Now that restrictions are finally lifting across the U.S., many business owners are eager to resume operations. If you own a business, you’ve no doubt experienced anxiety from weathering the economic hardships brought on by COVID-19. However, you may feel some hesitation about opening your doors with this question still in the air: how do I make sure my business is a clean, healthy environment for my customers and employees?

As a business ourselves, we always recommend following the guidelines set forth by the CDC and the local and federal government regarding reopening measures and hygiene procedures. That being said, there are three additional areas that you will want to consider from a disinfecting and pest control perspective. The tips we’re providing below could be a critical part of your plan for successfully reopening this summer. After all, nothing halts business operations like a pest control problem.

1. Get your business disinfected from top to bottom.

Maintaining a safe, hygienic environment is an essential part of safeguarding the wellbeing of every person who enters your shop, restaurant, or facility. Before fully resuming business operations, it’s a good idea to hire trained and certified professionals to disinfect each area thoroughly. When working with experts who use Nisus DSV, you can take comfort from knowing that when applied to hard surfaces, this treatment kills SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), Hantavirus, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, staph, strep, avian flu, E. Coli, and many other harmful bacteria and viruses.

2. Inspect your business carefully for signs of a pest infestation.

The last thing you want is for a pest infestation to halt operations just after you’ve opened up. Even worse, if you sell food or beverages, your business can become less hygienic and suffer a permanently damaged reputation. Your score can go down from a failed inspection, and word can get around fast if someone takes a photo of a pest sighting and posts it in a review.

Before resuming normal traffic at your business, conduct a careful inspection of every nook and cranny, including inside cupboards and underneath appliances. If you’re uncertain as to whether or not you’ve identified a pest or signs of one, enlist the help of a professional.

3. Invest in treatments for flies and stinging insects.

To accommodate social distancing, it makes sense to utilize your restaurant’s outdoor seating areas. Unfortunately, your tasty food not only attracts customers, but it can also draw in a variety of buzzing insects that can disrupt the dining experience. You can dissuade mosquitos from attacking your customers by running outdoor floor and ceiling fans, which disperse the carbon dioxide that attracts these insects.

However, flies, bees, wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets may still be attracted to your guests’ food. WebMD reports that about 2 million Americans are allergic to stinging insects’ venom and that many of these people run the risk of a life-threatening allergic reaction. Flies also pose a threat to human health by transmitting contagions to the food and drink on which they land. In a recent study, scientists isolated over 130 pathogens (including serious and life-threatening species of bacteria) from house flies!

At Horizon Pest Control, we offer professional disinfectant services and a comprehensive range of commercial pest control services. Please don’t hesitate to contact us about creating the ultimate pest-management solution for your business: (201) 447-2530.