One of the most common pests, cockroaches can easily enter homes and apartments and invade the entire property in a short time. Food crumbs lying on the floor, garbage, dirty dishes in the sink, and excess moisture are the key reasons roaches enter a house. Though cockroaches mostly operate during the nighttime, it is easy to spot them as compared to many other pests.
Once cockroaches have infested a home, they can cause health issues and damage to the property. They remain hidden during the daytime and move out during the nighttime from gaps and cracks. They come out in search of food. Once a few cockroaches have entered your property, they can lay eggs and multiply in number very fast. That is why it is extremely important to keep an eye out for these pests and pay attention to the signs of infestation. If you take action in time, you can prevent roaches from invading the entire property. While you get rid of the cockroaches, you should also take preventive actions to keep them out in the future.
If the roach infestation is small, you can deal with it on your own. However, you will need to hire the services of a pest control company to eliminate a large infestation professionally and effectively.
How Do I Know If I Have a Cockroach Infestation?
There are some common signs which you can use to identify the presence of roaches in your home or apartment. What is important is that you remain aware of these signs to spot infestation quickly.
Droppings:
The droppings of cockroaches have a similar look to that of black pepper. If you have these pests in your home, watch out for their droppings in the suspected areas. If you find cockroach droppings, do not ignore the sign. Take note that roaches have found shelter in your house. Also, do remember to clean up the droppings, as they can spread harmful bacteria.
Eggs:
The ootheca or the egg capsules of cockroaches remain packed with multiple eggs inside them. The presence of egg capsules is a clear sign that roaches have attacked your property. If the ootheca is left to hatch, you can expect to have a large infestation of cockroaches soon.
Smear Marks:
Cockroaches also leave smear marks as they operate from one area to another on the floors and walls. If you suspect there are roaches in a particular area of your home, look for dark, irregular smear marks. You will be able to easily identify these marks on horizontal surfaces.
Unpleasant Smell: The areas that are frequented by cockroaches or where they live also have a must smell. The smell is created by the droppings or the feces roaches leave behind where they operate. The odor will grow stronger, as the infestation of roaches turns into a larger one.
Live Roaches:
If your property has an infestation, you should expect to see roaches crawling here and there in search of food, particularly at night. Whether it is the kitchen, bathroom, basement, or laundry room, you can find cockroaches anywhere when you switch on the light at night. Cockroaches can not just crawl, but they can also climb up walls and ceilings.
Cockroach Nests:
If there is a nest located nearby, it will be hard for you to get rid of a minor cockroach infestation. Unless the nest is removed, roaches will continue to enter your home from time to time. If you spot droppings, eggs, and live cockroaches in your home, this means a nest is located somewhere close. Seek professional help and advice to deal with the situation.
If you see any or more of these signs in your home, you should know that cockroaches have attacked your home or apartment. And then, it is time to get into action and take the necessary steps for their removal.
Where to Look for Cockroach Infestation
You should also have some knowledge about where exactly you should look for a roach infestation in your home. Since there are various species of cockroaches, their habitat behavior also varies. However, there are some common locations where you are most likely to find cockroaches.
Kitchen:
It is a good place to find food. So, cockroaches often live and hide in various corners of the kitchen. The cooking appliances provide the warmth that roaches need to live. Particularly, you should look for these pests around and inside the cabinets and cupboards of the kitchen.
Bathroom:
Cockroaches prefer to live in dark and damp areas. That is exactly why the bathroom of your home is a highly suspected place for their living. In Particular, you should check out the plumbing behind sinks and toilets. Back cabinet joints are also where roaches like to take shelter.
Drains:
This is another potential location to look for the presence of roaches. Check the drain covers and the pipe ducts in particular. Cockroaches make their shelter in tiny gaps and cracks of ducts.
Basement:
If your basement remains moist and dark most of the time, it can quickly become a breeding ground for different kinds of insects and pests including roaches. Nooks of wall joints and gaps in baseboards are key locations where you can expect to find cockroaches hiding.
Some species of cockroaches prefer to live in humid conditions while others can live in warmer atmospheres. Based on the area where you live, you should also find out which species of cockroaches are commonly found in that area. Having this information will help you identify the locations where you are most likely to find cockroaches, their egg capsules, or other signs.
How to Get Rid of a Cockroach Infestation
Once your suspicion of a cockroach infestation is confirmed, it is time to take fast and effective action to get rid of it. There are several methods to kill cockroaches and remove a small or large infestation.
Identify the Level of Infestation
The cockroach infestation in your home could be small or large. First, you need to identify the severity of the pest problem. If the infestation is in its early stage, you may be able to handle it on your own. To remove large infestations, you should hire a pest control company such as Final Exterminators, which provides professional pest removal in and near Moreno Valley, CA.
Seal Cracks and Holes
Cockroaches enter into a property through small cracks, gaps, and holes. They also live and hide in such places. Therefore, it is extremely important to search for all the cracks and holes in the floors, foundation of walls, pipes, etc. Closely examine all these areas and properly seal the gaps. Once all the cracks are sealed, no more roaches will be able to enter.
Clean Up
Dirty and messy homes are ideal spaces for cockroach infestation. If you plan to get rid of cockroaches in an effective manner, you should clean every area of your property including the kitchen, bathroom, basement, laundry room, etc. A neat and clean home means it will be difficult for roaches to find food, water, and shelter. As a result of this, pests will not be able to survive.
If you have woodpiles or stagnant water in or close to the walls of your home, you should get rid of it. Likewise, you should dispose of the garbage every night and secure the outdoor trash cans with lids.
Use the Right Pest Removal Methods
All pest infestations are not of the same nature. After determining the intensity of the problem, you should select or use the most suitable methods to eliminate the roach infestation from your home.
Home remedies such as baking soda, boric acid, and borax are effective ways to kill and remove cockroaches in the house. Using bait stations is a proven method of getting rid of cockroaches. First, you need to identify the problem areas in your home to set the bait stations properly. Sticky traps can be used both inside the home as well as outside to remove roaches. There are pesticides to kill and remove roaches if the home remedies don’t give expected results.
Make sure you select the most ideal methods for the removal of cockroaches so that you can get the most out of your efforts.
Hire a Pest Extermination Service
If the cockroach infestation in your home is a lot to handle on your own, you should turn to a pest control service in your area.
Final Exterminators is a pest control and removal expert with comprehensive experience in dealing with a wide range of infestations. If you are located in or close to Moreno Valley, CA, you should feel free to reach out to us. Our specialists will visit your home or apartment to conduct an inspection to identify the cockroach species and then come up with a highly effective plan to remove the infestation. This plan includes initial and then additional treatments as well as follow-up visits to ensure the complete elimination of the roach infestation in your home.
You can reach our experts via a phone call or send us an email using the contact form given on our website.
Very helpful article. Thanks for sharing.