Even the best anti-parasite remedies will not help get rid of cockroaches forever if the causes of their appearance are not eliminated. Many people do not think that they themselves may be adding to a favorable environment for cockroaches. In order to eliminate these favorable cockroach living conditions, there are a few things we can do right off the bat.
- Do not leave unwashed dishes in the kitchen sink for too long.
- Create a schedule to regularly clean the kitchen and be tenacious when doing so. Remember to clear any clutter off of your counters and wipe them down, clean the top of your refrigerator, clean the cabinets regularly (both inside and out) as well as around the oven and any small appliances you may have on your countertops.
- Thoroughly wipe down your dining room table after eating.
- Do not leave boxes of food, bags of chips, cereal containers, packages of bread or really anything else open. Doing such is an open invitation to many pests to visit – mice, ants, rats, and more.
- Rinse out your cans and bottles before placing them in the recycling bin.
- Finally, never store and accumulate garbage for a long period of time in an open bag. Empty that trash container frequently.
Many times, a cockroach infestation will start in apartment buildings where the garbage chute is clogged, or one of the neighbors does not significantly burden themselves with cleaning. Therefore, the problem may be more extensive and beyond the scope of just one apartment, and even perfect cleanliness on your part will not help solve the problem.
Yes, I understand, it would be great if all neighbors would agree to kumbaya it up and work together to clean and disinfect their apartments and basements and to maintain cleanliness. However, such cohesion is not often found, not here on earth anyway, so in most cases, you will have to single-handedly defend your home from these vile little settlers called cockroaches.
What Are Cockroaches?
So let’s take a step back here for a moment and understand what exactly cockroaches are.
Cockroaches are insects within the same order as termites. They actually walked the earth long before the human race. They are said to be close to 200 million years old. That in itself is hard to believe but it is true. They are found in every area of earth except for Antarctica. What is also incredible, in my opinion, is how quick they are. It is said that they can travel at speeds close to 3 miles per hour. Given their size, I would say that is impressive. And what is the size of a cockroach anyway? Well, they typically are between one half inch to 2 inches long, depending on the kind of cockroach. The giant burrowing cockroach can actually grow to 3.5 inches long. That is pretty large. Cockroaches have a fairly small head and flat body. They possess long and fairly flexible antennas, and they typically are brown or reddish brown in color.
Cockroaches, Allergy Risks and Asthma
Not that cockroaches are cute to begin with and make you want to snuggle with them, but they also have allergy risks associated with them. Cockroach allergy symptoms can range from mild to severe and include sneezing, coughing, itchy and watery eyes, postnasal drip and even skin irritation/rash. Also, there is even more danger potentially when children are involved. Cockroach allergies can trigger asthma, and children with allergies to cockroaches have a great chance of getting hospitalized due to the allergy than children with allergies to dust mites or cats. The cockroach’s saliva and feces can trigger allergic symptoms or asthma.
Ways To Get Rid of Cockroaches From Your Home
There are a few ways to attempt to eliminate cockroaches from your home – from freezing them to hiring a professional to chemical insecticides. Below are a few methods.
How To Get Rid of Cockroaches by Freezing Them
If the cockroach infestation is small, perhaps limited to a smaller appliance, freezing the cockroaches is a very effective way to eliminate them. Cockroaches favor living condition temperatures between 77-86 degrees Fahrenheit. They can obviously live in temperatures below and above that range, but that is their preferred range and when they commonly become more active. They will often die, however, if the temperature falls below 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Obviously, lowering the temperature of your entire home to that magic number is not an option. However, if the cockroach infestation is limited to a small appliance or another item, this can be done. Place the infected item in a bag, and then place the bag in the freezer. After a few hours (6-8), the cockroaches should all have expired. Simply take the entire bag outside and discard the deceased cockroaches. For a larger infestation, this option may not be a legitimate one, but for a smaller and more contained infestation, this may do the trick.
Hiring a Professional To Get Rid of Cockroaches
For many, hiring a competent exterminator may seem like the best option. A professional exterminator will generally get rid of cockroaches in one or two treatments, and you should notice a difference in a couple of weeks. The price of such a treatment will generally be under 400 U.S. dollars. Simply run an internet search for get rid of cockroaches near me and perhaps call more than one exterminator for a quote.
Chemical Insecticides To Deal With Cockroaches
If cockroaches in large numbers have occupied a home and hiring an exterminator is either not an option or not your first choice, chemical insecticides are indispensable. Fortunately, there is a wide selection currently available on the market, and even more, most home owners should be able to find a suitable one for the right price. The main thing is to observe safety measures during their use – strictly follow the instructions, use protective equipment (mask and gloves), and please protect children and animals from their effects.
Insecticides in Aerosols and Indoor Foggers
There are some cockroach killing aerosols and indoor foggers on the market that have proven results behind them. They act quickly and are easy to use. The product is sprayed into the air, especially near cockroach habitats; the room is closed and kept for a couple of hours. After that, the room can be ventilated. It is better to start from the kitchen, as there is always the greatest concentration of cockroaches there. Below links to Amazon.com.
| BASF Pressurized Insecticide – By: BASF | Max Ant and Roach Spray – By: Raid |
| Ant and Roach Spray – By: Raid | Punch Bug Bomb – By: Kinzua |
| Indoor Fogger – By: Harris | Indoor Fogger – By: Black Flag |
Cockroach Baits
Cockroach baits use the cockroaches normal behaviors against themselves. After consuming the bait, cockroaches will urinate and release feces that will later be consumed by other roaches. After the cockroach expires from the bait poison, other healthy cockroaches will consume the body of the deceased, poisoned cockroach, causing them to expire as well. Some popular baits are listed below. Links to Amazon.com.
| Combat Max 12 Month Roach Killing Bait – By: Combat | Advion Cockroach Gel Bait – By: Syngenta |
| Vendetta Plus Cockroach Gel Bait – By: MGK |
Boric Acid
Another proven method to get rid of cockroaches is with the use of boric acid. Boric acid has also been known to kill ants and silverfish in a similar fashion. The product works by adhering to the external portion of the cockroach and eliminating both the roach and its friends when returning to the nest. Included below are a few products found on Amazon.com.
| Boric Acid Ant and Roach Killer – By: Zap-A-Roach | Boric Acid Roach and Silverfish Killer – By: Harris |
Conclusion
If you are currently dealing with an issue in your home, above self help methods to get rid of cockroaches should help. If, however, the issue resumes and you are sticking with a home cleaning regiment, it may be time to call in a professional service to help.
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