German cockroaches, and roaches in general, are known to frequent some pretty unhealthy places - places that you and I would never even dream of going; places that are teeming with bacteria and other pathogens that can cause some real problems; places that are smelly, dirty and disgusting. In fact, some of their favorite hangouts include sewers, drain pipes, garbage dumps, septic systems, and the like. You would never consider going to these areas and then coming into your home and making your lunch without first washing and disinfecting yourself and changing your clothes. Even then, it is almost certain that you would still feel unclean and would have a hard time enjoying that sandwich. You may even eat around the areas where your fingers touched, making sure not to eat any of those potentially germ infested areas on your sandwich. But, when cockroaches invade these germs can spread unchecked throughout your home.
The trouble is that German cockroaches pick up bacteria and other harmful germs as they crawl through these very unsanitary areas; and as they do, these pathogens stick to their legs and bellies. These germs are transferred to any areas that the roaches travel upon. Also, as they feed in these untidy areas, their stomachs become Petri dishes for many different illnesses that they can easily spread through their feces or saliva.
When German cockroaches invade, they contaminate the food storage and food prep areas of your home just by walking across them. German cockroaches don’t wash after leaving their hangouts, and they don’t wipe their feet before walking across your counter or over that bowl of apples sitting on the table. They have no manners at all, and will defecate and vomit wherever they please and leave drops of saliva and vomit on whatever they taste – items that may include your toothbrush or that may include the corners of your mouth when they eat the food and toothpaste remnants found there as you sleep. They have even been known to nibble on an eyelash or on a fingernail or two, but this is rare!
German cockroaches are known carriers of salmonella, staphylococcus, streptococcus, polio virus, and many forms of gastroenteritis (food poisoning, dysentery, diarrhea, and the like). The excrement and shed skin casings of the roach can also be triggers for people causing allergic reactions like rash, watery eyes, sneezing, and congestion. Roaches are also known triggers for asthma.
There are some DIY solutions out there, but they are rarely effective at solving a roach infestation and generally only result in a roach colony relocating to a different area of your home, waiting for the DIY product to dissipate before returning to forage in your kitchen. Plus, DIY products fail to address the areas around your home that are attracting roaches or the areas of your home that are giving them free access inside. For a complete resolution to a cockroach invasion, you will need the help of a trusted pest professional like the ones here at Big Blue Bug Solutions.
You can find relief from German cockroaches when you implement a year-round residential or commercial pest control plan from Big Blue Bug Solutions. Our year-round services are the way to ensure that you will not have to worry about German cockroaches or dozens of other pests in your home or business throughout the entire year. To learn more about our industry leading pest control solutions for your home or business, contact us today.