Cockroaches are a common pest in restaurants, but they can seriously threaten your business. Cockroach infestations can lead to health code violations and loss of revenue from customers refusing to dine at your establishment.
It’s crucial to quickly identify the source of the cockroach infestation and how to prevent future problems.
For most restaurant owners, cockroaches can be difficult to control. But you can take steps in your restaurant kitchen to reduce their numbers and eliminate them.
This article will take you through the dangers roaches pose, how to identify various roaches, and what you can do to prevent them from coming back.
Dangers of Cockroaches in Your Restaurant
Seeing even one cockroach in restaurant kitchens is not only unsightly, but they also carry harmful bacteria on their bodies and legs. When they crawl around your kitchen, they leave behind a trail of dirt and germs that make it easy for those contaminants to spread.
Cockroaches can carry bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus, all of which can make customers sick. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that about 1 in 6 Americans yearly get sick from food-borne illnesses.
That’s roughly 48 million people who fear that their next meal could make them sick or even kill them.
Furthermore, the CDC estimates that about 3,000 people die yearly from food-borne illnesses. So that’s a lot of people who may have survived if restaurants had only taken precautions.
Besides the food safety concerns, cockroaches can also carry fungal spores that cause asthma and allergies.
These microscopic spores can easily be inhaled when you walk into a room or eat in a restaurant with a large infestation of cockroaches.
Therefore, you must take action immediately if your restaurant has a cockroach problem.
Signs of Roach Infestation in Your Restaurant
Cockroaches are nocturnal, so they are most active at night. Therefore, you may not notice their presence until you see signs of an infestation in your restaurant kitchen.
Some of the most common signs include:
Droppings
If you see cockroach droppings anywhere in or around your kitchen, there are probably plenty of other roaches lurking around.
A single female cockroach can lay up to 50 eggs in its lifetime—each egg can produce several more new roaches within just a few weeks!
So, if you see any evidence of roach activity in your restaurant kitchen, act fast before they multiply out of control!
Scratching Sounds From Underneath the Floorboards
Roaches travel through cracks and crevices all over the place—including under floors and behind and in appliances like stoves and refrigerators.
If you hear scratching noises from underneath these areas, it could mean that some roaches live there!
Read More: How Long Do Roaches Live In A Refrigerator?
Food Particles in Cracks and Crevices Around Your Restaurant
Roaches are notorious for eating at least once every 10 minutes, leaving traces of their meals behind when they do!
So, if you find food particles in cracks and crevices around your restaurant, it could mean that some roaches live there.
Read More: What Do Roaches Like To Eat?
Your Kitchen Floorboards Start to Smell Like Moldy Cheese
When roaches die inside an infested area (like under a countertop or inside walls), their bodies decompose and produce an unpleasant smell.
Read More: How To Get Rid of the Roach Smell
You See Cockroaches Running Around Your Restaurant
Roaches are nocturnal, so when you see them in the daytime, it’s because there is a severe infestation problem!
There Is an Increase in Customers Complaining About Food Poisoning
Since roaches can carry bacteria on their bodies if they contaminate any food they come into contact with, it can cause people to get sick if they eat that contaminated food.
Steps You Should Take if You See a Roach in Your Restaurant
If you see a cockroach in your restaurant kitchen, you must know how to deal with it. Here are some pest prevention and ways to get rid of cockroaches:
Identify the Type of Roach
It is essential to identify the type of roach you are dealing with to take proper action against it. The most common types of cockroaches in a restaurant include:
German Cockroach: This is the most common type of roach in restaurants. You can identify them by their light golden brown color and size (about half an inch long).
German cockroaches like warm places and will not go far from their nest.
Read More: How To Eliminate Your German Roach Infestation
Oriental Cockroaches: These roaches are larger than German roaches and have a dark reddish-brown body. Despite having wings, the oriental roaches cannot fly.
Read More: Get Rid Of Oriental Roaches Fast
American Cockroach: These are called palmetto bugs because they live around or inside the palmetto tree, a tropical plant with leaves that look like a fan.
The adult roaches grow to about 2 inches long and have yellow markings on their abdomen and thorax (the middle of their body).
Read More: How to Get Rid of and Kill the American Cockroach
Carefully Treat the Infestation
Once you’ve identified the type of cockroach, it’s time to eliminate them. The best method is an integrated pest management plan that includes several treatments.
As a restaurant owner, you’ll use a combination of techniques to combat the roaches in the kitchen rather than relying on just one.
- Remove all food and drinks from the area.
- Clean the area thoroughly with soap and hot water. Make sure to get under and behind appliances, drawers, and shelves.
- Wash all dishes and utensils that were in the area in soapy water. If any food was left on them when you discovered the roach problem, you should throw it away.
- Vacuum all areas where roaches hide. Vacuuming will also remove egg casings, which may help reduce the number of roaches in the area.
- Use roach baits in the area where you saw the cockroaches. You can also put them behind appliances and in other places where they like to hide.
- Apply a pesticide spray to the area: Be sure to treat areas hidden from view and around the perimeter of your kitchen.
- Seal cracks, crevices, and other areas where roaches might enter. This will prevent more bugs from coming in and spreading their eggs around.
Evaluate Cleaning and Sanitation Protocols
Evaluate your cleaning and sanitation protocols to determine if they need to be updated. Cockroaches love to hide in dark, damp areas like under equipment or around grease traps. Clean these areas regularly to prevent infestations from occurring.
If the problem persists after updating your cleaning protocol, it may be time for more advanced measures, such as insecticides or fumigation services.
Call a Pest Control Expert
If a cockroach infestation is severe enough, it’s essential to call in a professional pest control company.
Because cockroaches can be difficult to spot, it’s best to have a pest control expert inspect your restaurant kitchen as soon as possible.
The inspection will determine the severity of the infestation and recommend appropriate action steps for preventing future infestations.
Don’t Let a Cockroach Infestation Put You Out of Business
If you’re wondering what to do if you see a cockroach in your restaurant kitchen, we hope this article has helped you.
We know how stressful and upsetting it can be when pests invade your business, but the good news is that there are steps you can take to get rid of them for good!
The most important thing is to treat the infestation as soon as possible before it gets out of control. So, get the help of a pest control company if the infestation is out of control.
