Cockroach. The very word makes many people squirm! These horrible unwanted guests are often found in the home, but why are they there, and how do you get rid of them? It’s fair to say that the roach is the most difficult to eradicate of all household pests. Roaches are amazingly hardy and can live in quite extreme conditions once they have entered your home through a kitchen window or swear system.
So, you have roaches in a perfectly clean house; what are you doing wrong? In this article, we’ll be looking first at why they come into your home so that you know what is attracting them, and then we’ll talk about getting rid of roaches. Let’s have a look at what attracts roaches to a house that is kept meticulously clean.
Why Do Roaches Come into My House?
We’ll start by saying that you are more than likely doing nothing wrong. It’s simply that a lot of the environment of a heated and well-kept house is attractive to roaches. Furthermore, it is not simply one thing that is enticing them into your home but several. A local professional pest control service provider such as Majestic Pest Control will be able to tell you in more detail what to do to deter roaches, but we would like to explain the main attractions of your house to these little pests.
Food
There is plenty of food for cockroaches in even the cleanest house. Cockroaches need to feed a lot, and while they seek out starchy and sweet food – they have a strong sense of smell – they will eat just about anything that contains organic elements from your solarium to the living room, they have got it all covered.
Roaches will eat paper, for example, and dead insects. They will happily feast on the food you leave out for your cat and dog. They will find crumbs in carpets that remain there no matter how much you vacuum the floor. They’ll make their way to exposed cakes and other food and never leave a glass of beer around, or they’ll have it.
You need to keep all food stored in airtight places where the roaches cannot get to – and remember these are clever creatures that will find a way if there is one – and never leave scraps around. Put the pet’s food away when they stop eating and make sure your cleaning regime is stepped up if you see evidence of roaches. That’s all you can do, and every little helps.
Water
We should add that household pests are not a new problem, and in fact, roaches have been evolving for millions of years. They don’t suffer, for example, from food poisoning and are entirely resilient to bacteria. It’s said that all that would survive if a virus wiped us out would be roaches. That may be an exaggeration, but they would certainly still be here!
Leaky pipes, running faucets, standing water of any kind – all of these are attractive to roaches. They cannot live long without water, but they can without food. They will be attracted by any moisture – which is why they like your bathroom – so you need to make sure you have a sealed door on your bathroom, and there are no leaks in your system. Even the slightest small puddle is appealing to the roach.
Warmth
The major problem with roaches is that once they are fed and watered off, they go to the hiding place in your home to breed. A few roaches can become an infestation in no time at all. They are attracted to your home because it is warm and comfortable. Especially attractive are those rooms that are warm and moist.
We’ve already mentioned the bathroom – the roach’s favorite place – but they will also seek out attics and closets. Make sure you check these areas for roaches if you believe you have them in your house. You may find they are present in your home when the colder weather sets in. Many roach species are not fans of the cold, so they will seek warmth. This is why your home can be pristine, and yet roaches still live there.
Safety
Contrary to popular belief, roaches do face predators. Lizards and rodents are keen on a nice roach meal, as are both domestic and feral cats. Even if you have a house cat, the roach is safer indoors than out. Your home is a haven for these creatures, and there’s not a lot you can do other than make sure all possible roach entrances are sealed.
Light
Finally, like most common household pests – especially moths and flies – some roach species are attracted to light. Leave a light on indoors at night, and the roaches will appreciate it very much.
So, to sum up, you can have the cleanest house in the world, and the roach will not care. If there’s even the slightest hint of food, moisture, warmth, and comfort, your home is a hotel for roaches. So, what can you do about them?
How Do I Get Rid of Roaches?
You can head to the hardware store and buy roach-killing products and give that a go. However, these are not recommended if you have pets or children in the home. You can also look up DIY roach traps and such – there are plenty of suggestions that work, and you can find instructions online – and give them a go. But remember what we said about the roach feeding and breeding: while you’re trying these methods to get rid, you give the creatures time to breed and expand the colony.
It doesn’t take long for a dozen roaches to become a hundred, and so on. The answer? Call in the experts. Talk to a professional local pest control company about your roach problem. They will use their expertise and the best and right techniques to eliminate roaches from your home. They will also advise you on how to make your home as roach-proof as possible. Don’t waste time on methods that might work. Get in touch with the experts now for the best advice.
