Roaches are resilient bugs, surviving up to 30 days without food and reproducing rapidly. They can easily get into tiny crevices and hide in concealed areas out of sight until you turn the lights off. If you see one roach in your home, you can rest assured that there are many other disgusting roaches crawling around.
Cockroaches contaminate food, spread bacteria and are a source of indoor allergy problems. A single roach lays up to 50 eggs at a time and can produce up to 600 eggs throughout its life. Because the eggs take roughly three months to hatch, you may think roaches are completely gone until the batches hatch and start the cycle over.
What Causes Roaches?
To eradicate roaches from your home, you need to know why they are entering and staying in your space. The main reason why roaches enter a home is to find food and water. They are often found in the kitchen, where they feast on food crumbs, dirty dishes, pet food, spills and garbage.
They are also drawn to the moist areas of your home, such as basements, crawl spaces and bathrooms. Crevices, cracks and gaps around pipes provide them with entry points as well as hiding spaces.
Signs of a Cockroach Infestation
Roaches come out at night after you turn out the lights, and they usually scurry for cover when you turn the lights on. Often, people are unaware that they have a roach problem until they are dealing with an active infestation.
You don’t need to actually spot a roach to discover their presence, though. You may have roaches if you find damage on cardboard or paper food coverings or smell a musty odor in your kitchen and wetter rooms. Other signs include egg casings, exoskeletons and tiny, black droppings.
How to Get Rid of Roaches
There are many ways to get rid of roaches, such as with bombs or foggers, traps and sprays. However, you don’t have to introduce harsh pesticides in your home to eradicate the bugs. Boric acid is safer to use than chemical-based products, and it is just as effective.
To make borax bait, combine flour, powdered sugar and boric acid in equal parts in a bowl. Form small dough balls, and place these in the areas of your home that are most susceptible to roach activity. While borax is a safer ingredient than alternatives, it is toxic to plants. In addition, it should not be placed in areas accessible to pets or children.
Check out this video to discover additional methods for getting rid of roaches and keeping them out of your home:
How to Prevent Cockroaches
Remove the Food Supply
Roaches won’t stick around if they can’t find food. Regularly wipe up crumbs and spills, and wash your dishes immediately after using them. Vacuum and mop the floors regularly. Put away pet food containers and dishes in between feeding times. Clean under the sink, under the appliances and inside the trash cans regularly.
Remove Hiding Spaces
Roaches need places to hide, so sealing those spaces is crucial to getting rid of roaches and to preventing their return. Inside, get rid of papers and cardboard boxes that are lying around. Outside, get rid of leaf piles, wood piles, lawn clippings and various empty containers. Also, clean out your garage and shed.
Seal Spaces
A small gap or crack of a quarter of an inch is large enough for roaches to enter. Throughout the interior and exterior, look for these gaps, and seal them properly. Pay attention to the foundation, windows, doors, siding, utilities entrance points and other gaps. Repeat this process every couple of years.
Remove Moisture
Identify areas of standing water in and outside of the house, including the sinks, near leaky pipes and underneath the fridge. Dry these areas thoroughly, and take steps to prevent or regularly remove moisture going forward.
FAQs
What Is the Fastest Way to Get Rid of Roaches in Your House?
To get rid of roaches fast, you need to take a comprehensive approach. Make borax bait, and ensure that your home is pristine with no food waste, spills, crumbs or clutter. Dry out the moist areas, and ensure that your house is properly sealed.
What Kills Roaches Permanently?
Roaches are killed with store-bought pesticides and traps as well as borax, which is safer to use. However, roaches will continue returning as long as they find food, shelter and water in your space.
To prevent roaches from returning, you need to eliminate entry points, hiding spaces, water sources and food. Keep in mind that the roaches that you eradicate today may have laid eggs inside your home.
With dozens or more mature roaches inside your house laying eggs, you will contend with young roaches as each of these batches of eggs hatches. Because of this, it may seem as though your pest control efforts aren’t working. However, you simply need to continue your efforts killing the roaches while also preventing new roaches from entering the house from outdoors.
When Should You Call a Pest Control Company for Roaches?
Keeping your home clean is one of the best things you can do to keep roaches away. For an easy approach to regular housekeeping, you can rely on our Boston cleaning company to do excellent work. Contact TidyHere today to schedule your first housecleaning service with our professional cleaners.
