Research shows that cockroaches spread many different bacteria, parasitic worms, and human pathogens. These pests like to hide in dark, dirty corners of your house. If you notice one or two cockroaches roaming around your home, you most likely have a cockroach infestation. Here are some cockroach control mistakes you should avoid.
Failing to Attend to Damp Places
Inspect your home for leaking pipes, utilities, and moist areas. Since roaches thrive in wet environments and places where they can access water, you should check whether the section under your kitchen is damp.
Additionally, check for leaks in your washing machine, water filter, and refrigerator. Make sure no area in your house is wet. Leaving critical locations of your home wet will attract cockroaches.
Failing to Rearrange Things
Many people leave kitchen items in the same place for an extended time. You should occasionally rearrange your kitchen to prevent cockroaches from finding a breeding place. Move the refrigerator, stove, and other equipment to a new position. This way, you will notice whether roaches were living in a specific area. And this forces the roaches out of their hiding places.
Using Cockroach Traps
While traps in strategic locations in your home can help you eliminate cockroaches, it is wrong to think they will eradicate your pest problem permanently. Cockroaches are unpredictable, and some even know how to evade traps.
Roaches are cautious about where they go and like to hide in the dark. They usually dispatch their adventurous counterparts to find food before coming out of their hiding places. Therefore, it is likely that your traps will only catch a few roaches but not all of them.
Using Insecticides
Fighting a cockroach infestation with insecticide by yourself is a bad idea. If you aren't familiar with the products that eradicate roaches or how to use them, you could be exposing yourself to health issues. The chemicals may harm you instead of eliminating the cockroaches.
Furthermore, cockroaches can develop a cuticle that is chemical-resistant. This allows them to introduce the chemicals they have absorbed in sensitive areas. For example, the cockroaches will contaminate your food preparation surfaces, dishes, and food supplies.
Many people take roaches for granted, but these pests are as lethal as mosquitoes, termites, and rats. They spread disease and pose other serious health hazards. Remember, no traps, insecticides, or chemicals can substitute the services offered by a pest control service. Therefore, if you realize you have a cockroach infestation, reach out to a pest control service.