5 Ways to Prevent a Cockroach Infestation

Image courtesy of Junkyardsparkle CCO
Cockroaches are an issue that can be difficult to deal with. Roaches spread illnesses as they crawl over your dishes and through your food. They can also trigger people who have allergies and asthma. Cockroaches can be difficult to eliminate and it is best to avoid an infestation if possible. Here are five steps you can take to avoid getting cockroaches.

1. Check Packages and Boxes You Bring Into Your Home

Cockroaches can catch a ride into your home through the packages that you bring in from the grocery store or order from the warehouse. You may inadvertently bring some home from work or school in your backpack if you are working in a place that has a serious cockroach infestation. When you receive a package, open it immediately. Do not let it sit in your home, because this gives cockroaches a chance to escape. Take the box outside to the recycling immediately. Check your grocery bags and other bags when you get home and immediately empty them. If you know that there is a roach issue where you are working consider leaving your bag or purse at home.

2. Seal Off Outside Entrances for Cockroaches

Cockroaches will crawl in through the cracks around your windows or doorframes. Caulking the cracks around the windows and adding weather stripping to your door can prevent a number of cockroaches from getting in. In addition, check to make sure that the vents in your attic or home have exclusion barriers that are designed to let air in but keep insects like roaches and termites out. Look at any area where a pipe enters your home. Be sure that the wood around it is in good condition and that there are not cracks or holes that cockroaches can crawl through.

3. Trim Back Overhanging Trees and Bushes

Cockroaches can crawl up trees or bushes and drop onto your roof. There they may find weaknesses in your roof or the vents that lead into your kitchen or bathroom and make their way inside of your home. Trimming back overhanging limbs will help prevent cockroaches and other pests (like mice) from finding a way inside your home. This can make a big difference without too much effort.

4. Protect Your Walls and Home

If you live in an apartment, townhome or condo, you may be facing a bigger battle when it comes to preventing cockroaches. They will move through your shared wall space and can invade your home even if you keep it as clean as possible. There are a few things you can do to protect your home.
  • Be sure that the electrical covers are installed over all of the outlets.
  • Install childproof plugs in each outlet.
  • Repair any holes in the walls that will allow roaches to move into your home.
  • Seal up cracks between the walls and your cupboards to seal areas where roaches nest.
  • Keep your bathtub drains closed when you are not using it.

5. Keep Your Home Clean

Keeping your home clean will make a big difference in the number of cockroaches in your home. If you do not provide them with food or water or a place to nest then they will not stay. Cockroaches like clutter. If you can clear off your counters and bookshelves, you will help to reduce the number of places for cockroaches to hide. Doing your dishes as soon as you eat and taking out your trash every evening can also help reduce the chances of having cockroaches. Be sure to only eat in the kitchen.

Diseases that Cockroaches Spread

cockroachCockroaches are often associated with dirt and filth. Many people freak out when they see a roach in their home, and there is good reason for this. Cockroaches multiply rapidly and one or two can quickly turn into thousands. Cockroaches spread disease when they crawl over your dishes or get into your food. In addition to the diseases they can also aggravate people who have allergies or asthma.

Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis is caused by the bacteria Salmonella. People who have this will have cramping and diarrhea and a fever. The onset is usually within one to three days of being exposed and can last up to a week. If you have a healthy immune system, you will likely recover without any treatment, but if you have a weak immune system, you may need to visit a doctor. If you become dehydrated, you may need to receive I.V. fluids.

Typhoid Fever

There used to be regular outbreaks of typhoid fever in the United States. However, the incidence has been reduced due to better sanitation.  The disease is spread by ingesting the bacteria, which can quickly spread to an infection in the intestines that can spread to the gall bladder and spleen. The disease can take up to two weeks to develop and last for up to a month. People can run a fever up to 104 degrees, have a poor appetite and diarrhea. This can be treated with antibiotics.

Cholera

Cholera is an infection that causes water diarrhea. It is spread through contaminated food and water. It can take between 1 and 5 days to develop and it can kill within hours if the person is not treated. The dehydration can kill you, and it is important to be treated quickly. The key is to stay hydrated, and there are special solutions that you can take to help with that.

Gastroenteritis

This is what people commonly call the stomach flu. It occurs when the lining of your stomach or intestines become inflamed due to a virus or bacteria. It can cause fever, stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. It is easily spread from person to person and most people recover on their own. However, it is important to make sure the person stays hydrated throughout the illness.

Dysentery

Dysentery is spread through contaminated food or water. It causes bloody diarrhea that needs to be treated by a doctor. Symptoms also include fever and abdominal pain. There are a number of viruses and bacteria that can cause this, and cockroaches can carry those and contaminate your food or dishes when they crawl through them.You can learn more about cockroaches by reading 10 Facts About Cockroaches or if you have problems with cockroaches you can call the cockroach control experts at EcoTek to eliminate them.

5 Ways to Prevent Cockroaches

Cockroaches can wander into almost any home. They quickly multiply and can invade your home and spread germs by crawling over your dishes in your cupboard. They are always looking for steady water source and for food to eat. When a roach lays an egg sack, it contains up to 50 eggs. Most roaches will lay a new sack about every two months. Since roaches take about 100 days to mature, a few roaches can quickly turn into many. There are steps that you can take to prevent roaches from being in your home.

Take Out the Trash

It is important to take out your trash and to store your trash cans away from your home. Cockroaches want an easy source of food and taking your trash out each night will give them one less thing to eat. Be sure that your trash cans outside are sealed tightly, which can prevent the roaches from crawling in from outside and choosing to stay.

Find and Deal with Leaks

Cockroaches need to find water in order to survive. If they do not find it they will leave. You can often find them in your kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms. Be sure to have family members mop up after a bath or shower to minimize the amount of water you have around your home. Looking for leaks and a dripping faucet and addressing these issues can help you to reduce the chances of cockroaches creating a nest in your home.

Make Sure You Home Is Clean

Wiping down the counters, sweeping the floors and vacuuming each night will help to minimize the food sources for any roaches that may wander into your home. In addition to this cleaning and wiping out your cupboards regularly and mopping under your refrigerator can get rid of any crumbs that may accumulate there. Allowing food to be eaten only in the kitchen is another great way to limit the amount of cleaning you need to do each night.

Stop Them from Getting in Your Home

There are a few things you can do to reduce the number of roaches that get inside the home. Many roaches will come into the home through the vents on the roof. Trimming branches hanging over the roof can help to reduce the number of roaches in your home. Another step is to seal cracks around your doors and windows. Also seal the areas where the pipes come into your home. You can use caulking to do this effectively. You should also check any second hand furniture you bring into your home to make sure there are no roaches already living in them.

Find Professional Help

It has been said that for every roach you see, there is at least twenty others that you do not see. Do not wait until it turns into a true infestation. Call the roach extermination pros at EcoTek to help you get rid of your cockroaches for good. They can safely treat your home for cockroaches while keeping you and your family safe. This will stop the roaches from spreading bacteria or diseases through their droppings.