Cockroaches: The Do's and Don'ts Of A Cockroach Infestation

Cockroaches are one of the most common insect found almost everywhere on Earth. Most of the insects infestation complaints are regarding these pesky cockroaches. This article is going to include a detailed guidance on how to battle a cockroach infestation and it's do's and don'ts. Before going into battle with an enemy, the first thing that should be done is to scout the enemy for its trait, strengths and weaknesses, which is what we are going to do with the cockroaches. 

Reproduction Rate: 

Cockroaches reproduce at a fast rate. Typical lifespan of a female cockroach is about a year and during its lifetime a female may lay up to 400 eggs. Imagine what damage can only a couple of cockroaches do if their growth is left unchecked or unnoticed. Time is of the essence here and a quick end to its breeding definitely helps a lot.  

Food Source:

Cockroaches can consume a variety of food sources such as human and pets food, plants, other insects etc. Making sure that their food supply is completely cut-off or affected negatively is one of the ways to stop their growth. 

Ideal Environment:

An ideal environment for the cockroaches to grow would include some hiding spots or "homes", food sources and almost little to no threat in those areas. With these conditions, it would take no time for them to grow from 2 to 2000. 

Now that we have the basic knowledge about these pests, it is time to discuss the methods through which their growth in numbers can be stunted.

Always Clear Trash Before Bed:

Trash serves as one of the most common methods through which they can obtain their food. When we go to sleep, it gives these pests a good 7-9 hours for undisturbed scavenging. By clearing out the trash from all trash bins inside the home, we make sure that their food supply is disrupted to some extent. So, clear out all trash bins you have inside the home before going to bed.

Keep Trash Cans Tightly Covered:

Once you have cleared out all the trash from your home. the next thing to be done is to make sure that the trash cans are tightly covered with a lid, if they happen to have one. Also make sure no edibles are laying around the trash cans as they too can be a source of food for the cockroaches. 

Don't Leave Unwashed Dishes Open For Long:

Cockroaches don't need a large quantity of food to survive. Few gravy stains on a plate are enough to fill their bellies. The best practice is to hold the utensils under running water to remove possible aromatic gravy spots if there is delay in washing them. Wash dishes as soon as you can and make sure there are no unwashed dishes on the kitchen counter before going to bed. 

Secure Your Cabinets And Pantry:

Cabinets containing edibles and pantries can easily serve as breeding spots for cockroaches. These places contain good amount of food and are unchecked for days in most cases. Secure all edible items in your cabinets and pantry. Check for signs of invasion in the sealed edibles such rice, lentils and legumes etc. Add multiple layers of protection if necessary by using shopping bags. 

The steps described above will slow down the reproduction of cockroaches for sure but if the infestation has spread to a large area of the house, then additional measures have to be taken to exterminate the existing ones. Luckily, cockroach infestation is one of the pest infestation that rarely require professional intervention because they can be dealt with a little knowledge and some off-the- shelf products available in the market. A brief description of some exterminating methods and their pros and cons are discussed below. 

The Good Ole Fly Swatter:

This is the cheapest and quickest way to decrease the population of these pests. Use a fly swatter to kill any cockroach that catches your eye. Make sure that the cockroach you add to your kill number remains dead. They have an ability to heal over time. Also once you kill a cockroach, make to remove it as soon as possible as this can invite and insects such ants for food source. The advantage of this method is that it is cheap and can reduce the population greatly over time but it require persistence as you will be chasing after them for some time. 

 Insect Killing Sprays:

There are many brands that offer insect killing sprays. There are guidelines printed on them that outline their possible using method and precautions for the safety of individuals. Many of these insect killing sprays can lead to serious poisoning if inhaled in large quantity. The best practice is to spray in house when you are to go out on a family outing for at least 3 hours. This way you can spray in every possible hotspot without worrying about anyone. Make sure that you do not spray on toys etc if you have little children. This is due to the fact that children often have the habit of licking their toys and if spray is used over the toys directly, it might cause harm to the child. Look for possible hotspots of infestation such as drain pipes, cabinets and cupboards, washrooms, near trash bins etc. Make sure there is some ventilation in the house before you leave. When you return from your outing, run fans and open windows to remove the pungent smell of these sprays. 

Cockroach Traps:

Using cockroach traps is another passive method of killing these pests. The traps are made of thin cardboard and shaped into a house like structure. The floor consists of an adhesive and some aromatic bait. Once the cockroaches enter the house, their legs are stuck to the glue. The method is also cheap but requires places multiple traps throughout the house. At least one trap should be placed in every room. Check for possible hotspots and place near them. Keep them away from the reach of children. Check the traps every other day. Once a trap gets full, throw it away and put a new one on the same spot. If the traps remain empty on a particular location, then it means that cockroaches have been eliminated from that particular spot. 

Insecticide Powder:

Insect killing powder is another product offered by many brands. It is an aromatic poison that the cockroaches mistakenly consume as a food source. Care should be taken when spreading it. Avoid using this method if you have toddlers or young children in the house. Also do not use this powder in front of a fan as it be dusted away due to air. Sprinkle some powder in drain pipes, trash cans and other possible hotspots. Sprinkle every week and make outline of your rooms if applicable. 

Combine Two Or More Methods:

To yield good results, you can combine two or more methods described above. A good combination would be the use of cockroach traps with insecticide powder. You can use other methods too depending on the severity and situation. 

Call An Expert:

It is very rare for none of the methods to work which are given above. If nothing works for you then don't hesitate to call professional exterminators. They will definitely charge you money for their service but it would save you a lot of effort and will bring amazing results in short time.   

That's it for this article. Let us know in the comments if you have tried any of these methods and how effective you found them. Also share if you have tried any other method not mentioned over here. See you soon with another in-depth article.