Running a retail store in Sacramento can be a lot of work. You have to manage your employees, take care of ordering and inventory, and handle advertising, among many other responsibilities. The last thing that you want to have to think about is dealing with a pest infestation.
In today’s blog post from Earthwise Pest Management, we are going to discuss some of the most common places that you may find pests in a retail store and how to prevent them. Continue reading to learn more and if you need assistance with retail store pest management, contact the Sacramento pest control experts at Earthwise Pest Management today.
The Dumpster
The outside dumpster attracts all kinds of pests at a retail store, especially if there is any food waste or liquid, which tends to be unavoidable most of the time. Make sure that the dumpster is located away from the building rather than right up against it. That way if pests such as rodents, ants, and cockroaches make their way into the dumpster for a snack, they don’t get curious about what good food could be in your retail store as well. Also, keep the dumpster lid closed securely whenever possible.
The Break Room
If you have a break room or another area where employees eat their lunch, know that this room is highly susceptible to pests. While most employees are usually respectable and clean up after themselves, all it takes is a few crumbs left behind to attract pests. When you combine that with the food waste in the trash can, standing water in the sink, and the box of donuts on the counter that everyone’s favorite coworker brought in, you have a recipe for a pest infestation. While some of these risk factors can be controlled by doing things like wiping out the sink after each use or keeping those donuts in the fridge, areas where people eat are one of the hardest to keep pest-free. But the professional pest control experts at Earthwise Pest Management can help.
Behind or Under Shelves
Pests love to have dark places to hide out, so if you have boxes stacked up in the backroom or there’s room for pests to hide underneath shelving units, you may be unknowingly providing pests with a new home. Try to keep hiding places for pests to a minimum by keeping boxes off the ground and organizing clutter. The fewer places pests like rodents and cockroaches have to hide, the less likely they will be to make your retail store their new home.
Employee Lockers
Employee locker areas make an ideal place for pests to hide and find food. If your employees store food or drinks in their lockers or leave behind any crumbs, they might as well be inviting pests into your store. While it’s necessary to have someplace for employees to safely store their personal items, it’s important to make sure that these areas are getting cleaned frequently. For example, you could make it a rule that all lockers must be emptied every Friday by a certain time so that they can be cleaned out that night. This will ensure that food or liquids aren’t being left in the lockers for an extended period of time and that pests are not nesting inside the lockers.
Restrooms
While hopefully, no one is bringing food into your restrooms, they can act as a source of water for pests. This is especially true of public restrooms that experience a lot of traffic. While we won’t go into some of the grosser ways that restrooms can also attract rodents, cockroaches, ants, and other pests, we will say that it’s imperative to keep your restrooms clean. The restrooms in your retail store should be cleaned on a strict schedule to ensure that no pests are hiding out and making your store their home.
Contact the Sacramento Pest Control Experts
If you own or manage a retail store in Sacramento, it’s important to keep on top of pest control. Hiring a professional pest control company like Earthwise Pest Management can help keep the pests away before they become a problem. However, if you believe that you are already dealing with an infestation, we can help with that, too. Our Sacramento pest control experts utilize our Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program to effectively rid your retail store of pests and prevent future infestations while minimizing the number of pesticides needed. If you are interested in retail store pest control, contact Earthwise Pest Management today.