Clean, hygienic restrooms play an important role in projecting a professional image for your business, whether the facilities are public or intended for the use of employees. If a pest scurries across the floor or lands on a fixture, the sanitation of the restroom, as well as the rest of your property, may come into question. Even if the pest itself is harmless, your business reputation and good name may be harmed.
The Bad News and Good News About Pests in Bathrooms
The bad news is that bathrooms can be prime attractions for many different types of pests, including cockroaches and flies. That’s because pests generally seek moisture sources, which can be plentiful in restroom environments. In fact, a moisture source can sometimes be more important than a food source. For example, German cockroaches can survive for a couple of weeks without food, but they will die within just a few days without access to water.
Some types of pests can even feed on the filth and grime that can be present if bathrooms are not cleaned thoroughly, as well as on mold.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to help make your restrooms less attractive to pests. Here are some things you can do to help prevent bathroom pests:
Ways to Help Prevent Bathroom Pests
- Have any leaks fixed immediately and inspect the bathroom often for signs of new moisture problems. Even if you don’t see standing water, look for rust or discoloration that can indicate previous leaks and investigate surrounding plumbing.
- Make sure that seals around water pipes, especially where they enter the bathroom from the wall, are tight and secure. Any holes in the wall should also be sealed.
- Repair any loose or cracked caulking and grout around sinks and toilets.
- Place screen mesh behind drain covers and/or pipes to reduce pest movement through the pipes
- Check the base of toilets for water that could be leaking around the rim and make any needed repairs.
- Have dripping faucets fixed immediately.
- If you have a cleaning staff, ask them to wipe up water around sinks, counters and floors regularly throughout the day, and right before closing at the end of the day. If you don’t have a cleaning staff, consider posting a sign in the bathroom asking people to wipe up after themselves.
- Check drains and clean them monthly to remove buildup and grime.
- Make sure you have plenty of water in plumbing traps below floor drains by adding water periodically. If those dry out, then insects (and sewer odors) can easily enter.
- Eliminate clutter in restroom cabinets, cupboards or closets, such as large quantities of boxes.
- Empty trash receptacles at least once a day.
- If restroom areas tend to be moist and humid, consider installing fans or dehumidifiers.
Related > Tips for Solving Fly Problems
Don’t Let Restroom Pests Stall Your Business
Pests that enter your business through bathrooms, or appear to, can spread to other areas throughout your property. Some pests can establish large infestations very quickly, so stopping pests in their early stages, or before they establish an infestation at all, is critical. If you suspect that you have bathroom pests, or if you want to take action to prevent them from ever establishing an infestation in the first place, get help from a reliable commercial pest control partner. Terminix® Commercial offers free estimates and proven solutions to flush pests from your bathrooms and from your business.
