Cockroaches

You may have heard that long after we’re gone, the cockroaches will remain. As for now, though, what can we do to eliminate cockroaches from our home? Essentially, it starts in the kitchen.

The kitchen is like a dream home for many pests, including the cockroach. That room has nearly everything that a cockroach needs to survive: food, water and shelter. But the cockroach will eat almost anything, not only our food or crumbs but also garbage and feces.

When cockroaches make their homes near the trash or sewers, they can feast on whatever is available. Those environments can be a breeding ground for bacteria too, and that means the cockroach could be a carrier of E. coli or salmonella. 

Cockroaches can transfer these bacteria into your home when they contact certain surfaces. This dangerous transaction can then contaminate your food. After that, if you eat that food, you could experience gastrointestinal illness or food poisoning. 

There are many signs that can indicate if there is a cockroach infestation in your house. The first and most clear sign is if you spot a cockroach. Seeing one means there are others nearby. 

A cockroach will also leave behind droppings, and depending on the species of roach, the feces can look like coffee grounds or ground pepper. These droppings will be around wherever the roaches like to hang about, such as in your cabinet or pantry.

Maybe the most concerning sign of cockroaches is discarded egg cases. These egg cases are brown and oblong, and can be found in cabinets or stuck on furniture. Unfortunately, if you have found egg casings along with nymphs and adult roaches, that indicates that they are reproducing in your home. 

Before you stumble across any cockroach, you can help prevent them. Because they like flocking toward the kitchen, your first step should be to eliminate any of the things that cockroaches love. Clean up crumbs from the counter and on the floor, and clean your small appliances like the toaster, toaster oven, or microwave. 

Do not fall into the bad habit of leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight. Cockroaches are more active in the night, and they could find their next meal in your food waste. That also means you should keep your garbage can seal well and to take out the trash regularly.

In the pantry, be sure you are properly storing your food and snacks. Cockroaches can fit through tiny spaces, and once they are inside your cabinets, they will want to make their way into boxes or cartons of food. 

That also means that you should seal up any cracks that could be a potential route for cockroaches to enter your home. With a flat body, cockroaches can crawl through extremely small spaces from the outside. Look around your kitchen for holes or gaps, and check the stripping around your doors and windows. 

Once you discover any signs of cockroaches in your home, it can be extremely difficult to remove them. That is when you will want to call the professionals at Van Den Berge Pest Control at 616-392-7367.

Trust the locally owned, widely renowned experts at Van Den Berge Pest Control for all of your pest needs. With over 100 years of combined experience throughout the Holland, MI-based pest control team, you know you’re in good hands with our state-certified experts.