Whether you run a hotel, bar or restaurant, creepy crawlies and hospitality don't mix. In fact, aside from customers destined never to return after a close encounter of the fourth, sixth or eighth-legged kind, the risks of fines and even closure are great. And let's not forget the impact online reviews now have on your business. While glowing praise for your crayfish Mornay by 'Jeff of Coffs Harbour' is worth a hundred ads in your local paper, 'Anne of Burleigh Heads' can trash your online reputation in a second with her critique of your beetroot and blowfly soup. A business built over a lifetime can be ruined with one errant insect. So here are some effective ways to limit your preferred clientele to anything on two legs.
Fly away
Aside from thier all-round distastefulness, flies can carry E. Coli and are a genuine health risk. Their nefarious path takes them from decaying matter to decaying matter and then potentially on to your freshly sliced steaks. So how do you get rid of them? Cleaning your drains is a good start. Grease build ups are Christmas for flies, so seek a good pest control expert with the necessary chemicals and expertise to do the job properly. As for electronic fly zappers, avoid them like the plague unless you want an atmosphere full of vaporised fly particles adding unseen side dishes to your menu. Again, talk to the experts about more effective and hygienic methods to kill flies.
Cocky no more
Cockroaches are probably top of the list when it comes to insect unpopularity. Not only do they contaminate and spread disease, they eat anything in sight and can be seriously destructive. They are attracted by food debris so the first step to eliminating them is eliminating food debris. Enforce a stringent clean-as-you-go policy throughout your kitchen. While this is difficult to maintain in busy times, your reputation will become even higher maintenance with one scuttling sighting. Hygienic environments are not havens for cockroaches, so keep it clean and seal the deal with an effective pest control plan from your chosen supplier.
Rat them out
Aesthetically rats are bad for business; they eat anything and everything and, worst of all, their urine spreads disease faster than you can say 'salmonella salad.' From kitchen to guest rooms and from housekeeping to storage areas, ensure all areas are clean and all food stuffs are securely stored. Keep rats at bay by maintaining disciplined hygiene standards in conjunction with a tailored rodent control program.
