Rodents are every restaurant owner’s worst nightmare. Not only are mice and rats notorious for ruining food supplies and damaging property, but they also often carry dangerous diseases that could spread to humans. Restaurants are prime environments for rodents because they offer plenty of opportunities to steal food, so if you own or run an eating establishment, you need to take special measures to deter rats and mice. Following these steps can help make your restaurant less appealing to rodents.

Maintain Cleanliness and Sanitation

Your kitchen must maintain a specific level of cleanliness to keep its reputation, but sanitation also plays a major role in deterring rodents. Mice and rats don’t need to access your entire food supply for sustenance. If your kitchen is not properly cleaned throughout the day, rodents will use crumbs and spills as food.

You should clean the kitchen throughout the day while your restaurant is open. Sweeping up crumbs and wiping up spills right after accidents happen is best practice. At the end of the day, you should also sanitize your kitchen with appropriate chemicals to eliminate any germs and make sure there are no crumbs left behind to attract rodents.

Seal Entry Points

Both rats and mice are capable of fitting through impossibly small holes to access your restaurant. Rats can fit through holes the size of a quarter, while mice can fit through spaces as small as the width of a pencil. Because of this ability, it is essential to regularly inspect the exterior of your restaurant. If you find any small crevices or holes, you must patch them immediately to keep rodents out.

Working with a pest control company can help you identify potential entry points. Because rodents can fit through such small spaces, you may not notice holes or cracks that could give them access to your restaurant. A pest control technician has special training to recognize these small entry points and can point out the ones you need to seal to keep rodents away.

Store Food Properly

Rodents thrive in environments where food is readily available. Restaurants make great living spaces for mice and rats because there is plenty of food for them to access. If you aren’t taking measures to thoroughly clean your kitchen, rodents will feast on crumbs left behind. They can also tear into boxes that are not properly secured, so you must be careful to store your food properly.

Keep all open food in airtight containers. Rodents can access open boxes, but they can’t chew through plastic. Keeping your food properly secured is the only way to guarantee that your food supply will not be contaminated by mice or rats, and if they don’t have easy access to food, rodents are not likely to take up residence.

Invest in Regular Pest Control

While making your restaurant a less hospital environment for rodents is a good way to deter mice and rats, it is best to work with a reputable pest control company. Technicians from Truly Nolen spray special chemicals around your restaurant to keep rodents away. The chemicals are harmless to humans but help shield your commercial building from rats and mice that could damage its reputation.

Make an Appointment for Mice Control Today

When you need to know how to get rid of rats in your restaurant, it’s best to call an expert pest control company for help. The technicians at Truly Nolen Canada have years of experience with commercial pest control and are ready to help you protect your restaurant from rodents. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to help with mice control.