How Can Hotels Keep Rodents Away
Although rodents are classified as mammals of the order Rodentia which encompasses many species, today, we’re going to inform our website visitors of controlling rats and mice in hotel or motel accommodation settings.
One of the most common reasons for hotels to attract the unwanted guests ‘RODENTS’ is because of improper food and waste handling processes.
Regardless of the reason of infestation, rats and mice problems must be dealt with at the earliest sign of infestation. Because rats and mice can potentially spread diseases such as Leptospirosis, Salmonella, and E. coli. They also gnaw and chew at almost everything causing damage to property. Perhaps what’s worst is ‘if your valued guests see one running around their room’ for if they do, then, they just won’t come back to stay again.
If infestation is not addressed properly, and quickly, rats and mice can multiply very fast, especially within hotel settings (particularly if the hotel / motel has large number of rooms). Making the damage even bigger and harder to deal with. So, before the feisty furballs cause you more trouble, learn the right way to keep the rodents away.
Get to Know Your Rodents
Rodents are found all around the world. They are warm-blooded mammals just like humans. They vary in size. They can be as small as a baby hamster but can be as large as a house cat. Their oversized front teeth well adapted for chewing are one of their most recognizable features.
Rodents that infest hotels are often difficult to spot. Rats are a type of rodent that can travel through holes as big as a quarter. Mice can squeeze through smallest of openings and tunnels the size of 5¢ coin.
Risks of Rodents
The presence of rodents can affect the hotel in many ways. Here are various risks posted by a rodent infestation.
Health Hazards
Rats and mice usually breed on sewers where few predators are present, and they can access water. This is also where they get various parasites and harmful bacteria.
That is why when rodents get in contact with hotel food, or water source, contamination might happen. This could cause food poisoning or the transfer of diseases to humans.
The Comfort of Guests is Disturbed
Rats and mice are usually associated with poor hygiene, despite your hotel or motel being clean in every possible way, a sight of a rat will trigger bad customer service experience.
Rat noises can cause discomfort to guests who are meant to be enjoying their stay at your hotel. The sound of rodents running inside the walls or on the ceiling can wake the guests and even keep children awake.
The sight of mice inside the closet or under the sink can be enough to cause someone to faint. Basically, rats and mice in a hotel setting is just bad.
Physical Damage
Rodents have large front teeth. This allows them to bore holes on walls and makes their sneaky rat holes move around and go unnoticed. But aside from that, these teeth can gnaw almost anything!
Rats love to chew on furniture, curtains, bedsheets, and even pillows! They can also damage your hotel’s wood, shelves, or even door frames. Even the ceiling or floorboards can be at risk of damage if rodents infest your hotel.
Destroy Your Hotel’s Image
Of course, any rodent infestation at a hotel can taint the reputation of the business. The presence of the pest can give guests the impression that the hotel is not well-managed.
This in turn can result in financial loss and discourage patrons and potential customers from coming back. Not until the issue is addressed might the hotel recover from losing money from rodent infestation.
Keeping the Rodents Away
Now that you have learned how potentially damaging the rodent problem is, here are ways to deal with them. As a hotel owner or manager, take note of ways to keep the rats and mice away.
Work With Professional Rodent Exterminators
To make sure that you are doing it right, contact a professional rat extermination service. Have an expert inspect the hotel and recommend ways on how to properly prevent infestation. Usually, expert pest control technicians will identify causes for infestation, entry points, spot possible nesting sites as well as eliminate their reoccurrence.
Let a professional pest control expert or a rat exterminator help you in dealing with a potential and or ongoing infestation. An experienced professional will be able to help you strategize action plan in keeping your hotel rat free.
Contact Maximum Pest Control Services
Stay Vigilant
Always keep an eye for signs of rats and mice. It can be unusual poop or droppings, urine stains, or track marks. Check for these signs all around the hotel regularly. Especially in places that are not frequented by humans. A thorough inspection could potentially lead to their nest.
Educating hotel staff and employees for any possible signs of the pest is also helpful. Make a protocol or set of steps on what to do when a potential infestation is sighted. Most of your hotel staff will not be experienced enough to identify problems, therefore, training the staff falls within management duties.
Regular Inspections
Even if a sighting or any sign of an infestation is noticed, reserve a day for full property inspection. Once every month or two might be enough. Close your hotel for a few hours to conduct a thorough inspection. This might help not only to deal with and prevent rodent infestation but for other pests or other concerns as well.
Eliminate Their Access to Food and Water
Remove the reason why rats and mice will infest your hotel in the first place – their food and water source. Just like all mammals, rats and mice thrive on easy food and water sources. They need it, they seek it at all times. Meaning, if your hotel property is within a busy location with other commercial buildings nearby, then, they may find your hotel a safe haven for nesting and then go to nearby property for feeding and drinking their fill.
Handle your kitchen and other wastes with utmost seriousness. You do not need to wait for food health and safety inspectors by the government visiting your hotel. Instead, triple check food handling procedures while ensuring sanitary practices are practiced by all staff when collecting and disposing of food waste as hotel policies state.
Seal the hotel trash bins and other waste containers properly. Understand the fact that rats and mice can chew away plastic and other materials. Keep food droppings and standing water to a minimum.
Leaky pipes and stagnant water sources can also attract pests into entering your hotel. Regular maintenance and repairs of taps and plumbing in bathrooms and toilets is a must do task.
Access to food and water is what rats and mice are looking for to build and grow their nests.
Combatting Pests
Rats and mice pose a serious challenge for hotels. But the good thing is that it can be prevented. With adequate knowledge and proper handling, plus, with the help of a pest control and management professional, the pest problem can be addressed immediately. So, don’t worry. As long as you know how to keep the rodents away, business will be good every day, and your valued guests will come back to stay.
Rodent Control and Management for Hotels
Maximum Pest Control Services is proud to offer a comprehensive range of treatments and complete pest control solutions for commercial businesses including hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfast accommodation, holiday rentals in Greater Toronto Area including Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Scarborough, Hamilton, Mississauga Canada.
Our expert solutions and proven work ethics are enjoyed by all types of businesses. You’ll also enjoy our flexible pest management services at most competitive rates. We are proud to be #1 choice for pest control solutions for all our valued clients.
