As a home owner, you will agree and support the fact that: cockroaches are a disturbing pest which need to be completely gotten rid of soonest possible. Some of the reasons why you should do everything in your power to get rid of cockroaches is the fact that: besides looking very unattractive, they also feed on your house hold particularly furniture and also carry around diseases. Even though there are countless ways to get rid of cockroaches, it is equally important to familiarize yourself with ways to prevent these pests from returning to your home once you have successfully gotten rid of them. Below is an overview of 7 Ways To prevent cockroaches in your home to help you make sure that roaches will not be coming be coming back to your place anytime soon. They include:
1. Sealing off any Cracks around the house
As strange as it may sound, cockroaches cannot gain entry into your home if they are unable to find a place to get in through. As the owner of the home, make sure that you carefully inspect your home for any cracks or openings and then seal them off using caulk.
The best way to inspect for cracks is to
i. Check around and under all floorboards.
ii. Examine all cabinets
iii. Scrutinize both sides of windows and doors
iv. Check the area right next to drains and vents leading into and out of your home
v. Check the area around where pipes are entering your home etc
Keep in mind, cockroaches are usually very creative and they will take advantage of each and every opportunity which they get to gain entry into your home. This being the case, make sure that you set up a screen over drain lines or sewer vents and most importantly seal off any opening around the house.
2. Seldom spraying Insecticide over any cracks or openings
Make it a habit to spray over any cracks that may look like entry points for cockroaches into your home. Spray such cracks using insecticides regularly as this will significantly help reduce the possibility of roaches attempting to enter your home through such points. After spraying the openings or cracks with insecticides go ahead and refill the cracks with caulk. Do this regularly as it will completely prevent cockroaches from your home. Keep in mind, spraying insecticide not only helps get rid of cockroaches, it also boosts prevention.
3. Cleaning your home thoroughly regularly
Just like any other animals, cockroaches require food in order to survive and a dirty home provide an abundance of this. This being the case, alongside normal sweeping and vacuuming, make a point of carrying out the following other cleaning tasks on a regular basis. They include:
i. Thoroughly cleaning in an around your stove or oven
ii. Thoroughly cleaning the top of your refrigerator as well as its under section
iii. Cleaning and lining all cabinets
iv. Cleaning trash bins regularly and always keeping them closed
v. Cleaning counter tops and table tops
vi. Always cleaning dishes after cooking or feeding
vii. Cleaning furniture and other electronics
Completing the above mentioned tasks will significantly reduce the presence of food crumbs around your home. In turn, this will take away roaches motives to stick around.
4. Storing Food Properly
Just like cleaning, always make sure that you store away any remaining food properly since this will help prevent cockroaches from your home. The best thing to do is to make sure that nay remaining food is always placed in a tightly locked container. In addition to this, refrain from leaving pet food out for very long since cockroaches might feed on it as well.
5. Repairing any Leaks around the home
Getting rid of any unnecessary water around the home by repairing all leaks is very important in preventing cockroaches from your home. This is mainly because; roaches can live for up to four weeks without food but only survive for a week without water. As the home owner, ensure that you properly address any leaks around the home by occasionally inspecting bathtubs, toilets, sinks and other appliances installed right next to pipes. In the event that you notice any leakages, call in a professional to help make the necessary repairs soonest possible. In addition to the above, make sure that you get rid of any standing water in bath tubs as well as in sinks.
6. Setting up traps and spraying roaches sighted with insecticides on the spot
Assuming you have tried most of the above mentioned preventive measures and you still feel as if cockroaches are still a menace, consider:
i. Spraying any cockroach you come across with an insecticide on the spot
ii. Setting up cockroach traps particularly around the areas you suspect are entry points for cockroaches
iii. Spraying the cockroaches sighted with water and soap
iv. Placing a mixture of boric acid, flour and water in cockroach friendly areas.
7. Employing professional Pest Control service providers
In case you notice that you have tried preventing cockroach infestation by yourself without much success, call in a professional pest control service provider to assist you. Sometimes employing pest control service providers is the only way to prevent roaches from your home. This is because, pest control service providers use chemicals and other treatments specifically designed to help eliminate and prevent cockroaches from returning into the home once completely gotten rid of. Other reasons why employing professional pest control service provider serves as a guarantee to prevent cockroaches from your home include the fact that:
i. They will spray your home with extremely powerful insecticides
ii. They will set up several reliable bait stations across the entire home
iii. They will permanently seal off any openings or potential entry points for cockroaches
In addition to the above, make a point of clearing away any yard debris near your home. Doing this is very important since cockroaches are fond of hiding in such areas waiting to gain access to your home.
Final Thoughts
Cockroaches are by far one of the most challenging types of insect pest to get rid of. This is because apart from being able to thrive on very little food and water, they are able to multiple in number rapidly over short period of time when left unattended to. This in turn makes their prevention just as much work as getting rid of them. That said, from the above, it is clearly evident that the most important thing to do to prevent infestation of cockroaches in your home is to keep your home as clean as possible. This means you should keep your home absolutely dry at all times and free of any food particles. In addition to the above, applying the other preventive measures mentioned above serve as a guarantee to keep cockroaches out of your home.