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Have you been scouring the internet in search of the best way to get rid of roaches?
If so, your search can end now.
Getting rid of cockroaches can be stressful, but luckily, with a little bit of know-how, you can quell your fears and find a permanent solution to this problem.
Nothing shuts a restaurant down faster than a customer seeing a roach scuttling across the bathroom floor - but you don’t need to be a business owner in order to know that roaches are a serious problem.
If you have a cockroach infestation in your home, you likely know the truth of this statement all too well.
Roaches are notoriously difficult to kill and have the ability to send even the thickest-skinned homeowner into a full-blown panic.
Knowing what roaches are - and why they are problematic - is your first step to controlling an infestation.
There are several types of cockroaches, but all are usually shaped like ovals and red-brown in color.
These creatures can be as large as three inches long, but besides those similarities, there are a few differences among the various cockroach species, too.
The four main roaches to worry about in the United States are the American cockroach, the German cockroach, the brown-banded cockroach and the oriental cockroach.
Almost all of these are attracted to food in your home and can live from anywhere between six months and two years.
Some, like the American cockroach, can fly short distances, while others, like the German cockroach, produce a prolific number of eggs.
Because these insects are so pervasive and so avid in their breeding patterns, it’s important for you to get a handle on an infestation - and fast.
These pests are attracted to all kinds of human food along with other items, like filth, excrement, and even hair.
Cockroaches are not only unpleasant to look at, but they can also spread a wide variety of diseases, including salmonella and dysentery.
If you want to know how to get rid of roaches, you must first begin by positively identifying a roach infestation.
Aside from seeing the pests themselves (which often indicates a larger than average inflation), you might notice signs like roach feces, roach eggs, and odd smells.
Cockroaches leave behind a ton of nasty odors.
Some are released by live roaches, while others are emitted by dead, decomposing roaches, as they release oleic acid.
This odor will be pungent and musty, getting worse the longer the infestation remains untreated.
Otherwise, cockroaches are most active at night, so you’re more likely to see them outside of the daytime hours.
During the day, these pests will hang out in secluded areas, like various cracks and crevices in your home.
Cockroaches flourish where food, shelter, and water are readily available, so cleaning things up is going to be your first step.
Don’t leave out pet food or dirty dishes overnight and store all food in airtight containers.
Remove any garbage that’s lying around, too. If food or water are spilled, clean the mess up immediately.
Now is the time to become a clean freak!
You should also do your best to eliminate any standing water.
Dry your sinks every evening and avoid overwatering house plants.
If you have any leaking pipes, fix them immediately.
Finally, remember that cockroaches prefer warm, damp environments.
Keep your home as cool as possible and consider running a dehumidifier to prevent these pests from intruding.
When it comes to getting rid of cockroaches, you have two different options: chemical methods of control, and natural methods of control.
The best way to get rid of roaches will be to use a combination of all of these techniques.
First, examine your outdoor environment.
This won’t necessarily get rid of the roaches in your home, but it will prevent new ones from getting inside.
Make sure all of your windows are equipped with tight-fitting screens and seal up any openings or cracks around doors and windows with cracks.
You may need to use materials like caulk or copper mesh to seal up the small holes where pipes and wires entire the walls.
Delta Dust Multi Use Insecticide
Next, you might consider some of the most common insecticides to get rid of your roach problem.
These are usually sold as liquid or aerosol sprays but some can also be found as dusts or edible baits.
Take caution when using any of these items, as they can be toxic and epically harmful to children or pets.
If you use an insecticidal spray, you can use this to target potential hiding spots.
Try not to spray countertops, floors, or walls, as cockroaches won’t spend much time here.
If you use a bait, you will likely have better results.
These contain slow-acting insecticides along with food attractants.
The pests will find the bait and crawl away to die.
Be careful with your placement of these so that pets and children can’t access them.
Otherwise, you might consider placing your traps behind appliances like dishwashers, stoves, refrigerators or even near trash bins.
When it comes to natural treatments, your first line of defense is going to be proper sanitation.
Beyond that, you can also give diatomaceous earth and boric acid a try.
Both of these have low toxicity and are odorless.
Diatomaceous earth is used for many other types of pest infestations.
You should apply this material (which is just the ground up skeletons of fossilized insects) in hard-to-reach areas, like between cabinets.
There are other natural substances that have proven to be effective against cockroaches, such as ceneole (found in bay leaves), catnip, and osage orange oil.
You can use these as sprays wherever cockroaches are a problem.
Roaches are difficult to eliminate - ever heard of the rumor that cockroaches will survive a nuclear holocaust?
That’s because they are tough and not easy to kill.
Therefore, being proactive is important to keep cockroach infestations at bay.
Don’t let your roach problem become so severe that it’s difficult to treat.
Instead, consider the tips above to get rid of roaches - before they begin to rear their ugly heads.