Spiders eat mosquitos. Mosquitos are annoying, yes, but they are easy to get rid of and only swarm outside. Rodents, such as rats and mice, they’re destructive and unsettling to see, but usually wander into your home by accident. Some people even have them as pets. Do you know what nobody has as a pet? Cockroaches.
Probably the most unsettling pest to see, these intruders are everywhere in the south. They come in for warmth when it’s cold; come in to cool off when it’s hot; are attracted to moisture and food; and can multiply VERY quickly. There are different types of cockroaches – German, Oriental and American – and each one has their specific motives for coming into your home. For instance, the German cockroach loves moisture, so you can prevent those types from entering your home by fixing leaking pipes or eliminating any standing water.
The problem with cockroach season is that it’s every season. There are methods out there to deal with them, such as daily cleaning and proper food storage. We believe the best way to deal with cockroaches is to make sure you never have to deal with them. Preventative measures help with this, but what if you already have a cockroach problem? Luckily, you have us on your side. So, let’s go over how to get them out of your home – FOR GOOD.
Identify the Problem Areas
At this point, you’re not going to be able to determine what type of cockroaches are in your home without professional help. Skip that step and focus on where the infestation may be located. Cockroaches love damp, dark places – so check behind the refrigerator, under sinks, cabinets. The best method at this point is to search these areas with a flashlight. Cockroaches aren’t big fans of light, so shine it in problem areas and see if there’s any movement. Another favored method is glue strips. Place these in any areas where you often see cockroaches or suspect there may be an infestation. Leave different glue strips in various locations for about a week and see which one collects the most cockroaches – that area will most likely be where the infestation is.
Close Gaps Inside & Outside
Identifying infestation locations and laying out glue strips are a great start, but we need to make sure no more cockroaches can get in. Check the inside and outside of your home. Look for any holes or cracks – loose seals around doors or windows. Use weather stripping on the seals to make sure cockroaches can’t get through and fill any cracks or holes with caulk. Remember: do this outside AND inside.
Set Up Cockroach Bait Stations
Gel bait is very useful when it comes to dealing with current cockroach populations. Put it under baseboards, cracks, crevices or areas you think may be populated with cockroaches. While gel bait is excellent at dealing with cockroaches, it can leave dead cockroaches around your home that, if not dealt with, will start to smell. As with any trap, once you capture and kill a pest, get rid of it! Another favored method is bait stations. These little stations (sometimes called roach hotels) attract cockroaches to them and feed them – essentially – poison. The cockroach goes back to the infested area, dies and is eaten by the other cockroaches. Pretty morbid, but when that cockroach is consumed, the poison spreads to the others and kills them too. The principle behind this is an effective one in theory but in practice this only targets a select number of roaches, but not all of them. The drawback on these bait stations is that they do contain poison and are not the prettiest thing to set up around your home.
Boric Acid Powder?
Boric acid is made by combining boron and water. It’s a substance found in toothpaste and laundry detergent, so it’s safe for humans due to its low toxicity. However, to cockroaches, boric acid is insanely toxic. Since it’s safe for humans but harmful to cockroaches, this is one it’s one of the best ways to deal with an infestation. However, boric acid is a powder and can be easily moved by air, making it ineffective. Boric acid by itself is not a suitable method for ridding a home of cockroaches, but try adding it to traps and other ways to improve your chances of kicking those cockroaches out for good.
Just Call Us
As we said, there are several methods out there for dealing with a cockroach infestation. Identifying their nests can be a hassle. Eliminating them can be costly and hazardous, especially since most traps and baits involve poison. The absolute best thing you can do if you see a cockroach or think you have a possible infestation is to call us. We know the best ways to get rid of cockroaches – using methods and practices to get rid of them efficiently and safely. There are ways you can prevent them and get rid of the ones in your home, but if you want the problem of cockroaches to be solved, call Arrow today.
