the first place. Next check and examine Outdoor vegetation near exterior walls. This should be removed. Trailing vegetation can actually attract or even harbor some insects.

Ensure that your staff ensures that inside areas are clean. All the areas can never be “too clean”. Tell them that even if they are not busy, or have free time, then time spent cleaning once more is time well spent and invested. It’s amazing how small an amount of residue can serve to attract and even nourish pests. Outdoor areas, either patios or even the areas outside of your building should be thoroughly cleaned on an ongoing basis as well. . In no way can through attention to cleaning, cleanliness and sanitation be overdone or overly emphasized. The costs of inattention more than overweigh this. Pay Particular attention to floor care and its cleaning. If there are Insects whether flying and crawling insects these can and must be captured or caught.

Better one insect than its brood. You can utilize what are called “Sticky boards”. Anyone can set up and use these sticky boards. They are most simple to use, inexpensive and convenient lastly consult your heating or air-conditioning contractor or technician to ensure that airflow in your facilities should be “positive’, rather than negative -that is blowing out air when doors are opened. - As opposed to drawing in when windows or door are opened. It’s true that vapors and odors may spread this way - either attracting pests or irritating the neighborhood but overall it’s worth the choice and effort.

Interestingly enough insects can actually be attracted away from your facilities with what might be considered ‘decoys”. Especially in the case of outdoor evens, or facilities like spring or summer time patios it has been found that if fluorescent lights are placed at least 100 feet away from the building or facility the bugs will be automatically attracted to these lights - far away from your food service spots. Another option in terms of dealing with insects in outdoor venues or essential lighting at entrances and exits is to install sodium vapor lights, as opposed to fluorescent or standard incandescent lights. It seems that this type of lighting appears to be less attractive to insects.

Lastly of course are the standard steps of dealing with food and food leftovers. As much as quickly as possible dispose of food scraps in sealed containers and liners and keep counter-tops as free of possible of food residues. Along with this have your staffs as well as you employ a standard, thorough and consistent procedure of checking any and all shipments arriving at your door or loading dock. Again it cannot be overemphasized All it takes is one solitary insect or other pest to begin to be the start and source of your problems.

In the end all of this effort and time at pest control of any sorts if more than warranted. A reputation to any fine food services business - whether restaurant, catering or hotel food service industry is like a mirror. The reputation of a business carries it and travels wide. However like a mirror, beautiful to look at, but once damaged, it is most difficult and expensive to repair and bring to its previous state.