No one wants cockroaches in their home or at work, but unfortunately, it happens. Generally, cockroaches don’t come in from the outdoors — they often hitchhike on people and things brought into buildings — and once they’re in, they’re very good at hiding.
You may want to set up insect traps or a program to monitor for cockroach activity, especially If your property has visitors and deliveries. While not always possible, have incoming items well-sealed and inspected before being brought indoors. It is best to control cockroaches as early as possible, and part of that control includes preventing their access to water and food sources.
Being aware of where cockroaches may hide in a structure can help you find and get rid of them for good. They want to be in warm, dark, and wet places. Look for signs of cockroaches including their droppings (look like coffee grounds or smears), shed skins, egg cases (oothecae look like reddish-brown clutch purses), and dead bodies.
Here are six places to focus your inspection efforts:
- Bathrooms
Cockroaches require water, which is why a bathroom can be one of the main places you’ll find them. They’ll hide in drains and behind mirrors or any cracks and crevices they can find. You can help reduce good habitat conditions for cockroaches by having bathrooms cleaned and garbage removed regularly and ensuring that any leaky pipes or faucets are repaired immediately.
- Kitchens and dining areas
Cockroaches love food and moisture and a kitchen can be their favourite place. They’re often found hiding inside, under, and behind kitchen appliances such as fridges, dishwashers, freezers, stoves, coffee makers, and microwaves. Not only does a kitchen provide warmth and water, but cockroaches consider garbage, spills, and crumbs as delicacies.
- Baseboards, crown moulding, and other cracks
Cockroaches like to stay hidden from light and any crack or crevice they can find will serve that purpose. Baseboards, crown moulding, and the holes in walls and floors around pipes, electrical, heat, and vents can become the perfect hiding place for unwanted pests, so be sure to have all cracks sealed.
- Electronics
They are not obvious hiding places, but cockroaches have been found hiding inside electronics. Who hasn’t had a snack while typing away on their keyboard? Any crumbs that happen to fall into the spaces between the keys make a great meal for a roach. The pests can wiggle their way inside electronics without you noticing. Try to avoid snacking while working at your computer and consider using air dusters to clean out the spaces in your keyboard from time to time.
- Decor
Another often forgotten hiding spot is behind decor. Think about mirrors, picture frames, fountains, and items on a bookshelf. Cockroaches can hide almost anywhere.
- Garbage, recycling, and clutter
Cockroaches like to hide in garbage, recycling, and cardboard items. Have waste removed and the storage areas cleaned and inspected regularly.
Insect control in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta
Despite your best prevention efforts and regular cleaning, cockroaches and other pests can quickly become a problem. That’s when it’s time to call in professional help. Poulin’s Pest Control combines decades of experience with the latest technologies to provide quick and effective residential pest control. Don’t hesitate to contact us today to learn more about the options available to you.