Restaurant Pest Control Checklist
- Who checks
- General manager or head chef
- When
- Weekly, and after every pest control contractor visit
- Time
- ~30 min · 24 items
| Location | Date and time | Inspector | Signature |
A mouse or cockroach spotted by a guest is not just a hygiene violation — it is a review you can never take down. The pest control contractor visits on a schedule, but between visits it is the kitchen itself that lets pests in or keeps them out: a propped-open back door, a gap around a pipe, grease behind the range, cardboard piled in the storeroom.
Walk the trap map first, then the building perimeter and the warm spots behind equipment. Bring a flashlight. Photograph every finding with the nearest station number or location, log it and report it to the contractor — do not wait for the next scheduled visit.
Contract and records
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1
There is a current contract with a licensed pest control provider The contract has not expired and states visit frequency and scope of work; frequency is at least what local regulations require (in practice usually monthly).☐ Yes☐ No
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2
The trap and bait station map is up to date Every monitoring point is numbered on the floor plan; the numbers on the plan match the numbers on the stations.☐ Yes☐ No
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3
Recommendations from the latest service report have been completed The report shows the visit date, activity found and recommendations (seal a gap, replace a screen). Verify 1–2 recommendations on site.☐ Yes☐ No
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4
A list of products used is on file with supporting documents The binder holds a list of products with safety data sheets; the kitchen does not store the chemicals itself — the contractor brings them in and takes them away.☐ Yes☐ No
Traps and stations
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5
All stations are in place, closed and secured Walk the map: every station is at its marked location, not moved during cleaning, not broken, lid closed.☐ Yes☐ No
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6
Toxic baits are not placed near food Food production and storage areas normally use mechanical or glue traps without poison; toxic baits go outside and along the perimeter in tamper-resistant locked stations.☐ Yes☐ No
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7
Insect light traps work and are not mounted over prep tables The lamp is on and the glue board is not overloaded; the unit is not above tables or exposed food. Replace lamps and boards per the manufacturer's schedule.☐ Yes☐ No
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8
Trap catches are recorded and reported to the contractor If a trap holds a rodent or a lot of insects — photo, log entry with the point number, report to the contractor. If there is no catch, the item passes.☐ Yes☐ No
Signs of activity
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9
No rodent droppings in storage, behind equipment or along walls Shine a flashlight under shelving, behind ranges and refrigerators, into corners: mouse droppings are dark, elongated pellets a few millimeters long.☐ Yes☐ No
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10
No gnaw marks on packaging, sacks or cables Inspect the bottom layers of sacks and boxes, cable insulation near the floor, door corners and baseboards.☐ Yes☐ No
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11
No cockroaches in warm, damp areas With a flashlight, check behind the dishwasher, under ranges, in gaps by sinks and in refrigerator motor compartments. Best done early in the morning before the lights go on.☐ Yes☐ No
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12
No moths or beetles in flour, grains or spices in dry storage Open 2–3 containers of dry goods: no insects, larvae, webbing or clumps stuck together with threads.☐ Yes☐ No
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13
No clusters of flies around waste and entrances No swarms of flies at the dumpster area, back door or dish room; fly tapes do not show a heavy catch.☐ Yes☐ No
Building proofing
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14
Exterior doors are kept closed when not in use Back and delivery doors are not propped open for air; the door closer works.☐ Yes☐ No
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15
There are no gaps under exterior doors With the door closed, no daylight shows underneath; a seal or door sweep is fitted. A mouse can get through a gap of about 6 mm (1/4 in).☐ Yes☐ No
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16
Opening windows and vents are fitted with insect screens Screens are intact with no holes or bent edges and are fitted on every window that is opened for ventilation.☐ Yes☐ No
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17
Pipe and cable penetrations in walls and floors are sealed Utility entry points are closed with metal mesh or cement; unprotected expanding foam does not count — rodents chew through it.☐ Yes☐ No
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18
Floor drains are covered with grates Grates are in place and not broken; no odor from drains, which would indicate a dried-out trap seal.☐ Yes☐ No
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19
No leaks or standing water No puddles or dripping pipes under sinks, by the dishwasher or in the basement: water attracts cockroaches and rodents.☐ Yes☐ No
Housekeeping that denies food and shelter
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20
Sacks of flour and grains are on pallets and kept away from the wall There is space between sacks and the wall to inspect and clean behind them; nothing sits on the floor.☐ Yes☐ No
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21
Kitchen trash bins have lids that close Lids are in place and closed, the pedal works, bins are not overflowing.☐ Yes☐ No
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22
The dumpster area is clean and containers are closed No bags left next to containers, lids closed, no spilled food waste.☐ Yes☐ No
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23
No piles of cardboard or old equipment in back rooms Cardboard is shelter and nesting material; it goes out daily. Unused equipment has been removed or is placed so you can clean behind it.☐ Yes☐ No
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24
No food debris built up under equipment No grease, crumbs or dropped food under the fryer, range or bottom shelves — the main food source for cockroaches.☐ Yes☐ No
This template is a starting point. Check the limits and wording against your local regulations, your company standards and the equipment manufacturers' instructions.
jeCheck · https://jecheck.io/en/templates/pest-control-check
Common violations
- Toxic baits are placed inside the kitchen "just to be safe". Poison can end up in food, and poisoned rodents die in places you cannot reach — under equipment and inside walls.
- Gaps around pipes are filled with expanding foam alone. Rodents chew through it quickly; you need metal mesh or cement.
- Signs of activity are noticed, but the team waits for the next scheduled visit. In a few weeks a cockroach or mouse population can grow dramatically.
- The back door is left open in summer for ventilation. Without a screen it is an open entrance for flies, rodents and birds.
Frequently asked questions
Prevention — housekeeping, closed containers, sealing gaps, keeping doors shut — is done by your own staff. Treatment with rodenticides and insecticides is normally carried out by a licensed pest control provider: food safety regulations in many countries require it, and it is a matter of food safety.
Record the location and time, take a photo, check nearby food and discard anything that may have been exposed. Call the contractor for an unscheduled visit and step up checks of gaps and cleaning in that area.
Frequency is set by your contract and local regulations; for food businesses it is typically a monthly scheduled visit plus call-outs on request. A weekly internal walk with this checklist covers the time between visits.
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