Cockroaches; A Pest Problem No-one Wants

It can be quite embarrassing to have company over and have them see you have a cockroach problem.  It would really be a problem if you were all having dinner.  To avoid this potentially embarrassing situation, you can use some of the following tips to prevent an infestation.

Roaches are attracted to dirty homes.  Therefore, you will need to keep yours as clean as you possibly can.  Making sure that the floor is not dirty is one of the most important things to do, so you should sweep and vacuum daily.  Also, crumbs left on the countertops attract roaches, so you should wipe them down on a daily basis as well.

It is common to get a bit lazy after you eat dinner.  Do not just toss the dirty dishes in the sink though because these pests will feast on the leftovers.  If you do not feel like washing the dishes immediately, you should at least rinse them off or put them in the dishwasher.

You will undoubtedly have quite a bit of food in your trashcan.  It is important that your trashcan have a lid that fits tightly so that the pests cannot get inside and gorge on the garbage.  Do not let your garbage can get too full either – you should take the trash outside on a regular basis.

It is important to know that moisture will really attract roaches to their homes.  They especially love areas that are dark and moist areas like your basement.  Since humidity is a common problem in basements, you may need to run a dehumidifier down there to keep from havinga suitable area for them to call home.

Roaches are frequently found in the bathroom too, because of all the water it provides.  If a drain is clogged in your bathroom, you will need to get it fixed immediately.  The same thing applies if your bathtub or toilet is leaking water.  It's not even a good idea to leave dirty or damp washcloths lying around since that also offers cockroaches water to use.

Homeowners that have cracks in their foundation, baseboard, windows, or doorframes will have all sorts of pests enter through them - including cockroaches.  It is important to seal these cracks as soon as you notice them.  Inspect your home regularly so that you can spot problems soon after they occur.  You can also try applying boric acid powder to cracks, which will help keep these pests out.