The heat of summer means school’s out, vacations are up… and bugs are in full activity. No matter how clean the hotel, bugs can always find little ways to get in. Here are tips from Orkin on how to get rid of guests you don’t want to keep the ones you do…
WITH the summer season comes more guests, more occupancy – and, to any hotelier’s dismay, more pests.
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to completely lock the creepy-crawlies out. But with the right regimen, you can give the ants or roaches the boot – and take measures to minimize unwelcome guests.
‘Make sure you have a partnership with a pest control company,’ said technical director Frank Meek of Orkin. ‘Educating your staff on the early signs and what to do is also the biggest thing.’
Educating them on the proper preventive steps is also key. While not every pest can be prevented from entering, staff can take the following steps to keep as many out as possible:
• With deliveries, don’t bring pallets inside. Take boxes off individually and store them, while checking them for pests.
• Fresh food deliveries should be inspected before bringing them inside. Don’t accept deliveries with obvious pest activity.
• For employees, have rules in place where they must change into uniforms in the locker room rather than wearing them in from home. ‘Fleas, bedbugs, cockroaches can be introduced from someone’s home,’ Meek said. ‘This can keep potential problems concentrated in the locker room area before they have a chance to spread.’
And it’s not just ants and roaches that can sneak into rooms this summer. Pet-friendly hotels are at risk for fleas from visiting dogs and cats. ‘The most important steps in these hotels is that housekeeping must be different, with routine floor care with vacuuming and done on a regular basis,’ Meek said. ‘It’s more expensive, but vacuum cleaner bags must be thrown away immediately -- if you vacuum up the eggs or larvae in one room and go to a room with no problem, you could potentially introduce one. Spot cleaning for staining is done, but usually on an as-needed basis.’
And no one is immune from mosquitoes at the height of summer weather. ‘There’s no such thing as mosquito control,’ Meek said. ‘They fly tremendous distances, and are carried by the wind.’
But there are steps to take to make the area less attractive for the blood-suckers. ‘What can be done will vary quite a bit depending on the state,’ Meek said. ‘Work with local pest control company or management board to identify what things will make the area attractive to the mosquito. Most species fly at sunup and sundown when it’s a bit cooler and hang out under shady areas, such as gazebos or plants. Work with your pest management company to come up with treatment program – it may be pesticide, changes in the airflow, any of these things.’
Hotels are also seeing an increase in the seasoned traveler, the bedbug. Bedbugs are spread through luggage, clothing or housekeeping carts. And where one is spotted, chances are there are many more where it came from.
When a bedbug infestation is suspected:
• Immediately put the dirty linens in a plastic bag. Get the bag directly to the wash. ‘Don’t put the linens in the basket with the others and spread the infestation,’ Meek said.
• Steam clean or dry clean the drapes. Also get the towels laundered right away – don’t leave any of the linens out of the cleaning process.
• Partner with a good pest control company. The pest control pros will look for any nook and cranny the bugs will occupy, then seal off cracks and crevices to prevent them from taking up residence.
• Train staff to recognize to signs of bedbugs. A good pest control professional will help hotel staff be able to identify signs of infestation and show them where to look for the critters.