Pests? Who would want to have pests at their home? These creatures are disgusting! They cause skin allergies! Pests destroy your favorite belongings such as your books, clothing, and paintings. What’s worse is they cause different kinds of illnesses. They trigger asthma attacks, dysentery, food poisoning, and many more. As much as you want to enjoy your activities, having pest infestations could destroy that moment for you. Can you imagine looking forward to the perfect day only to experience mishaps because of these pesky creatures?
These are only some of the terrible things that pests do. If you ask me what pest I abhor the most, it’s the cockroach. I speak for most people when I say these are the most hated pests at home. They can do all the things we mentioned earlier, and worse!
Cockroaches are studied to transmit various types of bacteria and germs, which they can spread all around the house. They contaminate food, utensils, beverages, and other accessories. If we accidentally ingest their feces, saliva, and urine, we can easily contract illnesses that may or may not be fatal. Imagine succumbing to your favorite chocolate and suddenly realizing that a cockroach bore a hole through its covering. The worst part is, you only saw the tears on the packaging when you’re almost through. Frustrating, isn’t it?
If you ever experience similar mishaps, observe yourself for the next 14 days. You might have contracted E. coli, food poisoning, or stomach flu. Watch out for the following symptoms: headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pains. Make sure to rehydrate your body to replace fluid and electrolyte loss. If the pain gets so excruciating, contact the medical help expert so they can prescribe over-the-counter medications to ease the pain and suppress the bacteria.
Signs Of Cockroaches At Home
Presence Of The Cockroaches Themselves
These are the things you need to know about cockroaches. The signs of cockroach infestation are visible to the naked eye. Unlike termites that only show signs of infestation when the damage is irretrievable, cockroach infestations are more obvious. Turn on your kitchen lights in the middle of the night and you’ll see them crawling all over your compartments, walls, and sink. Often, you can see them penetrating your cabinets to reach your utensils and dishes. If your foods are stored in boxes, store them inside secure containers where cockroaches and other pests cannot reach. Or else, cereals and other starchy foods will be spoiled by tomorrow.
The reason we only see a cockroach activity at night is their nocturnal nature. They come out when everyone’s asleep for their security and safety. They dwell in the kitchen and the bathroom because this is where moisture levels are at its peak. Most of you don’t know this, but one of the attractants that lead cockroaches into our homes is the excess moisture in the atmosphere. They are also attracted to food crumbs, food stains, and spills. The only places they can find all of these in the kitchen and dining room. If you don’t practice effective housekeeping skills, expect cockroaches to dwell in your house for good.
Cockroach Eggs
Have you ever seen a cockroach lay an egg? If you did, you can see the female cockroach carrying an enormous shell on her rear. Many of us think this is the cockroach egg when, in fact, this is their protective covering called the ootheca.
This protective covering comprises 6 to 50 cockroach eggs. You can often find these inside infested cabinets and compartments. You can see them on stored clothes, stored blankets, curtains, and other accessories. Sometimes, female cockroaches lay their ootheca inside appliances for a more secure hatching space. Consider checking your books and your bookshelves for this protective covering. Also check underneath your bed, tables, and appliances. Once you see it, use a vacuum, a broom, or a glove to eliminate it. If you don’t, say hello to 50 more cockroaches inside your home. If 50% of those are female, you can estimate how long before you can face a full-on infestation. Now, do you imagine how fast a cockroach can reproduce in one breeding?
The Foul Smell On Your Surroundings
Many people believe that only rodents secrete a foul smell when they infest homes. Cockroaches can secrete this odor. This is because of their accumulated feces and saliva in your cabinets, attic, and basements. You can also smell these in between walls and under your floorboards. If you suspect that cockroaches have infested your home, contact Winston-Salem area exterminatorsto pinpoint pest location so the experts can apply the methods for pest management.
How To Eliminate Cockroaches
Insecticides
To eliminate these unwelcome guests in your home, you can start by buying an insect spray. Wake up in the middle of the night and spray the chemical directly at the cockroaches in your kitchen, bathroom, and dining area. But before you do, prepare these areas for the fumes and residue. Store your food and utensils in a secure area. Better yet, if you can take it someplace else for the meantime, do so. This will protect them from the accumulation of harmful substances.
In choosing an insect spray, choose low-impact products certified by professionals. Don’t settle for products just because it’s cheap. Sometimes, it’s better to invest in pricey sprays so you’ll know that it is proven and tested safe and effective for pest management inside your home.
Purchase Baits & Traps
Thanks to technology, experts have created unique forms of bait and traps for pests. You can easily purchase these in department stores and hardware stores. Make sure you do your research before buying so you’ll have an idea which brands are more effective than others. You can also search for DIY procedures on the web. To those who have time to concoct their baits, it doesn’t take much to make it. Just make sure you follow the instructions step by step to avoid mishaps and accidents.
Seal Cracks & Crevices
Before you apply insecticides, baits, and traps, it’s best to seal every crack and crevice where cockroaches can escape. It’s useless to apply pest management methods if you will just let them getaway. To ensure that your methods are effective, you need to keep these pests inside your home to kill every one of them, including their larvae and eggs. Harsh as it sounds, you needed to protect yourself and your family from the risks they bring to your home.
If you contact a professional, the roach exterminator near Winston-Salem will tell you the same. If the infestation gets so severe, you must do this to prepare for the extermination process.
Use Diatomaceous Earth
This is one of the most cost-effective methods to get rid of cockroaches. This is a white powder composed of diatoms. Unlike insecticides, diatomaceous earth works chemically to kill cockroaches from the outside. Once these pests get in contact with the powder, it triggers a prickly effect on their skin. It destroys their exoskeleton and dehydrates them completely until they die. This powder also hampers their normal life cycle. It inhibits female cockroaches to breed and lay eggs. Plus, it affects the growth of the larvae and it can hamper the development of eggs. So, if you will invest in a safe way to kill cockroaches for good, buy diatomaceous earth.
To use it, sprinkle a generous amount of this powder on your floor, compartment, cabinets, and shelves. Spread it thinly using a piece of cloth or a broom. Let it sit for about 1 to 2 days, then replace it with another batch of powder. Do this regularly to eliminate all forms of pest infestation including bedbugs, ants, mice, fleas, and ticks.
Use Essential Oils
Many people think essential oils such as lavender, citronella, and geranium are only for physical use. Scientists have found that pests such as cockroaches are repelled by the smell of these oils. Therefore, they recommend using this as a practical method to keep them away.
To use essential oils, combine it with water and store it in a spray bottle. You can either use this as a barrier to keep pests away. Or, you can spray it inside your home to repel them and shoo them away. Whenever the case is, you can easily use this without worrying about harmful effects. The best part is, while this can induce allergies and frolic to pests, it induces relaxation and meditation to human beings. It’s a win-win situation for all of us.
Call A Pest Control Professional
This is by far the most practical way to eliminate cockroaches for good. Not only do they provide effective methods for pest control, but we also ensure the utmost prevention for all types of infestation. One of the best pest control companies in North Carolina is Go-Forth Home Services. This company provides premium-quality services at an affordable price. With one quick call, they’ll conduct an initial survey of the entire perimeter of your home. This way, they can assess which pests are bothering you. They can also pinpoint their exact location so they can concentrate their methods on these areas. What better way to maintain a pest-free environment than investing in a reliable pest control service?