Preparing for your re-inspection

Print the original report. Go to every spot it names, in order, with a flashlight. Then check the rest of the kitchen.

• No live roaches, flies or rodent signs in prep, storage, dish or bar areas
• No dead pests, droppings, egg cases or shed skins anywhere
• Glue boards and traps checked and replaced, nothing dead left on them
• Equipment pulled out and cleaned behind and underneath
• Floor drains cleaned and covered
• Door sweeps and screens in place; back door not propped open
• Gaps around pipes and conduits sealed
• Damaged ceiling tiles replaced
• Dry goods off the floor and in closed containers
• No cardboard boxes stored in the kitchen
• Trash and grease areas emptied and cleaned
• Food that pests touched thrown out

• The original inspection report
• The service report from your most recent pest treatment, dated, with products, areas treated and findings
• Your pest control service agreement, showing how often they come
• Your pest sighting log: who saw what, where and when, and what was done
• Receipts or notes for repairs: door sweeps, sealing, tiles, drains

1. Check again in the morning. Overnight activity shows up at opening. Clean up anything new before the inspector arrives.
2. Have the manager who knows the work on site. They should be able to walk the inspector through what was treated, cleaned and sealed.
3. Answer what is asked, show the folder. The service report and log do more than a long explanation.
4. If something is found, ask what is needed. Write it down, fix it, and ask how to schedule the next visit.

Passing the call back closes this inspection. The next routine visit can come any time. A service plan that fits the kitchen, a sighting log your staff actually uses, and a provider who tells you the cause in writing are what keep pests off the next report. See how to choose a commercial pest control company.