Tips for Pest Control in Health Care Facilities

Besides the home, people expect their local hospital to be pest-free. By ensuring your facility is protected against an infestation, you’re protecting your patients from germs as well as bed bites. Here are a few points about commercial pest control in Long Island, NY, that will help you secure your facility.

Points of Entry

The most common points of entry for pests are doors and windows. That being said, make sure that your facility doors are closed at all times. Consider automatic doors that only open when humans approach and seal tightly against the elements. Inspect the weather stripping around door and window frames, replacing any that have been compromised by dry rot. For facilities will windows that open, use window screens to prevent birds and rodents from sneaking inside. Make sure that the screens sit flush inside the frame and replace tattered screens to avoid an infestation.

Laundry Practices

Pests like fleas, mites, and bed bugs can find their way into facilities via human transport. Pest can latch onto clothing, hair, purses, and suitcases, which makes traveling easy. While this mode of entry is harder to control, a well-informed laundry staff can greatly reduce your chances of an infestation. Train laundry and maintenance personnel how to spot common pests. For example, bed bugs like to hide in the folds and seams of linens and mattresses. Inspecting mattresses on a regular basis and using plastic, sealable mattress covers will prevent the spread of these pests from room to room as well as patient to patient. When it comes to washing linens and gowns, bed bugs and their eggs will die if the temperature of washing water or dry cycle is over 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

Kitchens and Food Storage

Kitchens, cafes, and employee break rooms are also hotbeds for infestations. Rodents and bugs will return to these areas again and again because they know they can find food here. Maintain kitchens by sweeping and mopping daily, especially under appliances and cabinets where crumbs can accumulate. Inspect all food shipments for signs of rodents like chewed box corners and holes in sealed packaging. Store food in the appropriate unit whether it’s a walk-in freezer or a dry foods closet. Clean out these areas at least once a month, checking the floors for crumb trails and animal droppings. Wipe down all working countertops and tables on a daily basis to prevent antimicrobial cleaning agent to kill germs and deter cockroaches and ants.    

Plumbing Maintenance

Some pests like rodents and flies seek out sources of water. Clogged drains and leaky pipes are targets for these pests as are damp basements, plumbing closets, and laundry rooms. Educate your maintenance staff about the importance of timely repair. Don’t let leaky faucets and pipes go unchecked. Fasten shower drain covers to the floor and inspect the caulk around water fixtures to ensure that they are sealed against rats and roaches. If you do suspect an infestation, Arrow Exterminating can help you with professional commercial pest management in Long Island