There are few things in this life as disturbing as a cockroach running across your wall at full speed. Perhaps you've experienced this--or perhaps you're experiencing it right now. If you've seen a big, shiny, reddish cockroach running on your wall and want to know how to get rid of it with extreme prejudice, you've come to the right place. Here's your quick guide to controlling American cockroaches in your Massachusetts home.
Resistance Is Futile
There are lots of things you can do to make your home resistant to cockroaches. These tips may not make your home cockroach-free, but they are necessary for any effective pest plan to exclude these versatile insects.
Sanitation:
The American cockroach is drawn to places where food, or the promise of food, can be found, so be more sanitary with these tips:
- Keep all trash cans sealed.
- Put dirty dishes in soapy water instead of in a stack next to the sink.
- Vacuum rugs routinely.
- Every 4 months, deep clean the sides of your oven and get underneath your refrigerator where juice spills can leave sweet residue.
Clutter:
The American cockroach loves tight, confined places so keep the clutter to a minimum with these key tips:
- Get rid of clutter inside and outside of your home.
- Store firewood away from your exterior walls.
- Store any stacked construction materials far from your exterior walls.
Hide Food:
The American cockroach will multiply more quickly in places where a food source is available. Follow these hints to keep your food cockroach free:
- Store fruits inside your refrigerator.
- Put pantry items that normally come in cardboard or paper, inside hard plastic containers.
- Put pet food away between meal times.
Get Rid Of Moisture:
The American cockroach is drawn to dark damp places inside and outside of a home. Keeping your home can be simple with these suggestions:
- Fill in outside areas where water accumulates.
- Use a dehumidifier or proper ventilation to dry out moist areas of your home.
- Fix leaky pipes, spigots, and faucets.
- Address areas where pipes are sweating.
- Don't let water accumulate in sinks and tubs.
Seal Walls:
The American cockroach can climb walls, walk across ceilings and squeeze through slits. This is a hard pest to keep out, but you can deter them with these helpful ideas:
- Check all door and window screens to make sure that they are in good working condition.
- Make sure door sweeps and weather stripping make a good seal.
- Use a caulking gun to fill any rotted holes you find in your exterior walls.
- Put mesh screen over vents and other openings.
- Make sure there are no gaps around your window frames.
Complete Protection
As we pointed out earlier, the above steps won't guarantee that American cockroaches will be sealed out of your Massachusetts home, but they will go a long way to resisting them. And, when you apply these techniques alongside a pest treatment plan, it is possible to establish a cockroach-free home. Either way, hiding food sources, reducing moisture, and sealing your walls is an important first step.
If you need help protecting your home from roaches, give us a call. At Big Blue Bug, we've been fighting roaches and other pests for over 75 years. Let us help you kick those roaches out for good.