If there is one simple rule of judgement when it comes to pests, it is to keep food out of their reach and they will likely stay away. Unfortunately, if you are in the restaurant business, food comes along with the territory and will most definitely be in your trash dumpster. Even though you may not be able to keep the food supply out of the situation, what you can do is make it less attractive for pests. There are a few simple rules you can follow with your restaurant dumpster to help keep problems with pests at bay.

Keep the lid on your dumpster closed and locked.

One of the most simple things you can do to make the dumpster of your restaurant look less attractive to pests is to keep a lid on it. Many dumpsters already have lids in place, but if you are like a lot of restaurant owners, you are lucky if the lid actually gets closed after each visit. To make sure the lid stays shut, invest in a small padlock and make it mandatory for every employee to lock up the dumpster when they're done.

Clean the dumpster after every waste collection day.

On the day your dumpster is emptied, make sure you make the effort to clean it out. You don't have to get detailed about your efforts; just spraying down the inside of the dumpster and around the sides with a solution of soapy water and then rinsing it off will help. All of the residue that normally covers the inside of the dumpster is a pest magnet in itself, so cleaning it up when the dumpster is empty will help prevent pests from being attracted to the area. 

Make sure trash from inside your restaurant is concealed in heavy-duty bags.

If your employees are in the habit of just hauling the waste receptacles outside to the dumpster and then dumping the contents inside loosely inside, you are making it easy for pests to get to the food and trash. Make sure that every bit of trash and waste which is removed from your restaurant is concealed in a heavy-duty trash bag before it is actually placed in the dumpster. This will ensure that loose particles of food don't get scattered around the dumpster, it will keep odors down, and it will also help keep the inside of the dumpster more clean. 

For more information or assistance, contact companies like Select Pest Control.