Running a commercial kitchen is no small feat. Whether you’re managing a busy restaurant or a bustling school cafeteria, maintaining high standards of cleanliness and sanitation is non-negotiable. 

The Washington State Department of Health’s Food Safety Program enforces strict sanitation rules for commercial kitchens. Their standards are designed to keep pests away from food prep areas and ensure public health is protected. Without solid pest control practices in place, your facility could easily fall victim to an infestation of common kitchen bugs.

We’re here to help you fight back against stubborn kitchen pests. Take a look below where we outline four of the most common pests you’ll see in kitchens and how the experts at Sentinel Pest Control can send them packing. 

Common Commercial Kitchen Pests

Running a commercial kitchen means dealing with more than just orders and inventory. You must also watch out for common kitchen bugs and other pests that love to invade your space. Pests like ants, cockroaches, flies, and rodents are some of the worst offenders, and if you’re not careful, they can turn your business into a nightmare.

Rodents

Rats and mice are some of the worst offenders in commercial kitchens. These pests are experts at sneaking into tight spaces and finding cozy hiding spots. They’ll nest in wall voids, basements, crawlspaces, attics, storage boxes, and even sewers.

Rodents are attracted to commercial kitchens for obvious reasons:

  • Plentiful food and water sources
  • Warmth and shelter
  • Food debris and improper sanitation

And the damage they cause? That’s the worst part! Rodents can spread over 100 diseases, including Hantavirus, Salmonella, and Leptospirosis. They can also carry fleas, mites, and other pests. If they start gnawing on wires and food containers, you’re looking at costly repairs and a serious health risk.

Common rodents you might find lurking around include:

 

  • Norway rats are big, cautious, and hungry for anything they can find. They prefer ground-level hiding spots and garbage areas.
  • Roof rats are slimmer than Norway rats, with a preference for attics and roof spaces. They’re dark brown or black and prefer to forage at night.
  • Deer mice are smaller and usually found in rural or suburban areas. They’re the primary carriers of Hantavirus, which can be deadly.
  • White-footed mice are similar to deer mice but slightly larger. They love dark, cozy spaces and will chew through practically anything.

Cockroaches

If you’ve spotted cockroaches scuttling across your kitchen floor, it’s time to take action. The most common culprit in the Pacific Northwest? The German cockroach. Their small size and knack for hiding make them a nightmare to deal with. They can slip into cracks, crevices, and even cardboard boxes brought into your kitchen.

Here are some conditions that help cockroach infestations thrive:

  • Warmth (70 degrees)
  • Humidity
  • Excess moisture
  • Poor sanitation/food debris

These pests don’t just gross people out. They spread bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli, and their droppings and skin shed can trigger asthma attacks, especially in children. They also leave behind an unpleasant, musty odor that no one wants to associate with their food.

Flies

Flies are some of the most common kitchen insects you’ll find in commercial kitchens, and they’re more than just annoying. These pests are dangerous, carrying bacteria from one surface to another every time they land. Here are some of the most common flies you’ll find in commercial kitchens:

  • Fruit flies (or vinegar flies) are tiny pests with red eyes that flock to the fermenting odors of overripe fruits and vegetables.
  • House flies are drawn to strong food odors, garbage, and rotting organic matter. You’ll often find them swarming around trash cans and dumpsters. Unfortunately, they’re just as likely to settle on food prep surfaces, spreading bacteria and contaminating everything they touch.
  • Drain flies, which resemble tiny moths, are attracted to decaying organic matter. They’re commonly found lurking around drains, under cabinets, and on dirty floor mats.
  • Phorid flies love to breed around grease traps and areas with rotting debris. These tiny flies are relentless scavengers, feeding on decaying matter wherever they find it.

Once flies find a food source, they quickly turn your kitchen into a health hazard. These pests can spread over 100 dangerous diseases, including Listeria, Salmonella, Dysentery, and Tuberculosis. When flies land on trash, feces, or decaying matter, their legs and bodies pick up harmful bacteria. The second they touch food prep surfaces or exposed ingredients, that bacteria spreads, turning your kitchen into a contamination zone.

Ants

Odorous house ants (OHAs or sugar ants) are the most common ants found in Pacific Northwest kitchens. They tend to build their nests near a moisture source, like around water pipes, sinks, water fountains, beneath toilets with leaking seals, etc. They can be a challenge to control due to having multiple queens, and if not treated properly, can break up into multiple colonies and nests within your establishment.

Here are some things that may encourage ant infestations in your kitchen: 

  • Sticky or sugary food items (their preferred type of food source)
  • Excess moisture
  • Grease
  • Improperly stored food
  • Uncovered trash receptacles

How to Prevent a Kitchen Pest Infestation

Keeping pests out of your commercial kitchen starts with top-notch hygiene and sanitation. Here are some practical ways to ensure your kitchen stays pest-free:

  • Implement strict hygiene and sanitation practices
  • Regularly clean/sanitize countertops, sinks, prep stations, storage areas, cooking stations, and cookware
  • Remove all clutter from the kitchen (boxes, stacked food containers, etc.)
  • Regularly clean all floor and sink drains (screens can help mitigate waste accumulation)
  • Place hard-to-move equipment on rollers to make it easier to clean around them
  • Regularly clean all ventilation screens
  • Dispose of food waste in a dumpster away from the entrance to the kitchen or restaurant, and make sure it is emptied regularly.
  • Tightly cover and regularly empty garbage and waste receptacles 
  • Store food in pest-proof sealed storage containers that cannot be chewed through
  • Replace cracked tiles and seal gaps around any fixtures or pipes to eliminate entrance points
  • Limit water sources by making sure there is no standing water, leaking pipes, or dripping faucets
  • Keep doors and windows closed when not in use 
  • Ensure exterior doors are affixed with a door sweep
  • Inspect deliveries for decaying or rotting items; immediately remove and dispose of any such items
  • Use a fan for strong air movement to help prevent flies from landing on produce, exposed foods, or surfaces

Check out this article to learn more about proper commercial kitchen sanitation/

If a pest problem has gotten out of hand in your commercial kitchen, call Sentinel Pest Control to schedule a free inspection and discuss our comprehensive pest management programs!