Cockroaches that invade homes are unpleasant insects. They breed rapidly, feed on garbage and can carry dangerous bacteria like Salmonella, and viruses that they contaminate your food with.
They can also cause allergic reactions in some people and aggravate asthma in people with this illness. Often it is the droppings of the cockroaches that contain the allergens that affect people badly.
When it comes to pest cockroaches, the worst two cockroach species worldwide are the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana and German cockroach, Blatella germanica. These two species live indoors and love to eat garbage, food, and even paper.
They breed fast and are difficult to control.
It is therefore crucial that you try to prevent cockroaches from even entering your home.
We will give you some tips and hints on how to do this below:
Inspect your property
Look for evidence of cockroaches in and around your house. If you do see any live roaches or egg cases, take action before the problem becomes worse. The egg cases mean the roaches are breeding and you likely have a much bigger problem than you realize. Try to inspect at night if you can because this is when cockroach activity is greatest.
The presence of live cockroaches, droppings, a strange smell and egg cases all indicate a problem. You may want to seek professional help to prevent the cockroach population becoming even bigger.
Seal openings and cracks
Inspect your dwelling for signs of cockroach activity but also for any openings and cracks around pipes or utility lines.
Make sure that any cracks and spaces around doors and windows are properly sealed. Cockroaches can easily slip into your house through these spaces.
Use caulk and proper weatherproofing to seal cracks and remove gaps under doors.
Sanitation and hygiene
Food and mess attract cockroaches. Do not leave food out or neglect to clean up crumbs of food, which will attract cockroaches.
Spilled drinks and water also attract these insects.
Remove possible water sources. This means checking for dripping pipes or water leaks. Cockroaches like warm and humid places to live and breed.
Keep a clean and tidy house with minimal clutter. Cluttered homes give lots of places for cockroaches to hide and to breed.
Keep brush piles and trash away from the direct surroundings of your house. These will also attract cockroaches that then may enter the house accidentally.
Be careful bringing firewood into the house because this can sometimes harbor cockroaches as well. You should first inspect pieces of wood before carrying a stack inside.
