Imagine sitting at the dinner table, enjoying a bedtime snack and you see a critter scurrying across the kitchen floor. Your first thought may be to jump on top of the table and scream while grabbing the nearest weapon to throw at it. However, cockroaches are known to be speedy creatures that are impeccable at playing hide and seek. So, what should you do if you notice a cockroach (or hundreds) has taken up residence in your home? As difficult as it may be, the first thing you should do is remain calm and get ready to make a plan for evicting these pests from your house. But first, you need to be sure that it’s a cockroach that you are dealing with so that you can be sure to use the proper removal and extermination methods.
Identifying a Cockroach Infestation
Because you have discovered at least one cockroach in your home, chances are, there are much more hiding throughout the house. Reason being, cockroaches are nocturnal and hide from humans, so the chances of you seeing them if there were only a few are very slim. If you are seeing a cockroach during the day, this can indicate that they have been shoved out of their hiding spot from other roaches. However, there are a few other indicators that you can look out for when checking for a cockroach infestation.
Keep an eye out for these clues:
- Finding the bodies of dead cockroaches, most likely laying upside down
- Discovering roach droppings that resemble dirt or coffee grounds, found on the wall, in electrical outlets, and along the floor
- Egg casings left from the cockroach will have an oval shape
- Certain areas of your home may have a musty or oily odor, including the kitchen and bathroom
Finding a cockroach infestation inside your home may make you feel dirty and disgusted, however, there are steps you can take to ensure that these pests will leave you and your home alone.
What Steps to Take
Once you have confirmed a cockroach infestation, it’s important that you take action right away. Locate all active hiding spots where they are likely to reside and place sticky traps in these areas. This may not resolve your infestation entirely but it can reduce the number of roaches. However, then you will have the issue of new roaches being born if you do not handle the infestation completely. Prevention and monitoring are key. You need to ensure that your home is less favorable for these pests to take up residence. But that’s not always possible, especially when they have already infested your home. To make sure that the cockroaches are removed and won’t be coming back, it’s important to bring in a professional since handling on your own may not be as effective.
Finding Professional Help
Hiring a professional pest control specialist is ultimately the best way to ensure that your cockroach infestation is handled properly. Sure, there are tons of DIY methods and over-the-counter products that you can try to manage the infestation on your own. But the failure rate for these methods is extremely high since they only tackle part of the problem. A pest control expert will inspect your home and determine if cockroaches are the culprit, and take the necessary measures to properly remove them from your home. If you are concerned that cockroaches have taken up residence in your house, contact a pest control company today and take back control of your home.