Everyone says cockroaches are one of the grossest pests you can get. Sometimes, conventional wisdom is pretty far from reality, but in this case, it’s true. Cockroaches give even rodents a run for their money regarding the dangers they pose to your health. These nasty little bugs carry even nastier diseases. Cockroaches spend their time in some truly disgusting places, like cemeteries, sewage drains, garbage dumps, and anywhere else they can find that’s dark and moist. Of course, when they come crawling out of the sewer and onto your kitchen counter, they bring all those nasty germs with them. Below, we’ll answer all your burning questions about cockroaches – including what to do about them.
Are Cockroaches All That Dangerous?
In a word, yes. Cockroaches are vectors for dozens of different diseases, some of which can be life-threatening. Pathogens known or suspected to be spread by cockroaches include:
- Cholera
- Dysentery
- Gastroenteritis
- Giardia
- Leprosy
- Listeria
- Salmonella
- Typhoid Fever
Roaches spread disease in several different ways. They can leave infected droppings or saliva in your environment, contaminating both surfaces and the air. They also drag germs across surfaces with their filthy feet. Roaches also die and decompose in your living space, further contaminating it.
Why Are Roaches Coming Into My Home?
Your home has tons of goodies roaches want, and not just food. Of course, food is one of the main reasons roaches enter your home. Whether they’re rooting through your garbage or snacking on your pantry staples, there’s always something to eat in your house. Roaches also love moisture, which is why you can often find them in humid places like basements and bathrooms. Your house has climate control, which can help get roaches through the winter as well. And your home is free of many roach predators like birds and lizards.
How Can I Prevent Roaches?
Since it’s virtually impossible to eliminate every last roach entry point, many roach prevention revolve around reducing attractants around your home. Take measures like:
- Keep all indoor and outdoor trashcans tightly covered
- Store all pantry foods in airtight containers
- Fix moisture issues like leaky plumbing and clogged drainage
- Use dehumidifiers in humid areas like basements and crawlspace
- Clean up immediately after meals and never leave dirty dishes in the sink
- Clear clutter to reduce roach hiding spots
If you want to try exclusion, make sure to fill every single crack or hole in your home’s exterior. No potential access point is too small for roaches to squeeze through. Also, make sure your door and window screens are free of rips and tears, and install weather stripping under doors and windows. Remember, though, that exclusion alone is not an effective roach prevention method because roaches who want in will always find a way in. You’ve got to make your home less attractive to cockroaches to prevent infestation.
What Should I Do If I Have Roaches?
Roaches are tough pests to get rid of, as their legendary resilience is only slightly exaggerated. These pests are resistant to most over-the-counter (OTC) treatments, including bombs and poisons. They also breed explosively and can balloon from a few individuals to hundreds or even thousands in less than a year. That’s why you need professional help to eradicate a roach problem as soon as you discover you have one. Here at Aiken Pest Control, we’re always on top of the latest roach-busting tools and techniques so we can level up before they develop new resistance. We can eradicate your roach problem and make sure it never comes back.