September 20, 2021
RATSENSE - How Important is it for the Hospitality Industry to Ensure Rodent-Free Environment?
The hospitality industry makes its living out of offering people the best and making it seem like their wishes are coming true. They cannot afford to disappoint their guests as even the smallest lapse of service can lose them a loyal patron. Hygiene, cleanliness and safety are all unspoken guarantees of the hospitality industry which makes it imperative for hotels to apply appropriate pest control measures.
Hotels are particularly vulnerable to rodent infestation. The constant flow of visitors at different hours of days and different lengths of stays mean that rooms can end up in very different states or be left in disarray if not regularly looked after. Furthermore, catering is required for everyone but large portions of excess food can be left over if the number of guests drop drastically or if many choose to skip a meal. This leftover food can pile up quickly and can serve as a powerful attractant to rodents. Hence, constant vigilance is required by any hotel.
Identifying signs to look for in the event of a rodent infestation
- Gnaw marks on hotel property and furniture
- Rat droppings on corners of the rooms/lobby
- Grease markings on/across the walls or baseboards
- Squeaking noises from ceilings and walls
- Indoor nests in sheltered locations
Rodents generally feed and breed at the same locations in hotels, places with food, shelter and a ready supply of water. This can make certain parts of the hotel more prone to rodent activity than others but also help in finding colonies. Places which are generally more vulnerable to rodent activity are:
- Food storage areas of the hotel
- Hotel kitchens
- The laundry room
- Loading docks
- Waste disposal areas
- Closets
The health, financial, and social damage of a rat outbreak
- It is a major health threat to both staff and the guests. Rats cause food contamination and also transmit diseases.
- If the hotel fails its routine health inspections, it can be closed temporarily or permanently, causing financial damage as well as a tarnished reputation
- It can lead to severe property damage in hotel as rats gnaw on wires, cables and furnishings.
Protecting the hotel from rat attacks
It is imperative for all hotels to adopt preventive measures to help them in keeping the rodents at bay. Here’s a look at some of the easiest ways of protecting the premise against rodents:
- Small holes and cracks can quickly become the entry point for rats, so carry out a thorough inspection and ensure that holes and cracks in the walls and foundation are sealed.
- Make it a point to sanitize the trash area at frequent intervals.
- Since rats are attracted to kitchen and food storage area, it is essential to get these places cleaned thoroughly.
- Grass and vegetation which surround the hotel should be cut and trimmed regularly.
- The hotel staff should all be trained to spot the signs of rodent infestation.
Though these measures can prevent the rats from invading your property, they might not help if the premise is already infested. If you find any signs of infestation, get professional help immediately.
Singaporeans are very conscious of sanitation and demand a clean and healthy environment. Serving them with best hotel stays and offering them modern amenities is not just enough to get excellent reviews. Being a hotel owner or someone from the management, it is your duty to ensure that the hotel is safe from any pest, insect or rodent species. You can hire a reliable professional pest control agency which can help you to apply advanced techniques to ensure rodent control in Singapore and provide effective solutions to prevent them from coming back.