How To Get Rid Of Cockroaches – 5 Tips

We all know the horror of going into the kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom and finding that we’re sharing our space with a cockroach. These uninvited guests rarely travel alone, either, so if you see one, chances are he has plenty of friends nearby.

Cockroaches are survivors. They are very savvy about hiding and can happily live in your walls, skirting boards, pantry, cupboards, and under appliances undetected. They may also set up camp under your house, and a single cockroach nest may be home to hundreds of these crawling insects.

Australian homes and businesses can see the Australian Cockroach, the German Cockroach, and the American Cockroach. All of these thrive in warm, damp or moist areas – so the Australian summer in southeast Queensland provides the perfect environment for cockroaches to live and breed. They are prolific breeders, and just one pair of mating cockroaches can result in more than 50,000 roaches in a year.

Fortunately, cockroaches are not too difficult to manage if you are aware and proactive.

5 Ways to Eliminate Cockroaches

• Identify the Problem Area – Seek Professional Help if Required
  Your first step is to investigate your home or other property to locate the nest. This will usually be located in a quiet, dark, noise- and vibration-free area. Use a torch and look for them:
  • Near plumbing fixtures in kitchen, bathroom, and laundry
  • In bathtub vents
  • In-floor drains (bathroom, laundry)
  • Under drawers
  • Inside or underneath appliances (especially refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines)
  • In cracks in walls, cupboards, and skirting boards
  • Under the sink
  • You may see droppings or even be able to smell the nest.

• Cut Cockroaches Off from their Food Source
  • Keep sinks and benches dry
  • Store all food in the kitchen in sealed containers
  • Keep bins tightly lidded and remove rubbish from your kitchen and bathroom often.
  • Wipe up spills straight away
  • Be aware of the appeal of compost bins to cockroaches
  • Empty and wash pet bowls daily
  • Rinse all disposable food containers before placing them in the recycling bin
  • Clean appliances (and under them) frequently

• Eliminate all Cockroach-Friendly Hiding Places
  • Use metal drain screens or rubber drain covers, especially at night
  • Regularly clean out your pantry, under sink cupboards, and wardrobes
  • Use Damp Rid or a similar product in cupboards and wardrobes if you experience a lot of damp in your home
  • Keep your garden and porch/deck/patio clear of clutter and other appealing places to build a nest.

• Leave out Roach Bait – But Don’t Spray!
  Cockroach baits are very effective and much safer than spraying an insecticide, as the baits are mess-free and do not generate fumes. They will protect your home against roaches for up to three months. Place them around your home or commercial space in warm, dark, potentially damp areas, especially under the kitchen sink, under the fridge, under your bathroom vanity, under your washing machine, and in linen closets. The baits attract the insects to the baiting station, at which they eat the bait, go back to their nest, and die. They will also contaminate other roaches in the nest and the eggs. (The active roaches and the eggs must be eliminated together or you’ll be back at square one when the eggs hatch).

• Seal Potential Entry Points
  Block access points to your home! These include crevices and gaps in or around doorways and windows, gaps around pipes (both inside and outside), cracks around electrical boxes, air ducts, in walls, though lighting fixtures, on rooftops, and openings between floorboards if you live over a cavity. Seal or fix gaps and other entry points.

Be Proactive!

The abovementioned tips are very effective for keeping cockroach numbers in your home or business down, however, prevention is always better than cure.

Stay on top of cockroach infestation by treating your property with regular professional pest treatments. Doing so will ultimately save you time, money, and stress – and ensure you never experience the horror of a cockroach infestation.

Expert regular roach prevention treatments by a professional provider will help stop roaches from entering your home in the first place by creating a barrier and, used in conjunction with interior baits, you’ll mitigate the chances of nasty surprises.

Contact Proactive Pest Control

Proactive Pest Control is a southeast Queensland-based market leader in quality pest control. Unlike other providers in our industry, we don’t just deal with pest infestation after it takes hold! Instead, we are committed to taking a proactive approach to pest control, mitigating the risks of all types of pests before they settle in.

Summer is the main cockroach breeding season – so you need to act now. If you want to know how to get rid of cockroaches, call us today! We have the techniques and know-how to solve your problem or prevent it from happening in the first place. We are conveniently located on the Sunshine Coast and we pride ourselves on our professionalism, friendliness, and superior communication.

Contact us today for a free quote and top quality service for both residential and commercial pest control. We will eliminate those cockroaches in no time.