Cockroach Extermination In Commercial Kitchens

At GL Pest Control, we offer commercial pest control in Winnipeg. We get called to commercial kitchens quite often, and of all the pests we see, one may be a bigger threat to a kitchen than any other:

The German cockroach.

In this article, we’re going to teach you why cockroaches are a threat, how to find them, how to prevent cockroach infestations, and how to get rid of an infestation once one starts.

That’s a lot to cover, so let’s jump right in:

Why Are Cockroaches a Threat to Commercial Kitchens?

Cockroaches carry a variety of different bacteria and diseases. Cockroaches contaminate food (and eat it). They can trail feces, saliva, and the remnants of any drains they’ve crawled through over your kitchen utensils and the food you’re preparing. Some of the proteins found in cockroaches can trigger asthma symptoms.

To be blunt, they’re gross. Imagine a customer seeing a cockroach crawling out from your kitchen. Worse yet, imagine a customer finding a cockroach in their food. Too many cockroaches and your kitchen could get closed down by the health inspector.

Signs of Cockroaches in Your Kitchen

Here in Manitoba, the German cockroach is the most common type of cockroach. Despite their large size, they can be surprisingly hard to find (at first). These kitchen pests like to hide in dark areas and wall voids. Fortunately, there are some telltale signs you can look for if you think you’ve got an infestation on your hands:

• Signs of feces, about as small as a coffee ground (you’ll tend to find a lot of droppings grouped together)
• Dead cockroaches
• Shed skin or other cockroach parts (like legs)
• A musky odour
• Damage to food packaging

Because German cockroaches are extremely good at finding hiding places, if you see one, it’s likely that you’ve got an infestation. Fully grown German cockroaches are easy to spot, with their large, brown bodies, big antennae, and the telltale black spots on their heads. Nymphs (baby cockroaches) are much smaller—and much harder to spot.

How To Prevent Cockroach Infestations

Prevention is the best way to stop a cockroach infestation in your commercial kitchen. You’ve got to deprive cockroaches of any potential food source.

• Eliminate water sources: Ensure that all water pipes are airtight, with no leaks. Don’t leave standing water in sinks. Mop up spills immediately.
• Eliminate food sources: Keep all food in closed containers—sealed plastic containers are a good bet. Increase the rate at which you take out the trash.
• Eliminate hiding places: Pay special attention to areas close to sources of moisture. Cracks, voids in equipment, cabinets, and even work surfaces with openings are all places that cockroaches can dwell and breed. Where possible, you can close the entryway to these spaces using steel wool.

How To Eliminate Cockroach Infestations

There are many different tactics you can take to eliminate infestations. The most important rule is this: As soon as you see a single cockroach, you should begin using preventative and active measures to handle the infestation.

The two main approaches for eliminating German cockroaches are using sprays along your walls and around spaces where cockroaches can hide and using bait traps to attract and eliminate cockroaches.

Both of these tactics should be used with extreme caution. Both use poisons which can contaminate food. As such, bait traps are often favoured in commercial kitchens—it’s much easier to contain the poison.

Our recommendation is to hire a professional cockroach exterminator in Winnipeg. We can ensure that the infestation is dealt with, all while guaranteeing the safety of your diners.