How to Manage a Cockroach Infestation

Serving Illinois and Indiana

Like bed bugs, the hardest part about getting rid of cockroaches is knowing if you have them in the first place. All roaches do their best to hide out of sight, but because cockroaches are so small and agile, they’re exceptionally good at it. Seeing a cockroach in the daytime often implicates that they’re running out of or competing for resources, signaling a larger roach problem than you might want to admit.

Testing for Cockroaches in Your Home

For the most part, cockroaches only venture out from their hiding places to feed or mate, and even then, only under the cover of darkness. If you suspect you might have a roach infestation, you can try this simple test: at night, when the lights are off, sneak as quietly as you can into the infected area. Fix your eyes on a potential hiding place (remember: warm, dark, secluded), then switch on the lights. Cockroaches are fast, but not faster than the speed of light. You should be able to catch sight of one or two roaches fleeing for safety, but remember the first rule of cockroach control: if you see one, there are dozens more in hiding.

DIY Cockroach Control

Although DIY treatments for cockroaches are a gamble, there are a few steps you can take to try to limit the cockroach population. As with any pest, your first step should be to eliminate anything that’s attracting them in the first place:

• Eliminate dark and undisturbed areas, either by lighting them or sweeping daily.
• Eliminate any areas with heavy moisture, including leaky pipes or standing water.
• Remove food sources. They will eat any organic material they can find, including cardboard, soap, fat, grease, crumbs, and garbage. If you remove their food, this should greatly reduce their population.

Experienced Help For Cockroach Infestations

While you might be tempted to conduct some DIY roach control with a can of pesticide spray, keep in mind there’s a reason people joke about cockroaches surviving a nuclear apocalypse: cockroaches have survived while living in nuclear testing sites! If you want to eliminate your cockroach problem as quickly and simply as possible, your first step should be to contact an experienced pest management company like Terminix Anderson. Using the guiding principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), they’ll set up monitoring stations, investigate potential hiding places, and eliminate roaches using effective, non-chemical strategies that are safe for your family and pets.

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