Among the most hardy and annoying insects that might infiltrate your house are cockroaches. These unwanted visitors may contaminate food, induce allergies, and transmit illness. Many times, a professional exterminator is needed to handle a cockroach infestation. Six important things a cockroach exterminator wants you to know in order to successfully fight and prevent these pests are as follows.

1. Prevention is Key

Regarding cockroaches, your exterminator cannot emphasize enough the need of preventive measures. Given how skillfully these insects locate food, water, and shelter, even the slightest mistake can result in an infestation. Consider these preventative actions:

• Maintain a Clean House: Crumbs and meal leftovers draw cockroaches in. Give your kitchen, dining room, and any other space where you eat regular cleaning. Never forget to clean in tight spaces and under appliances.
• Organize Food: Make sure all food is kept in tightly sealed containers. This covers pet food, which is best not left out overnight.
• Fix Leaks: To keep cockroaches from surviving, get any plumbing leaks fixed and make sure your house has no standing water sources.
• Clean up: Cockroaches enjoy hiding in messes. They'll have less hiding places if you clean up, particularly in storage rooms, garages, and basements.

2. The Resilience of Cockroaches

Your exterminator wants you to know that cockroaches are hardy insects. They can go one month without food and one week without water. Even radiation levels that would be lethal to humans can be tolerated by them. Without expert assistance, their tenacity makes them hard to eliminate.

• Quick adaptation to their surroundings makes cockroaches difficult to eradicate using do-it-yourself techniques.
• Reproductive Rate: A female cockroach may give birth to hundreds of young in a single year. Because of its speedy reproductive rate, an infestation can spread out of control very fast if it is not controlled right away.

3. No Limitations to Do-It-Yourself Techniques

Although there are a lot of do-it-yourself projects and over-the-counter cockroach control treatments available, their efficacy is often not very high. When do-it-yourself initiatives have failed, exterminators often come into situations that result in a deeper ingrained infestation.

• Inadequate Eradication: Although do-it-yourself techniques may kill some cockroaches, they hardly ever completely eradicate the colony. Often hiding in hard-to-reach areas, cockroaches are hard to eradicate using non-professional methods.
• Resistance: Often used pesticides can cause cockroaches to become resistant. Expert exterminators apply cutting edge, more efficient methods catered to certain infestations.

4. Professional Care is All-Inclusive

Expert exterminators have the education, background, and equipment required to handle cockroach infestations. The following distinguishes their method as more thorough:

• Thorough Inspection: Exterminators do a thorough check in order to determine the size of the infestation and find nesting places.
• Targeted Treatment: They employ more safe and efficient specialized therapies for your family and pets. This covers spraying, dusting, and baiting certain places where cockroaches are known to hide.
• Follow-Up: Exterminators frequently pay follow-up visits to make sure the infestation is totally gone and to administer further treatments when needed.

5. Frequent Upkeep Is Required

Should preventative steps be neglected, cockroaches may reappear even after a successful elimination. To maintain your house cockroach-free, an exterminator will suggest a recommended service plan.

6. The Need of Communication

Good pest control depends on honest communication between you and the exterminator. To help with this, consider the following:

• Share Information: Inform your exterminator about any sightings, droppings, or strange activity that you’ve seen.  They may better adjust their strategy to your particular circumstances with the use of this information.
• Adhere to Suggestions: As for cleaning, food storage, and upkeep, heed whatever advice an exterminator offers. Future infestations cannot be avoided without taking these actions.
• Ask Questions: Don’t hesitate to ask questions about the treatment process, the products being used, and any safety concerns you may have. Good exterminators will be pleased to reassure and explain.

Final Words: -

Although controlling a cockroach invasion might be difficult, knowing these six important things can help to make the process easier. Fighting cockroaches successfully requires prevention, understanding the limits of do-it-yourself techniques, and depending on professional experience. You can guarantee a clean, safe, and cockroach-free home by keeping lines of contact open with your exterminator and doing what they advise.

Cockroaches are some of the worst pests to invade a house. Seeing one scurrying around in the kitchen at night might make your skin crawl, but there’s a huge chance that the cockroach isn’t alone. There might be a serious cockroach infestation in the house that you’re not aware of, which is why it’s better to start roach control measures as soon as you spot one.

So what should you do if there are cockroaches inside the house? Get rid of these pesky creatures at home by eliminating their food source, scheduling regular house maintenance, keeping the house clean, using different roach control methods, and calling pest control professionals.

How to Get Rid of Cockroach at Homes

Cockroaches are a common household pest that infests around 63% of American homes. They carry different bacteria and other pathogens that cause food poisoning, diarrhea, and other diseases. These pests multiply quickly once they settle into a new place, threatening the family’s comfort and safety.

As these pests should be out of the house as soon as possible, it’s important to develop a plan to get rid of them first. This allows you to decide on the best pest control method that won’t put the family’s health at risk. Here are some of the effective ways to get rid of cockroaches in a house:

Eliminate Their Food Source

Cockroaches eat just about anything available to them, but they prefer food that is rich in sugar, carbohydrates, and protein. These pests rely on their sense of smell to find food around the house. Avoid leaving food and leftovers out in the open by storing them in airtight containers instead. Choose a container made of thick material to prevent cockroaches and other pests from chewing through the material.

Garbage cans are also fair game to cockroaches. The trash contains a wide selection of food options for these pests. Ensure that all cans, bottles, and plastic containers are rinsed off before throwing them into the trash can. Always remember to secure the lid to make it inaccessible to these pests.

Schedule Regular House Maintenance

Regular house maintenance allows homeowners to find different areas that cockroaches might use as entry points or nests. These pests are especially fond of moist areas, so inspect the house for leaky drains and pipes. Ensure to repair or replace all damaged pipes so the roaches won’t utilize them as a water source.

The cracks in wooden cabinets and shelves might not seem like a big deal at first, but cockroaches use these holes as hiding spots. Paint and varnish are two options to seal the cracks in the wooden fixtures around the house. Homeowners should also consider replacing their wooden cabinets and shelves with metal or plastic ones.

Keep the House Clean

Maintaining a clean house, especially the kitchen, bathroom, and storage rooms, goes a long way when it comes to preventing cockroach infestations. Make sure to wipe off food spills, splatters, and debris immediately.

Aside from the food debris in the kitchen and other parts of the house, cockroaches are also attracted to the clutter in storage rooms. These pests utilize the untouched piles of cardboards and papers in the storage room to make a home. Make sure to get rid of old magazines and newspapers as soon as they’re not needed anymore.

Use Different Roach Control Methods

Effective cockroach control typically combines different treatment methods. It’s also important to remember that different species of cockroaches require different pest control methods. The exterminator comes up with a pest control plan after assessing the situation, but it may involve any of the following control methods:

• Glue Strips – Glue strips trap cockroaches, which is why they’re useful for locating large infestations around the house. Strips placed in high traffic areas catch the most cockroaches. These same areas might also need extensive cockroach control treatments. Make sure to wear gloves when removing the glue strips from their place. Don’t touch the dead bodies of the cockroach or other insects that were caught in the glue strip.

• Gel Bait – These baits are applied near crevices, under baseboards, and other areas like beneath refrigerators and inside unused cabinets to attract cockroaches. A roach that eats the bait usually returns to its nest and dies there. The poison from the bait also spreads to other cockroaches when they eat the remains of the poisoned cockroach in their nest. Although they’re extremely effective in getting rid of several cockroaches, gel baits are not enough to wipe out the entire colony.

• Boric Acid – Boric acid is a common substance found in different household products. It’s low in toxicity for pets and humans, but very deadly for cockroaches. Boric acid is prone to misuse, which is why it’s usually used as the sole method for cockroach extermination. Make sure to always read the label and follow the instructions when using boric acid to maximize its effectiveness.

Call Pest Control Professional

A quick response is essential to prevent the cockroach infestation from worsening or spreading to nearby apartments, businesses, or other properties. If there are signs of infestation at home, make sure to contact a pest management professional for a reliable and long-term solution.

Is it better to call a professional for cockroach problems than try DIY solutions?

There are pesticides and cockroach baits available in the market to help homeowners deal with cockroach problems on their own. However, most of them are created with harsh chemicals that might be harmful to the family and the environment. Most of the time, these store-bought products are not enough to completely get rid of the cockroaches in the property.

On the other hand, pest control professionals have the right tools and techniques for handling the infestation safely and effectively. When you pay for professionals to eliminate the cockroach in the property, there’s no need to worry about picking or using the wrong products at home.

Quality Roach Extermination Work by Positive Pest Management

Positive Pest Management is a trusted pest control service that guarantees quality extermination work. Our highly trained specialists utilize IPM-based methods to ensure safe and effective exclusion work. We take pride in providing services that exceed the client’s expectations.

Protect your family and home by eliminating the cockroaches with the help of Positive Pest Management. Call us at (800) 294 – 3130 to get a free estimate for your business or apartment.

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Cockroaches are often associated with an unsanitary environment. While this is true most of the time, many homeowners who diligently keep their house clean every day often find a roach or two scurrying in their kitchen at night.

So why do cockroaches still infest a house even if it’s clean? Cockroaches are attracted to houses that have damp areas, grimy surfaces, cluttered and unused boxes, crumbs and leftover food, and overgrown gardens. Houses located in southeastern regions of the country are more prone to cockroach infestations than other places.

5 Things that Attract Cockroaches to a Clean Home

Nobody wants to see cockroaches in their houses because these pesky insects contaminate the food and cause different diseases. Many homeowners diligently clean their houses to prevent these pests from entering their homes.

However, even the cleanest homes might still be vulnerable to cockroach infestations. According to the survey by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), around 63% of American households have cockroaches in their midst. Here are a few possible reasons this is still a problem even for clean houses:

1) Damp Places and Leaky Pipes

Cockroaches need water to survive. These pests invade houses in search of a stable water source. Leaking pipes and standing water inside the house is a paradise for roaches. Even the water left on the pet’s water bowl and the condensation from refrigerators or air conditioners are enough to invite roaches into the house.

Homeowners often find these pesky creatures in dark and damp places like the basements, bathrooms, and kitchen sinks. Make sure to inspect the house regularly to get rid of stagnant water or repair leaky pipes to avoid attracting cockroaches and other unwanted pests to the house.

2) Grimy Surfaces

Even if they regularly mop the floors and clean the house, many homeowners are bound to miss a few spaces every now and then. Cockroaches thrive in corners, crevices, and other hard-to-reach areas where there are grime buildups.

Make sure to clean the space behind the refrigerator, stoves, ovens, and other appliances to avoid inviting cockroaches. Wiping off the spills and splatters as soon as they appear is a good practice to keep these pests out of the kitchen.

3) Clutter and Piles of Unused Boxes

Cockroaches eat anything available to them, including trash, dead insects, leather, hair, glue, and cardboard. Unused boxes and piles of old magazines left in basements and attics are good targets when roaches are looking for food and shelter.

Since these kinds of clutter are also attractive for other house pests, it’s a good preventative practice to declutter the attic or basement every once in a while. Throw away items that are not needed anymore and hide all important documents in a safe.

4) Crumbs and Leftover Food

Pests like cockroaches infest houses that have enough food sources. Although they’re opportunistic feeders, cockroaches are especially fond of food that’s high in sugar, starch, or protein. They collect crumbs of food in the pantry, the leftovers placed on the sink and dining table, or the discarded food in the trash can.

Aside from cleaning up the crumbs, all the food in the pantry must be stored in airtight containers to prevent the cockroaches from contaminating perfectly clean food. Ensure that all leftovers are placed inside the refrigerator. The dirty dishes in the sink should also be cleaned immediately.

5) Overgrown Garden

Tending the garden and yard should also be included in the list of roach control and prevention practices. Cockroaches hide in overgrown grass and messy gardens. The standing water in the birdbaths and gutters also serves as a stable water source for them. Roaches also eat the compost, mulch, and woodpile in the garden.

Does Your Location Affect Cockroach Infestation?

The climate in the town or city you’re living in also affects the chances of cockroaches infesting the house. Southern regions in the US, such as Alabama, Georgia, and Florida are more likely to experience cockroach infestation than any other state.

This doesn’t mean that houses in these areas are unsanitary; cockroaches just prefer areas where the climate is warm and humid. If you spot a palmetto bug (American cockroach) in the house, make sure to inspect the house for indications of an infestation.

Natural Ways to Get Rid of Cockroach in the House

Most homeowners usually grab a can of insecticide once they spot a single cockroach in their home. However, most store-bought pesticides are made with harsh chemicals that are harmful to both the family and the environment. To keep the family safe while exterminating these pests, here are a few ways to get rid of cockroaches naturally:

Clean the Property Thoroughly

While this might be the most obvious thing to do, many homeowners fail to clean their houses properly. Many neglected areas in the house serve as great shelters for different pests like cockroaches. Here are some of the best practices to ensure that all the areas in the house are squeaky clean:

• Wash the dirty dishes in the sink after every meal.
• Sweep the food crumbs on the floor.
• Wipe off spills and splatters as soon as they appear.
• Remove the grease on the stovetop.
• Store the food in airtight containers.
• Mop the floors regularly.

Fix All Cracks and Water Leaks

Cockroaches fit even in the tiniest cracks and gaps on the wall. These pests utilize these holes to get inside houses for food, water, and shelter. They’re also attracted to damp places, which is why they stay near leaky drains and pipes.

Make sure to keep these pests out by inspecting the house for cracks and sealing them with caulk. Check the pipes, drains, and gutters around the house to see if there are leaks or standing water that might invite cockroaches. If there are plants inside the house, ensure that they’re not overwatered.

Make Homemade Cockroach Bait

Boric acid is known as an effective home remedy for cockroaches. It’s highly toxic for almost all species of cockroaches, but mildly irritating for people and pets. Some homeowners sprinkle the boric acid on cockroach-infested areas, while others mix it with food bait.

Mix boric acid with sugar and flour to create a dough that attracts cockroaches. Place a few pieces of these poisonous doughs under appliances, at the back of cabinets, and near the cockroach nest to kill the pests.

Roach-Proof Your Home with Positive Pest Management

Cockroaches are persistent creatures, which is why roach control should be left at the hands of a pest management professional. While DIY pest control might help reduce their population, it’s not enough to wipe out the entire colony.

Here at Positive Pest Management, our specialists are trained to perform quality and guaranteed extermination work. We utilize IPM-based methods and environment-friendly pesticides to get rid of the cockroaches on the property and keep them from returning. Visit our website now or call us at (800) 294 – 3130 for a free estimate.

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Cockroaches are often associated with dirty places, which is why homeowners don’t want to see one crawling in their walls, kitchen, or bathroom. These pests contaminate food and spread diseases anywhere they go. But before grabbing a pesticide, it’s crucial to identify the cockroach in your home first.

So how is it possible to tell German and American cockroaches apart? Although they look similar at first glance, American cockroaches are bigger than German ones. They also prefer staying outdoors compared to German cockroaches who breed inside houses.

German vs. American Cockroach: What’s the Difference?

Cockroaches are a big problem to any home they invade because they carry different diseases and trigger allergies in some people. In a survey conducted by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), around 63% of American households are also homes to cockroaches.

But getting rid of these pests is not easy. Aside from their ability to survive in the harshest conditions, cockroaches also breed rapidly. German and American cockroaches are the most common species of roaches to invade a home. Eliminating them effectively starts with determining which species is in the house. This allows the exterminator to decide which pest control method works best.

Here are some of the things to check to correctly identify which cockroach roams around the house:

Appearance

Anyone unfamiliar with how different roaches look might think of American and German cockroaches as the same insect. However, these pests have subtle differences in their appearance, such as their color, that set them apart from each other.

American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) are the biggest cockroaches in the US. These pests grow around 1.5 to 2 inches long. They have a reddish-brown body and a yellowish thorax. American cockroaches have strong wings, so it’s possible to see them flying around from time to time.

German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) are much smaller at around 1/2 to 5/8 inch. Instead of the reddish-brown color, these pests are more tan and light brown. Another distinct feature that German cockroaches have is the dark parallel lines that run from the back of their head down to their wings. But unlike American cockroaches, German roaches don’t fly.

Diet

American cockroaches consume anything available to them. Some of them even eat paper, cloth, and hair. They’re particularly fond of decaying things, such as leaves, smaller insects, and fungi. When they get inside houses, they target the crumbs and sweets on the floor and under different appliances.

German cockroaches also eat just about anything, including garbage. These pests are fond of sweets, grease, and different meat products. They also eat book bindings, food crumbs, soap, and toothpaste.

Whether it’s a German or American cockroach, it’s nearly impossible to kill roaches by simply starving them. These cold-blooded creatures survive around up to one month even without food. However, they only live up to one week without water.

Habitat

German cockroaches prefer staying indoors, which is why they’re commonly found inside houses. These pests are attracted to warm areas, such as under appliances. They also hide in the unchecked crevices in the walls around the house. Aside from the cracks on the walls and other common entry points around the house, German roaches also get inside when they manage to cling to bags, backpacks, boxes, and suitcases from infested sites.

On the other hand, American cockroaches are commonly found outside. They only start invading homes when they seek food, water, and warmth. These pests are usually found in the dark and damp parts of the house, like basements, utility rooms, crawlspaces, drains, bathrooms, sewer systems, and kitchens.

Breeding

Another notable difference between these two species of cockroaches is their breeding habits. While they’re both capable of producing more offspring rapidly, American cockroaches only bear up to 800 offspring per year. Although this number is already too much to deal with, 800 nymphs pale compared to the 30,000 nymphs that German cockroaches produce yearly.

Female German cockroaches carry the egg capsule inside their bodies until they’re about to hatch. On the other hand, female American cockroaches glue the egg capsules onto suitable surfaces and cracks within the day they were formed.

Recommended Pest Control Approach

Different species of cockroaches require different pest control approaches. German cockroaches tend to be a bigger problem between the two because they frequently invade homes. Their population also increases rapidly in a short time. Some of the most effective pest control for this species of cockroaches are aerosols, baits, and perimeter sprays.

But when the temperature starts dropping outside, homeowners should be extra careful because American cockroaches might get inside their houses during cold months. They’re typically eliminated from a property using granular baits.

Cockroach Control by Positive Pest Management

Cockroach removal in a house is a challenging task that’s best left to the hands of a professional exterminator like Positive Pest Management. Our team of highly trained pest management professionals has the right tools and information needed to eliminate these pests and keep them from returning.

Positive Pest Management has the experience and expertise needed for different extermination situations. Call us at (800) 294 – 3130 to take care of your roach problems at home.

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