Kingston's Complete Guide To German Cockroach Prevention & Control

When you hear the word cockroach, you probably don’t get a warm and fuzzy feeling. Cockroaches have a bad reputation and for good reason. These pests are dirty, dangerous, and difficult to get rid of once they get into your home. Kingston’s complete guide to German cockroach prevention and control will help you understand these creatures so that you know how to keep them out of your Kingston home.

What Are German Cockroaches?

German cockroaches are the most common species of roach in the world and the most common home invader of all the cockroach species. They are small, only growing to about half an inch in length, and have six legs and a pair of long, thin antennae. German cockroaches are light brown with two dark stripes on their backs.

What Problems Do German Cockroaches Cause For Kingston Homeowners?

German cockroaches are dangerous pests to have inside of your Kingston, NY home. Like all roaches, they spend the majority of their time in very unsanitary places including in sewers, on animal feces, in garbage cans and dumpsters, and on the carcasses of dead animals. When they get into your home, they are covered in the pathogens they’ve picked up along the way. As they travel throughout your home, they spread those harmful pathogens wherever they walk, including countertops, dishes, food products, and even toothbrushes.

German cockroaches are known to spread over 30 types of bacteria, six kinds of parasitic worms, and seven other pathogens and can put you at risk of contracting salmonellosis, gastroenteritis, dysentery, and more. Furthermore, German cockroach saliva, urine, and body parts are a known trigger for allergy and asthma symptoms in certain individuals.

How Can You Prevent German Cockroaches From Getting Into Your Kingston Home?

Keeping German cockroaches out of your house starts with you. Roaches come into your house looking for food, water, and shelter. The following tips will help prevent them:

• Keep all food stored in airtight containers. Don’t leave any out on your counters.
• Clean up immediately after eating. Don’t leave dirty dishes out on counters or in the sink.
• Wipe down counters after meals to remove crumbs, spills, and messes.
• Take out the trash on a regular basis.
• Sweep and vacuum your floors frequently, including moving large appliances to get the food that ends up under them (this is a common hiding place for roaches).
• Check for leaking or sweating pipes on a regular basis. Roaches like moisture and often hide in areas under sinks.
• Keep moisture levels low in your house with the help of dehumidifiers.

In spite of your best efforts, however, you may find yourself in the throws of a roach infestation. If you are seeing one cockroach, there are likely many more hiding in dark cracks and crevices throughout your home.

How Can You Get Rid Of An Active German Cockroach Infestation In Your Home?

If German roaches are already active in your house, you need to get rid of them as quickly as possible to reduce your chances of contracting an illness. Unfortunately, cockroaches are extremely difficult to eliminate. Even if you succeed at getting rid of some of them through DIY methods, there are almost certainly more hidden away somewhere in your house. Furthermore, the German cockroach along with other roach species have developed an immunity to many common over-the-counter remedies rendering them useless.

To completely eliminate your German cockroach problem, you need the help of Pestmaster® Services. Our trained pest control professionals have the skills and equipment necessary to completely remove your German cockroach problem, making your home a safe place to live in again. If you suspect roaches have gotten into your home, contact us to schedule an appointment.