Getting Rid of Roaches

Roaches have been around forever. In nature, roaches recycle decaying organic matter. In your house, they are ugly, stinky spreaders of filth and germs. Once they infest a house, they are difficult to get rid of. Water bugs are simply a variety of roach, with the same foul habits.

SIGNS OF A ROACH INFESTATION INCLUDE:

-Roach droppings which look similar to coffee grounds. You’ll find them on kitchen counters and floors, and under kitchen and bathroom sinks.

-Roaches give off a scent which can give your home a greasy or musty smell.

-Noticing more than one or two roaches on your counter tops or in your cabinets.

FACT: Roaches proliferate because there is an ample food supply. Cutting off this supply will starve them and cause them to die off or move on.

Getting Rid of Roaches: – Good sanitation practices are crucial, as even minute amounts of food and liquid can attract cockroaches.

1.Roaches eat most organic matter, and they like easy access to water. Store dried foods in airtight containers.

2.Thoroughly clean the kitchen, including hidden spots under the refrigerator and under and behind your stove, where spilled food and grease accumulate.

3.Wipe in all the dark cracks where crumbs are likely to remain a hidden source of food.

4.Fill any cracks in the baseboard trim with boric acid, which will kill the roaches and taint any crumbs which may remain there.

5.Use roach spray and bait traps according to the manufacturers' instructions to eliminate roaches on your own.

6.Inspect any furniture, appliances and food delivery for cockroaches and egg cases before bringing them indoors, especially if items were kept outdoors or in storage.

7.Increase light and air circulation next to the building by pruning back overgrown vegetation and removing stacked wood and other items from next to the building.

8.Seal cracks and crevices where cockroaches could enter the home. Caulk cracks and crevices in foundations, sills, windows and the outside walls. Caulk openings where utility lines pass through walls and floors.

9.Repair plumbing leaks and seal off other sources of moisture.

10.Declutter and clean other areas of the house such as bathrooms and closets to discourage roaches from migrating.

11.Put roach traps inside cabinets and along floor edges to catch the occasional invader. Monitor the traps. A big increase in the number of trapped roaches can indicate an infestation is underway.

Tired of battling the roach problem in your home?  Roaches lay eggs. The egg is actually an egg case and can hold as many as 15 roach embryos each. The average female roach will lay up to 90 of these egg cases in her lifetime. If your roach infestation is growing as opposed to declining it's time to call in the experts.  If you are a Virginia resident and you're interested in getting rid of your roaches Contact PermaTreat.  

Click here to read about Roaches and Asthma.

Click to learn more about the types of roaches infesting your home.