What a Rodent Invasion Means For Your Hotel

A quality pest management plan is imperative to businesses throughout the hospitality industry. High amounts of foot traffic and a lot of moving parts increase your vulnerability to pest invasions. As the weather gets colder, pests start moving indoors seeking food and warmth. Rats and mice are among some of the biggest pest threats to hospitality businesses. From the warm laundry rooms creating a perfect nesting environment to kitchens full of tasty treats, hotels offer great respite for these pests. Rodent infestations in your hotel can spell disaster for a number of reasons, in this article we’ll explore a few of those possibilities.

Damage to Your Building

From the moment they enter your building, rodents cause costly damage to your property. Since rodent teeth are continuously growing, they are constantly gnawing on things. If these pests stumble upon some wiring, you could be facing a power outage and replacing some electrical wires. Burrowing rodents can also cause extensive damage to sewer systems.

Infestation in Food Supplies

In the search for food, rodents may find their way to your food cache. This can have some extremely negative repercussions starting with the damage to your food containers and packaging.  Once the rodents have accessed your food, you’ll have to deal with contamination and may have to discard a majority of your supply. If you’ve identified a rodent invasion in your food supply, you’ll want a certified pest control professional to determine the level of damage and appropriate action to take.

Spreading Disease to Your Guests

Contamination from rodents can lead to transmission of a number of diseases including Salmonella and Hantavirus. These diseases can be spread through direct contact, such as a bite, or contamination of any food or water with droppings or urine. In addition to the bacteria and disease rodents carry, they also carry parasites like ticks, fleas and lice which come with their own list of transmissible diseases.

Destroying Your Reputation

Reputation and quality are of the utmost importance in the hospitality industry. A single rodent infestation could sully your hard earned reputation. If signs of rodents are found in your facility, it’s important to have a communication plan in place to mitigate any PR problems. Your pest management company will be able to help you create and follow an action plan to minimize damages from any potential infestations.

If you suspect rodents in your property, contact a certified pest control professional to handle things properly and minimize any problems that may result.