How do you get rid of cockroaches at home?

Cockroaches are gregarious pests, which once introduced into your home, can invade the space in a short time. They are very fast reproducing insects and are generally more active at night than during the day, so seeing them during the day is usually an indicator of an important infestation.

Cockroaches prefer to hide and live in dark and humid areas, namely in kitchens behind your refrigerator, sink and other appliances or in bathrooms behind the sink... With their ability to flatten their bodies to fit into narrower areas, you may even find them in the cracks inside your walls. They eat leftover food, but also soap, toothpaste, wood, leather, feces...

Cockroaches can enter the house by being transported from an infested place or through openings of pipes, windows... Once in the house, they can quickly spread and infect entire buildings or blocks. This is why it is important to know how to quickly spot the signs of a cockroach infestation and call a professional exterminator to help you get rid of them once and for all.

How do you identify cockroaches?

In Canada, the most common cockroaches are German cockroaches. They measure between 1.3 and 1.6 cm. Their body is brownish in color and despite having wings, they cannot fly. They are nocturnal insects so you are more likely to find them at night in your kitchen or bathroom.

What are the risks associated with a cockroach infestation?

Apart from being extremely unhygienic, cockroaches can transmit diseases, cause allergies (sneezing, watery eyes, headaches ...) and trigger asthma attacks. The presence of cockroaches in the living environment can also be a source of stress for the inhabitants of the house.

Signs of a cockroach invasion

Weather plays a crucial role in a cockroach invasion, since the longer they go undetected, the more they reproduce and the more difficult it will be to exterminate them. It is therefore important to know how to detect the first signs of a cockroach infestation:

1. See one or more cockroaches?

The most obvious sign of an infestation is when you see a cockroach. Since they are nocturnal insects, the best time to spot them is at night. You'll usually see them scatter if you walk into a room and turn on the light.

They are not light-loving pests so if you see any during the day it may mean that the invasion is important and has been going on for a while. The lack of a food source can also cause them to brave the light of day to survive. You can also find dead cockroaches.

2. Cockroach droppings?

Cockroaches are able to eat anything from plants and human food to dead skin cells, garbage and even feces. They have a high metabolism so they produce a lot of feces. Depending on the type of cockroach, their size, and the level of infestation, their droppings can vary from tiny peppercorns to coffee beans. If you find a large number of droppings behind your stove, refrigerator, sinks, cupboards... you are in a high-traffic area for cockroaches, so cut off sources of food and water nearby.

3. Cockroach eggs?

Cockroach infestations can escalate quickly since cockroaches are aggressive breeders. And they lay a lot. Cockroaches do not lay singular eggs, they produce what are called oothecae, which are long, brown envelopes that house many eggs. For the German cockroach, an ootheca can contain up to 50 eggs. This very protective mother does not leave her ootheca in plain sight like most other types of cockroaches, but carries them with her until the eggs are ready to hatch, making them even more difficult to spot and exterminate.

4. Musky odor?

Cockroaches can emit a pungent, unpleasant musty odor as the infestation spreads. This oily smell can come from a lot of cockroaches, just as it can be from a single German cockroach. The odors produced by cockroaches linger in the air and can even affect the taste of food, hence the need for rapid intervention.

How to eliminate cockroaches?

Prevention

Prevention is often the best medicine. To prevent cockroaches from entering your home, do the following:

• Before buying or picking up used goods, inspect them thoroughly for the presence of dead skin, droppings... cockroaches.?
• Wait until the invasion is over before moving from one infested house to another ?
• Seal cracks around pipes and install window screens.?

Physical interventions

First of all, you need to make sure that your home is clean and dry. Make sure to:

• Store food, even pet food, in tightly closed, airtight containers.?
• Pick up any crumbs and leftover food immediately.?
• Thoroughly and frequently clean dark and narrow places (behind the refrigerator, household appliances, etc.)?
• Close garbage cans securely and empty them regularly.?
• Vacuum the house to remove crumbs and capture cockroaches and their eggs.?
• Wash your dishes immediately after use if possible. Otherwise, soak them in soapy water.?

You could also use sticky traps that will allow you to catch cockroaches when they are in small numbers. You just need to place the traps in the most likely places, namely the kitchen and the bathroom. But most of the time, in order to exterminate this enemy, it is essential to call a pest management expert.

They will be able to guide you and put in place the necessary special hygiene measures that will get rid of cockroaches once and for all and prevent their return. Do not hesitate to contact us in the event of an infestation!