Not every cockroach infestation is worth calling the pros for. In some cases, if you’ve been able to detect an incursion early enough, you’ll have just a few errant roaches (and their flying friends, Palmetto bugs) making their way into your home. But how to go about clearing them out in a way that won’t be harmful to your home or your family? Read on for eco-friendly roach-busting tips from the experts at Sloan Pest Control.
Start by Finding their Hiding Spots
Cockroaches are drawn to warmth and humidity and are remarkably adept at squeezing into the tiniest of cracks to get to that comfortable environment. In your home, you’ll most likely find roach-friendly conditions in bathrooms, crawl spaces, garages and kitchens. You’ll usually spot them out on the hunt, scouring your home for errant food from crumbs and spills to garbage, but occasionally they will travel through pipes and electrical conduit to go from their nest to the scavenging grounds of your kitchen.
Think of the places roaches hide in the wild – in mulch, under leaves, in tree bark. These dark, moist environs have direct parallels to the spaces in your home where they like to hide. Check in boxes, under sinks, inside unused furniture or behind wall art – if it’s dark, damp and relatively undisturbed, it could be their home.
Restrict their Movement and Food
Indoors, seal up any potential entry points, from cracks in walls to spaces beneath doors and holes in screens. Place glue traps around suspected nests to help nab them on their way to food, plus determine which nests are the busiest. Next, cut them off from their food source. Protect food by storing it in airtight plastic containers, secure any garbage any a sealed bin, and give your home a thorough cleaning, ideally using a vacuum with a HEPA filter and microfiber cleaning implements.
For managing roach invasions outdoors, introducing beneficial insects to your garden can help deter roaches. You can also potentially utilize IPM (Integrated Pest Management) approved roach control products available at your local hardware store, but ensure application is done sparingly to safeguard your family, including children and pets. It’s beneficial to document your efforts by taking photos and maintaining notes to monitor your progress.
And of course, if the roaches prove too tenacious for these preventative measures, Sloan Pest Control is just a phone call away.
The Sloan Pest Control Approach
At Sloan Pest Control, we use a thorough approach called Integrated Pest Management (IPM) that treats invasive pests without endangering your family or pets and using minimal hazardous chemicals. This approach involves far more than just spraying for bugs, and includes steps that you can follow on your own, including:
- Sealing up Potential Entrances. This includes entryways, doorframes and screens, keeping roaches outside where they belong.
- Cleaning and Sealing Bathrooms and Kitchens. Both of these rooms are havens for moisture issues that attract roaches, with the kitchen offering a ready food source. Seal off food, secure garbage cans, and clean grease that may have spilled behind appliances.
- Deterring Roaches Naturally and Chemically. Attracting birds and lizards to your yard can help control pests and keep them from entering your home. Chemical baits and other products, judiciously applied, can eliminate any that have made it inside. Using both in tandem can be highly effective.
- Keeping Your Home Clean. Clutter attracts roaches by giving them easy hiding spots, and cooking spills provide easy food. Keeping everything clean creates a less welcoming environment for them.
- Continuously Inspecting and Monitoring. Eliminating roaches is only part of it. True pest control comes from being vigilant against creating further conditions that might attract roaches.
This approach can eliminate roaches from your home and keep them out, without causing harm to the environment or your family. If cockroaches are invading your home, call us today to schedule a free inspection. We’ll support you with a customized plan and dedicated service that gives you peace of mind and a home free from pests, bugs and cockroaches.
