Show, Don't Tell

This difference in viewpoints needs to be kept in mind when interacting with restaurant managers. If a manager thinks pest control services might inconvenience customers or affect his bottom line, you can bet pest control will be sacrificed every time.

Restaurant managers don’t want to hear about their responsibilities to help control pests. They want it to be your problem, not theirs. ("Don’t talk to me about cleaning up; just get rid of the mice!") We know poor sanitation and structural problems mean pests. Often, restaurant workers don’t. Unfortunately, poor sanitation and structural problems are not your responsibility.

One effective way to secure a manager’s cooperation is to point out examples in his own facility where poor sanitation and lack of maintenance is causing pest problems. Here are five common examples:

1. Drosophila in rotting food. Show a manager how a few pieces of rotten tomato left on the floor have bred all the "fruit flies" flitting around a food prep table. Or show him the hundreds of wiggling larvae living in the fermenting crud that can build up under a beer dispenser that isn’t adequately cleaned every night.
2. Crud under equipment. The next time you’re in a fast food restaurant, move the cash register stand next to the drive-through window and collect the junk underneath. Use a spatula to scrape the most stubborn crud — old French fries, ketchup packets, spilled food, coins, etc. Label the bag, noting where and when it was collected, and present it to the manager. It’s hard to ignore such evidence.
3. Roaches in equipment. Dirty dishes left overnight in dishwashers, combined with food debris in nooks and crannies of the machinery, are a sure bet for roach trouble, and a major focus of re-infestation in restaurants and commercial kitchens. Explain to your customer that high temperatures, extreme humidity and detergents break down pesticides in a matter of hours, even minutes. The only way to eliminate roaches in dishwashing equipment is to eliminate their food supply by running the last load of dishes and cleaning food debris from the equipment every evening.
4. Rats around Dumpsters. Show the manager rat droppings, burrows and any other signs of rodents around the outside of the facility. Point out the food scraps and debris attracting rats, which will soon set up residence nearby, just waiting to be seen by customers. Explain even the best bait can’t compete with the gourmet scraps served up by his garbage.
5. Structural problems. Show restaurant managers firsthand that structural problems are causing or contributing to pest problems and making your job more difficult. Examples include:

• The missing door sweep on the compactor room inviting in any passing mice.
• Broken screens beckoning to flies, wasps and bees.
• Broken tiles and crumbly grout providing hiding places and escape for cockroaches and other crawling pests.
• Holes in concrete blocks providing access to voids that act as rodent runways from floor to floor.

Some companies hesitate to report sanitation and structural problems to restaurant managers. They’re afraid the manager will consider their comments criticism and resent it. Rarely, is that the case, however. After all, it’s far better that you report the problems to the restaurant manager rather than allowing him to hear it from his customers, or worse yet, the health department!

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Don’t Overlook Pallets

In food storage areas of restaurants, grocery stores, food warehouses and even pet stores, the inconspicuous pallet is often an overlooked source of pest problems in a pest management program. Yet pest infestations in these areas often can be traced to the pallets themselves.

Wooden pallets are difficult to clean and their rough texture hides food particles and pests, especially tiny stored product insects. If the pallets are not kept dry, the damp wood can develop fungus, which can lead to a buildup of other pests such as psocids. Pallets that are rotated in from outside storage areas also can harbor insects or rodents, causing additional pest problems.

More food warehouses are using plastic pallets today, but they’re considerably more expensive than wooden pallets, so their use is not as widespread as traditional wooden pallets. Reinforced corrugated cardboard pallets are also used, but they deteriorate in damp conditions.

Pallets must be on a regular inspection and rotation program to prevent moisture accumulation, as well as pest and food spillage buildup. Pallets that enter the facility from outside sources should be inspected and cleaned immediately. All pallets should be numbered so they can be tracked through a rotation that includes inspection, cleaning and treatment. When not in use, extra pallets should be stored inside and off the floor.

Infested pallets should be broken down (outside) and cleaned by vacuuming or forced air. Wooden pallets are often treated for pests by fumigation or by heat treatment. Pallets also can receive a crack and crevice treatment with an insecticide labeled for that use, or they can be treated by spraying or dipping them in a labeled borate (disodium octaborate tetrahydrate) solution.