How To Get Rid of Cockroaches

Get Rid of Roaches in Your Home

Protect Your Family from Cockroaches

Cockroaches are a high risk pest to have in your home as they carry a range of serious illnesses including salmonella, dysentery, and gastroenteritis. Cockroach droppings have even been implicated as being a contributing factor leading to childhood asthma.

Cockroaches also produce an obnoxious odor that contaminates nearby food and belongings.

Cockroaches can breed rapidly and are highly resilient. For this reason, it is very important to know how to get rid of cockroaches in your home and to act quickly to prevent cockroaches in your home or spreading to your neighbors.

Recognizing Cockroaches

There are three common species of cockroaches found in the home:

• German Cockroach - 5/8” - Also known as the “croton bug” the German roach is brown in color with 2 dark stripes on thorax. The wings are as long as the body or slightly overlapping in both sexes, despite this they prefer to run or climb. It prefers moist environments such as kitchen cabinets and bathrooms.
  

• Oriental Cockroach - 1 ½” - Dark brown to black in color. The wings are undeveloped in female but cover ¾ length of the abdomen in the male; both sexes prefer to run or climb. It prefers cool, damp environments like drains, sewers and crawl spaces.
  

• American Cockroach - 1 ½” - Also known as the palmetto bug, the American Cockroach is reddish brown in color and has a pale yellow area around the perimeter of the pronotum. These cockroaches tend to be found in dark, undisturbed areas that are high in humidity.
  

Typical Signs of a Cockroach Problem

Are you worried about cockroaches in your home? If you notice any of the signs below, your home may be at risk from cockroaches:

• Seeing live insects – cockroaches are nocturnal and hide during the day. You will most likely see them when turning on the light in the kitchen at night
• Egg cases and cast skins – cockroaches shed their skin 5-8 times as they mature
• Droppings – cockroaches leave a dust of black droppings less than 1mm wide and of varying lengths
• Odor – established cockroach infestations produce an unpleasant, musty smell
• Damage - cockroaches will attack organic goods including leather and books

If you are worried, contact a pest control professional for advice on how to get rid of cockroaches.

How to Prevent Cockroaches

There are a number of steps you can take to prevent cockroaches invading your home.

Seal entry points: can help to prevent cockroaches from entering your home. Key risks are gaps around pipes, drains and common walls with neighboring properties, especially when dealing with Oriental and American cockroaches.

Clear away crumbs and other particles of food: German cockroaches tend to favor kitchens and can be attracted by crumbs into your home.
As with many pests, the most effective way to get rid of cockroaches is to keep food and water out of reach.

Top Tips to Prevent Cockroaches:

• Store food in containers or in sealed plastic bags
• Clean all garbage and spills immediately
• Clean food debris from under refrigerators or ovens
• Clean used dishes immediately after meals
• Remove pet food, water and litter trays overnight
• Keep garbage or compost in sealed bins
• Do not leave liquids in sinks or buckets overnight

How to Get Rid of Cockroaches

It can be very difficult to get rid of cockroaches and they may require professional cockroach treatment. Although many homeowners struggle with do it yourself cockroach control remedies, the results are often less than satisfactory. Small problems can develop into large ones and this is when many people seek out the services of a pest control professional.

Ehrlich technicians are skilled, experienced professionals – they are state certified, licensed applicators and are required to participate in regular training programs to maintain their expertise. They understand the habits of each species and use that knowledge when developing a control program for your home. They also have respect for you, your home, your family and your time.

At Ehrlich, we pride ourselves on fast, responsive service every day. We are always available 24 hours a day for any emergency pest concerns that may develop and all appointments are scheduled at times that are convenient for you.

Call Ehrlich Pest Control free at 1-877-855-5659 for further information on preventing cockroaches, advice on how to get rid of cockroaches or to arrange a visit by an Ehrlich technician.