Whether your house is clean or dirty, it doesn’t matter because there are many things that attract cockroaches. Often, cockroaches are associated with dirty homes, when in fact they are happy to be around any place that provides them with food, shelter and water.
So what attracts cockroaches? They have simple need: food, water and shelter. Dirty homes are more likely to attract cockroaches than clean homes, but we all keep food and water in our house, and a nice roof over our head.
From pantries stocked with food, sinks and showers supplying water, and cracks and crevices in windows and foundation where cockroaches can hide and lay their eggs, our homes are perfect for attracting cockroaches.
What attracts cockroaches?
The number one thing that attracts cockroaches to your home is food. Food found on the floor, left out on the counter, crumbs, garbage, disposal waste, cupboards and pantries are all places where cockroaches can find food.
Tips for eliminating, cleaning, and storing food:
- Don’t leave food out of the kitchen counter for too long. Throw away, refrigerate, or store it as soon as you can.
- Rinse drink containers, soup cans, and recyclable materials before discarding.
- Wipe food prep areas and sweep floor each night.
- Clean underneath and behind oven, refrigerator, and garbage cans.
- Store food in airtight containers. This includes pet food.
- Use zip lock bags instead of keeping items in cardboard boxes.
Besides food, cockroaches must have water to survive. Standing water, leaky pipes and faucets, condensation, and basement sump pumps are the most common attractants for cockroaches. Which is why you’ll most often see them in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.
Cockroaches seek dark places like the basement, or dark corners of the kitchen cabinet, and under appliances.
Tips for preventing water attractors:
- Remove standing water, inside and out.
- Wipe down showers and sinks when you are done using them.
- Rinse sponges, empty half full drinking glasses, and plant or pet bowls.
- Fix leaking pipes.
Cockroaches are a year-round problem. There is no seasonal period where cockroaches are more likely to infest your home. Therefore, there is no time like the present to secure your home against cockroaches.
- Use caulk to block any gaps or crevices where roaches may enter the home (cracks in the foundation, plumbing, vents).
- Apply weather stripping on all windows and doors that lead into the house.
- Remove clutter, both inside and outside.
How do cockroaches get in my house?
In most cases, cockroaches were already in the house from the day you moved in. But because they are so small, they are easily transported between locations. They can also come from a neighbor’s property and the great outdoors in general.
- Get rid of empty corrugated boxes immediately, because these can be a favorite breeding ground for roaches.
- Cockroaches can hitch a ride on people, in backpacks, on pets, grocery bags, and food containers.
- They can come in from crawls spaces, chimneys, plumbing pipes and sewer drains.
… just about any way imaginable.
Signs of infestation
Cockroaches are nocturnal creatures, which means they prefer dark places and only come out at night. You might not even know they are around until you have an infestation on your hands.
Cockroaches that you see during the day have been pushed out of the available hiding places by other roaches. However, besides live roaches, there are other signs you can look out for. These include:
- Roach droppings, which will resemble pepper or coffee grounds
- The bodies of dead cockroaches
- Oval-shaped egg casings
- An oily or musty odor in your kitchen, bathroom, or other areas of your home
The last word ...
These pests can carry disease and can cause food poisoning and trigger allergies and even asthma attacks as a result of the dander of discarded exoskeletons and feces.
You don’t have to worry about where cockroaches came from when you have Sigma Pest Control on your side. Our trained specialists know where to look for these pests, determine how they got in, where they are hiding, and how to get rid of them.
Regardless of whether you have one cockroach or a thousand, removal is not a one-time solution. Cockroaches multiply quickly. Timing is everything. Sigma’s Quarterly Pest Control Service provides a continuing cycle of protection, implementation, and monitoring.
Call the cockroach experts – call Sigma Pest Control!
