Why Pest Control is Necessary for Housekeeping
Reputation is everything in the hospitality
industry. What guests have to say about their experiences while staying at your
establishment can be the make or break your business.
As a hotel owner, you no doubt feel this pressure
more keenly now in the digital age than at any other point in history. A
massive 70% of travel consumers consult TripAdvisor before booking a stay at a
hotel to find out what previous guests thought about the quality of the
accommodation. Others, of course, turn to Booking.com, Trivago, Expedia or even
Facebook to conduct their pre-travel research.
One thing is for certain, few reviews will stand
out more than those that relate to a pest problem, resulting in a hard-won
reputation being ruined overnight. As such, poor pest control can be nothing
short of catastrophic to those operating a hotel or B&B, so it’s imperative
that you know how to spot signs of infestations early.
Your housekeeping staff are your first line of
defence in this regard. They must be provided with adequate pest awareness
training so they can recognise the first signs of pest activity before a small
problem becomes a large, business-ruining one.
The importance of pest control Brisbane in
housekeeping cannot be overstated. If any member of your housekeeping team
spots a tell-tale sign of infestation, they must report it so you can call in
pest control Brisbane professionals immediately.
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Pest Control in Housekeeping – Which
Pests Pose the Biggest Threat?
The first step towards good pest control Brisbane
in housekeeping is to know precisely which pests you are most likely to be
dealing with. What are they and what pest control strategies should your
housekeeping team be deploying to keep them at bay?
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are a growing problem in the hotel
industry. Due to increases in international travel, these insects are being
unwittingly transported around the globe – from country to country and from
hotel to hotel – on travellers’ clothes and within their suitcases. As such, it
is notoriously difficult for any hotel owner to prevent bed bugs from entering
their establishment, as it is often guests themselves who bring them in.
“In Europe and the UK, it has been getting
progressively worse,” Michael Potter, Professor of Entomology at the University
of Kentucky, told The Telegraph in January. “People have also become less
vigilant than they used to be. Back in the day, they knew to check beds when
travelling or after people paid them a visit. Folks are so busy these days, bed
bug prevention often takes a back seat to other pressing issues.”
Housekeepers need to be trained to spot signs of
bed bug infestation. Moreover, they should carry out daily inspections of all
beds, rooms and linen, with procedures in place for reporting and responding to
any sightings. Signs of bed bugs include small blood stains on linen and
mattresses – caused when the blood-filled insects are squashed by guests
turning in their sleep. Faecal stains may also be present, appearing as dark
brown or black spots. Shed exoskeletons is another sign – as bed bugs grow,
they shed their skins, leaving behind a translucent shell. Live or dead insects
may also be spotted, as well as eggs.
If housekeepers spot any of the above signs,
procedures must be in place to report the issue immediately. Following this, it
is essential that you call in the pest control professionals. There are several
options available to hotel owners for dealing with bed bugs. Experienced pest
control Brisbane technicians will know precisely which course of action to take
and implement the most appropriate strategy accordingly.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are another problem for pest control services in housekeeping. They are primarily nocturnal, preferring to hide
during the day in small dark places, such as cracks, crevices, drains and food
packaging, making them notoriously difficult to spot.
It is important that your housekeeping team
learns how to detect signs of an infestation before your guests encounter alive or dead insects. This is because cockroaches not only pose a threat to
your hotel’s reputation but the health and wellbeing of your guests and staff
as well. Known to be carriers of dangerous bacteria, including E. coli and
salmonella, cockroaches present a very serious health risk to your guests when
they are present.
Good cockroach pest control in housekeeping
involves implementing sound waste handling processes, storing food in
cockroach-proof containers and ensuring good cleaning practices – especially in
food storage and preparation areas – are maintained. During these cleaning
procedures, housekeepers should also implement a thorough inspection regime so
infestations can be quickly identified.
Signs of cockroaches include shed skins,
droppings or dark smear marks on surfaces and packaging and a lingering,
unpleasant, musty odour. Your housekeeping team should also make a point of
searching the dark and damp areas of your hotel’s kitchens and bathrooms –
particularly under sinks, fridges, freezers, etc. – for live or dead insects.
Any signs of an infestation should be reported without delay to pest control
Brisbane professionals who will implement a plan to eliminate it.
Rats and Mice
When it comes to pest control Brisbane in
housekeeping, the most important thing to do is to remove anything that will
attract rats and mice in the first place.
In a hotel environment, this means eliminating
their access to food, water and shelter both within and outside the building.
Rats and mice are not picky about what they eat. They will attack fresh food if
they can and food waste and crumbs will suffice perfectly. As such, food
preparation and storage areas must be kept rigorously clean, as must refuse
areas which should be swept and scrubbed clean of crumbs and spillages, with
all waste sealed in bags and stored in rat and mice-proof bins.
Signs of rodents include greasy smear marks
around walls and skirting boards, footprints and tail-prints in dusty areas,
droppings, damage to foodstuffs and packaging, shredded soft materials (paper,
cardboard, etc.), together with squeaking and scratching noises.
As carriers of numerous dangerous diseases, it is
imperative that rat and mice infestations are dealt with quickly. Housekeepers
should report any signs as soon as they are discovered, calling the pest
control professionals in immediately to deal with the issue.
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