There are many misconceptions when it comes to how you acquire a cockroach infestation in your home, and many of them have to do with your home being dirty. While that may be a contributing factor in some situations, it’s not always the case. No one expects or desires cockroaches in their home, so naturally, the first question is always how this happened and how can you get rid of them. But first, it’s important to know the facts about how cockroaches get into homes and what naturally attracts them.
Where do They Come From
Chances are, in most cases, cockroaches were already residing in your home before you moved in. Unless you have been living in your home for quite some time, roaches are easily viable and could have been there from recent owners. Cockroaches are also hitchhiking insects and are easily transported from different dwellings. You may have visited a friend or family member and took home an extra housemate. In addition, roaches can easily travel through plumbing and structures, so if your neighbor has cockroaches, you may become infested with them as well.
As you can see, there are quite a few ways that your home may have contracted a cockroach infestation. So, there may not be any telltale signs of how they actually managed to get inside your home. But the fact is, now they have taken up residence and you need to understand what attracts these pests and how you can safely and effectively remove them from your home.
What Attracts Them
While having a clean home necessarily won’t keep cockroaches away, dirty homes are known to produce the perfect conditions for these pests. Cockroaches only need warm shelter, food, and water to survive. Your home already gives them warm shelter, they can find water almost anywhere, and if you have crumbs hiding out in your home, these critters are set for their survival. Whether they obtain their water from a leaky pipe or a wet mat on your bathroom floor, cockroaches will still survive. However, the biggest attraction is usually leftover food and crumbs on the kitchen counter.
Cockroach Prevention
Although a clean house may not entirely solve your cockroach problem, it is definitely one of the ways that you can prevent an infestation from happening in the first place. A dirty home will attract the cockroaches to your home and make them want to stay longer.
Here are some ways that you can prevent a cockroach infestation:
- Keep all counters and floors cleaned and free of grease and food
- Repair leaky pipes and faucets
- Seal all cracks and holes that are near windows, doors, and entryways of your home
- Keep an eye out for signs of cockroaches that include droppings, skin sheddings, and eggs
Once you discover a cockroach infestation, it’s most likely already late for prevention, however, you can prevent more from coming. The most important thing to do when you find a cockroach (or multiple) is that you contact a Pest Control Hamilton expert to properly and safely exterminate these critters from your home. This will ensure that the infestation is controlled and the cockroaches are less likely to return.