Keep Pests Out of Your Commercial Kitchen
July 8, 2018Having pests in your kitchen is already a nightmare, but if health inspectors find them it gets even worse. Keep your guests safe and your restaurant operating safely.
Your commercial kitchen is automatically a target of a variety of bugs and other pests. It has everything they want – food, heat, shelter, and moisture. You have to fight hard to keep them out!
Here are steps you can take to keep your commercial kitchen clean and clear of unwanted visitors.
Plug Any Possible Entry Points
How do pests get in your kitchen? Because you’re not a bug, it can be hard to understand why they always find a way in. However, when you think small enough, you can start to see it.
Every crack and crevice is a way that pests can get into your commercial kitchen. Ensure that drain covers are tightly secured. Look for holes in walls, gaps in caulking, and any other gaps.
The most important entry points are those that lead directly outside. How secure is the seal around the doors? What cracks could there be in other external walls? Are pipes entry points properly sealed?
Finally, don’t limit your efforts to only the kitchen. Pests can come in through the dining room or staff areas as well, and make their way to the abundant food in the back. Make sure window seals, door seals, and walls are secure and don’t offer any points of entry.
Check for Pests Near Stored Food
Finding larvae around the edge of an unopened can is not only frightening, it’s a good sign that you need to contact a professional right away.
Other places you might find evidence of pests during your workday include:
- In grain-based foods such as flour, cereal, and pasta
- Shelving or the floor may have droppings that let you know you have unwanted visitors
- Trash bags and trashcans are common places pests hide
Water is another attractant for pests. Leaking pipes, standing water, or dripping faucets are issues that should be fixed – both to save you money and to keep pests away.
Keep Things Clean – Very Clean!
You may not think a crumb or a single piece of pasta on the floor of your commercial kitchen is a very big deal. Bur remember, for the right pests, that’s a feast!
If you have kitchen equipment that’s difficult to move, put it on rollers so that your staff can clean around it. Sweeping and mopping should happen throughout the day, not just at the end. Otherwise, things pile up so much it’s hard to get everything.
Wiping counters is vital, and so it wiping down shelves and storage cabinets. Any spillage will give pests a perfect buffet and they will not miss the opportunity to take advantage!
Keep Your Commercial Kitchen in Top Shape
You invested a lot of money and time into setting up the right commercial kitchen. There’s no reason for your food operation to be stopped short by mice, bugs, and other pests.
Instead, take the steps needed to keep your kitchen in top shape. If you need a key piece of new or used equipment to round out your operation, we’re here to help. Contact us for a quote today!
Roast: What’s Wrong With The Honeymooner’s Kitchen? Kitchen Supplies
Welcome to our new series, “Roast and Toast”! Each month we’ll feature one kitchen that we love and one that… well, could use improvements. The kitchens we feature can come from anywhere – TV, films, popular culture, you name it. We’ll talk about what we love and what...
Restaurant Supplies: The Growing Menu Role of Specialty Cheeses
As a commercial restaurant owner or manager, you might wonder what you can do to revive your menu a bit. There are a lot of fun ways to diversify your menu, but one trend you might have noticed is the growing role of specialty cheeses. We’ve all used common cheeses,...
It’s a Toast: Why We Love the “Friends” Kitchen
Welcome to our new series, “Roast and Toast!” Each month we’re going to feature one kitchen we love and one kitchen we hate. It can be from anywhere – a sitcom, a cooking show, a cartoon, a movie, or any other screen you’d see one on! We’re starting off with a toast...
Ready to Open a Second Restaurant Location?
If your current restaurant is booming, it might be time to consider a second location. Congratulations on your current success – you’ve already beaten the odds! Opening a second location can be easier than your first one – you’ve already worked out a lot of the kinks....
The One Product to Boost Convenience Store Sales
Is there one product that can single-handedly make or break the success of your convenience store? A lot of store owners would say no. When they look at their store, they see products coming from hot dish foodservice equipment, shelves, and a variety of categories...
Restaurant Equipment Spotlight: Gas vs. Electric
Does your Little Rock restaurant use gas or electric restaurant equipment? In all likelihood you made this decision a long time ago, but it’s one that can always be reconsidered. There are benefits to both. If you’re opening a new restaurant location, it’s vital to...
Restaurant Equipment: Self-Ordering Technology
One of the biggest challenges of running a restaurant is keeping up with all the technology and restaurant equipment that is available. You might have thought when you opened your location that you could run things basically the same way for decades. While they may...
Four Tips to Opening a Successful Restaurant
Have you been dreaming about bringing your food expertise to the forefront of you life? Many people have thought about opening their own restaurant. Folks don’t follow through for a variety of reasons – money, fear, or simple inertia. You can be different, though. You...
The Case for Timeless Restaurant Décor
What’s the newest trend in restaurant décor? Evidently, people are loving “Millennial pink,” and they’re using it for everything. If you’re trying to keep up with what’s hot, you better get some new restaurant supplies right away! And remember, this isn’t just any...
Deep Fry Safely & Efficiently
When it comes to kitchen equipment, knowing how to use it correctly is vital. Not only does it keep your employees safe, it ensures that the food comes out well and that your equipment last a long time in good condition. Using a deep fryer may seem pretty simple, and...
Should You Buy Closeout Restaurant Supplies?
As a restaurant owner, you, of course, want to save money in any way possible. Restaurant margins are known for being razor-thin, so every dollar counts. Because of this, you might be tempted when you see a closeout deal for restaurant supplies. After all, you can get...
Choosing Environmentally Friendly Restaurant Supplies
There’s been a lot of controversy recently about restaurant supplies and how they affect the environment. The current focus is on plastic straws, but the same conversation has been had about Styrofoam and a variety of other materials. Can you choose environmentally...
Restaurant Supplies to Prepare Your Location for Spring
In March you can begin to feel warmer weather around the corner here in Little Rock. After all, the groundhog didn’t see its shadow this year, so we’re in for an early spring, right? As you think about how to prepare your restaurant for spring, think about getting the...
Proper Use of Cutting Boards
Food safety is vital to every restaurant – consistent inspections make sure of it! Unfortunately, the day-to-day operations can sometimes mean that safety falls through the cracks. One thing that can get overlooked in a busy kitchen is the safe use of cutting boards....
Four Myths About Food Trucks
You probably know that the food truck industry is booming – it’s grown by 7.3% in the last five years and shows no signs of slowing down. That makes it an attractive industry for anyone interested in serving food – from established restaurants to new entrepreneurs....