Of all the creepy crawlies that could invade your home, german cockroaches are among the worst. They get into everything—food, furniture, the walls—and they can be really difficult to fully get rid of. German cockroaches can lay as many as 40 eggs in one egg case! They breed incredibly fast, and if gone unchecked, can turn into a major infestation almost overnight. Not only are they gross to look at, but they also can carry bacteria that causes food poisoning, dysentery, and diarrhea.
So if you find even a single roach in your home, you know you’ll need to get rid of them ASAP. Here are a few tips to help you keep an infestation from getting out of hand.
Know the Signs
First off, it’s important to know when you have a roach problem. Aside from seeing the roaches themselves, roaches leave behind feces, saliva, or even body parts. They tend to prefer to hide in damp places, and it’s common to find these around drains, sinks, and other damp areas of the home, especially kitchens and bathrooms. Additionally, they’re scavengers, and a crumb is a feast to them! Which means you need to…
Keep Your Place Clean
Cleaning is the first thing you should do to fight back a roach infestation. That means doing a heavy cleaning in your kitchen, wiping away grease from the stove, oven, and countertops, as well as sweeping up any loose crumbs or grains that might be lying around. Make sure your pantry and/or cabinets are cleaned thoroughly and put any nonperishable food into sealed containers. If you have carpeting, be sure to vacuum regularly. Lastly, be sure to clean out drawers—both in your kitchen and of any furniture in other parts of the house.
Reduce Clutter
Next to sanitation, reducing clutter can limit the size of an infestation, as roaches love to hide in all the nooks and crannies created by clutter. Get rid of as much cardboard, paper/plastic bags, and other knick knack items in the kitchen and bathrooms of your home, or anywhere you find roaches.
Set Traps
There are a number of roach motel-type glue traps that are commercially available over the counter. These are generally good for monitoring overall activity, but they’re not going to eliminate an infestation. Additionally, they need to be placed strategically around the house and changed every few months.
Call in the Pros
If you want long-term elimination, it’s best to call in a professional. We can carefully apply professional-grade materials that will work far better than over the counter traps or sprays you might find at the store.
If you have a roach problem, give us a call. We’re happy to get rid of these pests as cleanly and quickly as possible.