cockroaches in house eating food

Every year, homes across America are infested with cockroaches. These insects are both a nuisance and a danger to homes they infest. Furthermore, they are difficult to eliminate once they get inside making prevention a necessity for concerned homeowners. Fortunately, the experts at Pestmaster^® Services know the tricks necessary for cockroach control.

Eliminate Outdoor Cockroach Attractants

The first step to preventing cockroaches in the home is to deter them from coming around your yard in the first place. Landscaping is one factor that can attract them, especially dense vegetation that provides moisture, shade, and food sources for cockroaches.

For these reasons, one crucial aspect of cockroach prevention is keeping vegetation neatly trimmed away from your home. This step will facilitate sunlight exposure and thus reduce shady spots around the foundation of the home that attract cockroaches. Furthermore, increased sunlight will evaporate moisture sources that cockroaches use for nourishment.

You should also keep your yard free of clutter like tires, toys, and trash. Like vegetation, these objects can serve as both hiding spots and moisture pools for roaches, so removing these hiding spots will go a long way in keeping roaches (and other insects) out of your yard.

Keep Kitchens & Dining Areas Clean

With the outside clear, it’s time to turn your attention indoors, namely to the areas of your home where food is prepared and eaten. The number one thing that attracts cockroaches of all types is the presence of food and water that they need to survive. Keeping these areas free of roaches is essential to the health of the people inside.

Take care to thoroughly wash and clean all the dishes after every meal. Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight, as this can provide the perfect location for roaches to obtain both water and food. Either hand-dry dishes or store them in the dishwasher after every meal.
Clean up crumbs and spills after meals. Crumbs dropped on the floor can be a huge attractant to roaches, so be careful not to drop anything on the floor and sweep or mop up spills as soon as they happen. You should also wipe down kitchen countertops regularly.
Roaches are small enough to get inside toasters, waffle irons, ovens, and blenders, so these should be cleaned of crumbs regularly. Cockroaches can often nest underneath appliances like refrigerators and stoves, so be sure to clean underneath these areas as well.
Keep all food (including pet food) in sealed containers, and refrigerate fruits instead of leaving them out.

Control Trash & Clutter

Trash is another huge factor that attracts roaches, so keep trash inside the home stored in closed trash containers and take it out regularly. Outside trash should also be kept in sealed containers with the lid closed. Sweep and mop the floors regularly to remove any lingering food particles, and vacuum carpets regularly. Baseboards and cabinets should also be wiped down semi-regularly for maximum protection.

Eliminate Sources Of Standing Water

Now that you’ve taken steps to eliminate excess food sources roaches can find around your home, it’s time to turn your attention to water.

Check around your home’s sinks and pipes for any signs of leakage and repair anything you find immediately. Pay special attention to moisture buildup in the kitchen, in bathrooms, and in the garage.
Outside, make sure your gutters are working properly and expelling water away from the exterior of your home.

Seal Potential Cockroach Entry Points

Cockroaches are small enough to enter the home in a number of ways. Deny them entry by screening off exterior pipes leading into the home and sealing up any holes or gaps around the home’s foundation that they could squeeze inside. Keep exterior windows and doors closed whenever not in use, and install screens wherever possible. Measures taken to deny cockroaches entry into your home will also prevent other unwanted pests from getting inside.

Get A Comprehensive Pest Treatment Program

Unfortunately, roaches are a pervasive pest that can be difficult to prevent alone. That’s why, as a homeowner, it’s always in your best interest to bring a professional on board for help.

If cockroaches have started turning your kitchen into a nightmare, don’t hesitate to contact the cockroach extermination professionals at Pestmaster^® Services. Contact us today for more information about how our comprehensive pest control treatments work and why we’re trusted across America to keep homes and businesses cockroach-free.