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Seal Up Any Cracks
The best way to prevent a roach infestation is by sealing up any openings in your home. This is the main way cockroaches enter; they’re either curious, looking for food, or are trying to escape the rain. But there are more openings in your home than you expect. A roach can easily squirm in from a crack in your door or window. They can also enter through your air vents and can wiggle their way around openings in your furniture. Start by sealing any entries from the outside. Partner with an exterminator and find cracks or holes in your doors and windows. This also means you should never leave your windows open and close doors quickly. Then, look at your furniture. Seal any openings into these areas. Roaches tend to make a be-line for the kitchen, so pay attention to your cupboards and pantry.
Keep a Clean House
Cockroaches love the crumbs you leave on the floor. To prevent a roach infestation, clean as much as you can, especially your kitchen and any dining areas. But this is easier said than done. Many people don’t realize roaches can sense food residue. They also mainly focus on the floor or the pantry, and not other vital areas such as the skillet or the oven. It’s also easy to get lazy. Make sure you clean the counters and floor every day. Never leave dirty dishes in the sink or around the house. If you live in an apartment complex, your messy neighbors can attract roaches by the hordes. Make sure you notify your property manager or always have a pest control professional on call.
Fix Water Leaks
Like humans and animals, cockroaches also need sustenance. This means they’re attracted to water. And like human and animals, they can’t go a very long time without water. That’s why, next to the kitchen, a common place to find roaches is in the bathroom. If there’s a leak in your sink or bathtub, fix it. Try and leave your water off as much as possible. This will help deter roaches away from the bathroom. In addition to water from the tub or sink, don’t let any other water lying around your house. Keep cups empty and prevent leaking out cups of water. It’s best to constantly leave water out for pets, but make sure their water glass is in an enclosed space. You can even leave their water dish on the patio or in a separate room. Don’t overwater any plants.
Keep a Cold Home
Turning up the AC may not look good on your energy bill but at least your house will be cockroach-free. There’s a reason why we see roaches in the summer, and they vanish during the winter – cockroaches hate the cold. Always turn up the AC. To save energy, you can turn on an overhead fan or buy a large fan. Cranking up the AC during the summer is easy, but what about the winter? If you use a heater, you could attract roaches. Try and leave the heater on at a minimum temperature.
What About the Eggs?
If you’re one of the unlucky ones, you’ll get a pregnant female roach. Mama roaches can lay up to 50 eggs at once. That means 50 new roaches in your house! The best course of action is to follow this advice. Prevent a roach infestation and make sure they’re not attracted to your home. If you find roach eggs, you must destroy them before they hatch. German cockroaches are the biggest household threat and these roaches carry their eggs with them. But that means you must destroy the roach while she’s carrying her eggs.
Other roaches, such as the Oriental cockroach, lay eggs. You can find these eggs anywhere; your bathroom, your kitchen, even in your grocery bags or other delivery goods. All roach species have different looking eggs. They’re usually dark brown in color, relatively small, and either circular or inflated-looking. The best way to destroy cockroach eggs is the same way you kill an actual cockroach – stomp them!
What If This Advice Doesn’t Work?
These are all cockroach prevention best practices, but we all know how stubborn they are. What if you try these methods but you still get roaches? There are ways to naturally kill them. A favorite method is using a shoe, book, or any heavy surface. You’ll squish the roach without harming anyone else.
When to Call Pest Control
If you can’t get rid of roaches, no matter what you do, it’s time to bring in the experts. It’s also best to contact pest control when you have a big outbreak. They can kill off the roaches you have and will prevent new ones from coming in.
Now You Know How to Get Rid of Roaches Naturally
Do you want to know how to get rid of roaches but don’t want to use dangerous chemicals? There are plenty of natural cockroach killers and prevention methods. If all else fails, pest control is always there for you. Are you in South Florida and are struggling with a cockroach infestation? Give us a call.
