When you own and operate a restaurant, it is important to keep your premises free of pests. Many are attracted to restaurants because they feed upon the residues of food preparation and consumption, and these pests can pose health risks to your customers. Commercial pest control services in Waterloo can help you protect your operation while keeping your customers safe.

Pests can hide in places you may not expect, such as your kitchen drains. Here is some information about why the drains might attract pests and what pests you are likely to find there.

Why Do Kitchen Drains Attract Pests?

All animals, including insects, need water. Pests are often attracted to water sources, such as plumbing leaks, within a business for that reason. However, kitchen drains may be particularly attractive because it isn’t just water that is going down the drain. Grease, particles of food, and the dregs of sugary beverages may all collect in the kitchen drains of your restaurant. With your restaurant serving hundreds of people per day, that means quite a bit of material that can collect in the kitchen drains on a routine basis. This material can provide food for the insects themselves, or they may lay their eggs within the drains so that the larvae can feed on the material when they hatch. The drains also provide a good place for pests to hide because they are small and not easily accessible to humans, though easily accessible to insects.

What Kinds of Insect Pests Can You Find in Kitchen Drains?

Kitchen drains can be home to several different species of flies, including one appropriately called drain flies. Fly larvae require rotten, festering material on which to feed. Sometimes adult flies find adequate material in the drain itself, but being so small, they can also follow the drain all the way to where it connects to the sewer system.

Some species of flies are seasonal, meaning that they are most likely to be present at certain times of the year, while at other times, you may get a break from them. Other species, such as fruit flies, are active all year round.

Roaches are another type of pest that may make their homes in kitchen drains. There are several different species of roaches that may infest kitchens, including the German cockroach. Roaches are prodigious breeders, meaning that there may be hundreds in your drains, or elsewhere in your kitchen, by the time you see just one.

Why Are Pests in Kitchen Drains Dangerous?

The conditions that are conducive to pests living in your drains may be health violations in themselves that could endanger your customers and imperil your ability to operate. However, vermin and pests also pose health risks of their own. Because of the conditions in which they live and raise young, insect pests are often covered with disease-causing microbes. If they come in contact with food or food preparation services, they can contaminate them, which could lead to people getting sick. Not only that, but some people with allergies are particularly sensitive to the insects or their excrement, the presence of which could trigger an attack.

How Can You Prevent Pests in Kitchen Drains?

The best way to prevent pests is to clean your drains regularly and prevent the buildup of food waste in and around them. Use commercial drain-cleaning products to remove organic material and other sludge. Use metal screens, covers, or drain stoppers to prevent insects from getting inside when the drains are not in use.

Remove standing water in sinks as well as drip pans for appliances. Storing garbage cans under the sink may seem convenient, but it makes it easier for pests to find their way into the drains. Instead, store the garbage cans as far away as possible.

If you are unable to prevent pests in your restaurant kitchen drains, call Truly Nolen in Waterloo for commercial pest control.