There’s nothing worse than working hard to keep your Bethesda, MD house squeaky clean, only to find a cockroach in your house. Sure, a cockroach here or there is normal. After all, cockroaches are one of the most common household pests. But when the pests become persistent and begin making a home out of your home, you’ve got a problem.
If you don’t take care of the roach you find in your house, you could end up with a whole infestation. Cockroaches have the ability to multiply quickly. And the truth is cockroaches, specifically German cockroaches, do not just appear in unsanitary homes.
If you want to learn about why you have a roach in your house, and how to get rid of them, keep reading. We’ve got all the best information you could need when it comes to fighting back against this pesky pest.
Whether you have ants, termites, rodents, or cockroaches in your house, one thing is for sure – common bugs in your home are looking for food and water. So, it makes sense that even the cleanest of homes will have a few roaches.
In addition, here are the top things that the cockroach in your house is after:
Lastly, cockroaches are attracted to humid weather. They love the excess moisture that a Bethesda summer brings. Plus, if you have leaky pipes and faucets in your bathrooms, kitchen, or laundry room, you’re likely to spot a cockroach at some point.
It may seem obvious but keeping a clean home will eliminate a lot of the pests that come into your home. This is because the less food and water you have readily available, the less likely any type of pest, cockroach included, will want to stick around.
Of course, German cockroaches typically hide in kitchens since there is lots of water and food to be found there. But in general, roaches will go anywhere in your house they can find sustenance.
Here are some housekeeping best practices to follow:
In addition to keeping your house free of food and water that will attract cockroaches, it’s a good idea to declutter too. The more clutter you have in your home, the more places cockroaches have to hide. If you make it hard for the roach in your house to be safe while seeking out food and water, you’ll find them leaving sooner than later.
One of the best ways to keep the roaches out of your house is to close up any entryways they have into your home. To prevent cockroaches on the outside from breaking in, fill all points of entry with caulk. For example, gaps between walls or tile, entry holes, and small crevices should be closed up.
If the gaps are large, you can always use something like steel wool and foam to fill them up. This is especially helpful around pipes, which is an easy way for roaches to get inside unnoticed. If you find cockroaches getting in through your chimney or attic vents, one option is to create a barrier using wire mesh.
Lastly, keep the weatherstripping on your doors and windows free of cracks and holes to keep pesky roaches out.
Although fixing a water leak should already be a priority for you (water damage is no fun!), it’s important you fix these things to prevent pests too.
Remember, it’s not just the humid summer that attracts cockroaches inside. Roaches are great at finding all sources of water without people even realizing it. For instance, a roach can find a refrigerator, sink, faucet, or washing machine leak very quickly. And once other cockroaches realize the source of water is consistent, there will be an infestation before you know it.
Cockroaches love cardboard boxes and newspapers. They love to hide in them and worse yet, breed in them. If you have a bunch of newspapers or boxes laying around inside your house, in your backyard shed, or in the garage, it’s time to clean up.
Don’t wait until spring cleaning to get a jump on cleaning up this kind of clutter. That is unless you want to have a cockroach infestation on your hands.
Eco-conscious pest control is something all people should get on board with.
Luckily, sometimes all you need to stop a cockroach in your home is a mixture of liquid soap and water in a spray bottle. When you see the roach appear, give it a little spray and trust that within about a minute it will be dead.
Though the cockroach will run away once you squirt it with the soapy water, it will die because the soapy mixture creates a film over its breathing pores. The end result is a suffocated cockroach. Just make sure to nab the roach and toss it once it’s incapacitated. There is always a chance the soapy mixture will wear off and the cockroach will recover. After all, there’s a reason people believe cockroaches will be the last living thing on earth should everything else perish.
If you find the soapy water mixture isn’t cutting it, or the infestation is becoming more than you can easily handle, it’s time to buy some professional products to help.
Here are some of your best options:
Are you in need of professional extermination services because of a cockroach infestation you can’t or don’t want to handle yourself? If so, contact us today for help with your pest problem.
At Brody Brothers Pest Control, we strive to take the most proactive and effective approach to getting rid of cockroaches in your home. Not only can we get rid of the roaches in your house right away, but we can also provide the type of long-lasting pest control results you expect from a top-notch Bethesda pest control company.
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My dad noticed that his basement is being infested with cockroaches, which is why he's thinking of hiring a residential pest control treatment service that will be able to get rid of them. Well, thank you for this; I'll make sure to remind him that he must de-clutter his space because this will prevent the pests from accumulating. We'll also keep in mind to check his house for any leakage and have it fixed right away.