5 Eye-Opening Ways to Deal With a Cockroach Infestation

Nobody likes roaches. When these insects appear in your home, all sorts of emotions rush in. They make homeowners feel sad, nauseous and defeated, and the sight of one or more in your own kitchen will likely send shivers down your spine.

The presence of roaches doesn’t necessarily mean that you live in an unclean home. Often, these hardy critters show up uninvited and it’s hard to determine why they’ve decided to stop by.

Once you see a roach or two, getting rid of roaches becomes your life’s focus. If you are wondering about how to accomplish this, read on for some great roach riddance strategies.

Soon, your home will be roach-free once again, and you can go back to sleeping soundly.

All About Cockroaches

Cockroaches are found all over the world. There are more than 5,000 different subspecies of this resilient creature. They can live almost anywhere and adapt to any environment with ease.

Scientists believe that cockroaches are tough enough to survive a nuclear explosion and that they will be on earth long after humans are gone. When it comes to getting rid of roaches, knowing this fact can be very intimidating.

Common Roaches in the USA

Most Americans encounter one or two subspecies of roaches. The two most common types in our country and in our homes are the German cockroach and the American cockroach.

German cockroaches are less than an inch long in size. They have light brown bodied with two dark stripes down the sides. They love places with warmth and moisture and are the most common type that you will find inside your home.

American cockroaches, on the other hand, are larger. They can grow to be about an inch and a half in length. These roaches love living in a hot and humid environment and often are found in the trash or in piles of leaves. They love water, so you also may find them near your sewer.

Interesting Facts

Although most people can agree that they would rather avoid roaches at all costs, they are actually very interesting creatures.

Cockroaches move quickly. They can run at a speed of 4.8 kilometers per hour which is very fast for something so small. They are hard to capture or kill because they can sense an enemy approaching thanks to the movement of tiny hairs on their legs.

Roaches can hold their breath for up to forty minutes and they can go without food for an entire month. They can also live for a week without a head, and females only have to mate once to have enough fertilized eggs to reproduce for the rest of her life.

Are Roaches Harmful?

Roaches creep us out, but are they actually harmful to humans?

Unfortunately, yes. Roaches can transmit bacteria, infectious diseases, dysentery, and typhoid fever. As they traverse garbage and dirty areas looking for food, germs attach themselves to their leg hairs. They then transport these germs to new locations.

They also shed their exoskeleton as they grow. When these cells are combined with dust, they can enter the air and can cause allergies and asthmatic reactions.

Cockroaches can also damage our property. They love to eat plants, leather goods, book bindings and really almost anything else that they can find.

5 Tips for Getting Rid of Roaches

If you have cockroaches in your home, getting them out of there once and for all is surely at the forefront of your mind. Getting rid of roaches isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible, either.

Here are some tips for getting roaches out of your home and to keep them from coming back as well.

1. Remove All Food Sources

The reason roaches are in your home is that they are looking for food. You need to make sure that no food is accessible to them.

Even if you think you keep a very clean kitchen, food may have fallen into various nooks and crannies between and behind your appliances. Clean these areas thoroughly.

Anytime you drop a crumb, clean it up immediately. Make sure all the food in your cabinets is completely sealed, and be on the lookout for spills.

2. Close All Cracks and Holes

Even though roaches are fairly large insects, they can squeeze through tiny spaces. Make sure all cracks and holes in your walls and floors are sealed tight. Take special care to close off holes near pipes and drains.

3. Try Traps & Baits

Store-bought traps can be effective if you don’t have a full-blown infestation. These can be purchased at the grocery store or at any home improvement store. They attract roaches through scent and either trap them or kill them using poison.

However, keep in mind that these methods take some time to work, so don’t expect immediate results. They do work, though, so be patient, and in about two weeks you should see far fewer roaches than before.

4. Boric Acid

If you want to try to get rid of your roaches by natural means, some people have success with a mixture of equal parts boric acid, flour, and sugar. Combine them and add water to make a dough, and roll the dough into golf ball-sized balls.

Place the dough balls around the house in places where you have seen roaches in the past. The flour and sugar will attract the roaches and they will eat the dough, but the boric acid will kill them.

However, boric acid can also be poison for pets, so do not use this method if you have pets.

5. Call an Exterminator

If you have tried all of the above and you still have roaches in your home, it’s time to call an exterminator. Pest control professionals have a great deal of experience dealing with roaches and they should be able to help you get rid of them once and for all.

Good Luck

Getting rid of roaches is no fun, but once you do finally remove them from your home, you will feel victorious and comfortable once again. Cockroaches are hardy little creatures but remember, we humans are smarter than they are. You can defeat them. You will.

If you are looking for an exterminator in northern Virginia, we can help. Give us a call at Green Pest Solutions today. We can’t wait to hear from you.