When is the last time you saw a cockroach? Did you recently purchase a used washing machine and see a dead roach fall out from underneath it as you moved it inside? Did one dash under your feet this morning when you turned on the bathroom light? Perhaps you saw one scurry into a crack in your living room wall. Maybe you haven’t seen one in a while but have recently had them on your mind. In all honesty, it doesn’t really matter when you saw these pests last. What matters is that you take action today to keep them out of your living areas. To help you with this, here is a total cockroach-prevention guide, catered to homeowners here in Humboldt & Del Norte County.
Understand Your Enemy
Before we talk about methods to keep cockroaches out of your home, we feel it is important that you understand why and how these pests get indoors. The main reasons cockroaches invade area homes are to find shelter from inclement weather, to be protected from predators that mean them harm, and to find moisture and food. As for where cockroaches come from, these pests get indoors by crawling through gaps, cracks, and damage in the exterior of homes; torn window/door screens and damaged weatherstripping; and by squeezing under unprotected doors,
Seal Your Home’s Exterior
The first thing you should do to secure your home against invasive cockroaches is to make sure its exterior is properly sealed. Start by using a caulking gun to fill in holes, gaps, and cracks around your home’s exterior foundation. After this, investigate your doors and windows to make sure their screens, weatherstripping, and door sweeps are in good working order. Finally, do your best to keep unscreened doors and windows closed when they are not in use.
Address Food and Moisture Attractants
Cockroaches thrive in areas that offer them plenty of opportunities to find food and moisture. To make sure these pests are not comfortable inside your living areas, here are some general prevention tips to limit their access to snacks and drinks.
- Wipe down surfaces around your home, and sweep, mop, and vacuum floors daily.
- Wash beneath large kitchen appliances and furniture.
- Store pet food, pantry items, and leftovers inside airtight containers.
- Make sure your trash cans have tight-fitting lids and clean them regularly.
- Address food messes and drink spills as they happen.
- Clean out your pets' food and water bowls before going to bed at night.
- Fix leaky piping and fixtures inside your home.
- Use a dehumidifier to combat humidity.
Reduce Clutter and Remove Debris
Our final tip for you is to keep your living and storage areas tidy. Cockroaches need tight spaces to hide during the day and regularly seek shelter in messy basements, storage areas, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and other moist areas. We recommend getting rid of items you would consider trash and organizing your home to minimize clutter.
How To Get Rid Of Cockroaches
If you are looking for how to get rid of cockroaches in a cost-effective and reliable way, look no further than Accurate Termite & Pest Solutions. We understand cockroach behavior and work hard to provide the absolute best services possible to assist our customers in handling these pests. Whether you need your home inspected or are looking for a long-term solution to keep these disease-spreading bugs away from your home, we have your option here. All you have to do is let us know you need help. Do this by calling us today. We will walk you through our pest control services and help find a time to service your Humboldt & Del Corte County property for these invasive pests.