How To Get Rid Of Cockroaches On Your Dallas Property

Cockroaches are horrible houseguests. They can chew holes in your food packages and infiltrate them. They climb around on your dishes, silverware, cutting boards, and kitchen surfaces. All of this activity can expose you to harmful microorganisms and lead to a stomach illness. Roaches in your home can also aggravate respiratory issues and cause rashes on your skin. A conservative estimation of cockroach-related illnesses links these dirty insects to 33 kinds of bacteria and at least 6 parasitic worms and 7 human pathogens. But, their ability to make you sick is somewhat linked to how clean your home is. If you take steps to sanitize your home, you can mitigate the threat of illness and possibly drive roaches out. This won't work on its own but, when applied along with a few other cockroach control strategies, you can get rid of roaches and keep them out of your Dallas home.

How Sanitation Works

Cockroaches need food to survive. It is a strong motivator for where cockroaches desire to live. Unfortunately, there are many things roaches consider to be food that you would not. All food sources must be considered if you want to have any hope of getting rid of cockroaches.

Food Storage

This is the obvious place to start. Cockroaches eat the foods you eat. If you want to deprive them of food, you need to keep them out of your food.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Put your pantry foods in sealed containers.
• Put fruit in the fridge.
• Store your potatoes in a sealed bin.

Food Management

If there is an open-source of food in your home, roaches could take advantage of it. There are many ways you can be putting food out for the cockroaches.

Here are some examples:

• Food on dirty dishes
• An open dish of food set on the kitchen counter or island
• Cat and dog food

Garbage Management

Cockroaches can find meals in your trash. In fact, they prefer it. Cockroaches eat rotting organic matter. If you want to have any hope of controlling cockroaches, you need to keep your trash in a sealed container and keep the container clean.

Cleaning

A cockroach can get a bite to eat in some unexpected places within your home. Some of the food sources they eat can be addressed with cleaning.

• A bathroom is a favorite location for cockroaches. It is a humid space, and cockroaches prefer humidity. But it also contains cockroach food. These insects eat hair, dead skin, feces, and toothpaste, among other things.
• Cockroaches can feed on food throughout your home. They can find a bite to eat in your kids' rooms, in your living room couch, and in any place where food is eaten. Our recommendation is to only eat food in your kitchen and dining room until your cockroach infestation has been addressed.
• Your kitchen and your pantry are obvious places where roaches can feed on food debris. If you want to remove all the food options roaches are looking for, you need to deep clean. Get the sides of your oven, underneath your fridge, and other hidden places.
• Cockroaches can crawl into your drains and feed on rotting organic matter. A drain cleaner can help to remove this food source. Or you can plug the drains when you're not using your sinks.

Moisture Control

Once you've addressed food sources, the next step is to get control of moisture. Most cockroach species don't prefer to live in a dry structure.  This is why they gravitate to bathrooms.

Here are a few moisture control prevention tips:

• Use your bathroom fan when you take a shower or when you relax in the tub.
• Take showers and baths earlier in the day so water droplets have time to dry up before evening when roaches are most active.
• Install dehumidifiers in areas of your home that stay humid.
• Repair plumbing issues, particularly leaky faucets and showerheads.

Exterior Cockroach Control

Okay. You're almost there. Once you've taken the time to address interior food, water, and humidity, you'll need to protect your exterior by reducing cockroach activity and by sealing entry points.

Here are a few exterior prevention tips:

• Address oversaturation and moisture issues.
• Remove leaves and other organic debris.
• Remove anything that is decaying.
• Clean your trash bins and make sure your trash is removed routinely.
• Move objects away from your exterior and get rid of any clutter in your yard.
• Inspect your exterior walls and foundation and seal gaps, cracks, rotted wood holes, and other entry points.

If Cockroach Control Is Needed

The tips provided above can be more effective than attempting to control cockroaches with pest control products and home remedies. They naturally deter roaches. But, in cases where cockroaches have grown a large interior population, or conditions inside and around a home are conducive to roach habitation, it is necessary to contact a licensed pest professional. Keep in mind that All-Safe Pest & Termite provides advanced pest solutions for Dallas property owners. If you need help, reach out to us for immediate assistance. We can help!