How to Kill Roaches

The article presets effective methods for killing cockroaches in a home. Tips presented include traps and bait systems.

Cockroaches are never a welcome sight. Not only to they instill fear in most people, but they can be dangerous as they carry harmful bacteria and germs. It’s important to kill cockroaches to avoid the transmission of diseases and bacteria around your home. The key to getting ridding of all the cockroaches in your home is to take care of the problem properly, Here are a few options for getting rid of your roach problem.

Traps
There are various store-bought and homemade traps available. A basic homemade trap consists of: An empty food jar, a thin film of petroleum jelly around the inside lip, and a piece of beer-soaked bread or another small piece of smelly food in the bottom. To be most effective, the traps should be placed in dark spaces, such as under cabinets and refrigerators, and around trash cans. This type of homemade trap is good for eliminating a small cockroach problem. However, if you have a widespread infestation, other methods are the key to exterminating these awful pests.

Baits
Cockroach baits are available as pastes, gels and dusts. Bait stations work well to entice the roaches and then ill them off with poison. Homeowners with pets and children often prefer this method as it is safer than chemical sprays.

Water Starvation
Starvation is another method for ridding your home of cockroaches. It works well at preventing the return of the roaches. Cockroaches can live for 42 days with only water, and they only need tiny, crumb-sized amounts of food to survive. Tightening loose pipes, and wiping out standing water in bathtubs or sinks will help make your home less favorable to cockroaches.

Cleanliness
The less garbage, the less roaches. Keep all surfaces in your home clean, including tables and chairs. Trash cans should be sealed and regularly emptied. An adult cockroach can squeeze through a 1/16th-inch crack so be sure to seal cracks and gaps around your home. Other tips include the removal of boxes, paper bags and other bits of clutter that would make an attractive spot for a roach to live.

Cockroach Facts:
•    A roach can live a week without its head.
•    Roaches can run as fast as 3 miles per hour.
•    Baby roaches can crawl through a crack as thin as .5 mm wide. Adult male roaches can crawl through a crack as thin as 1.6 mm.
•    There are 4,000 species of roaches
•    Cockroaches can survive in freezing temperatures.

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