How to get rid of cockroaches at home?

Cockroaches prefer to hide and live in dark, damp areas, such as in kitchens behind your refrigerator, sink, and other appliances, or in bathrooms behind the sink. With their ability to flatten their bodies to fit into tighter spaces, you can even find them in cracks in your walls. They feed on food scraps, but also on soap, toothpaste, wood, leather, and excrement.

Cockroaches can enter a home by being transported from an infested area or through openings in pipes, windows, etc. Once inside, they can quickly spread and infest entire buildings or blocks. That's why it's important to quickly recognize the unmistakable signs of cockroaches and call a professional exterminator to help you get rid of them once and for all.

In Canada, the most common cockroaches are German cockroaches. These cockroaches measure between 1.3 and 1.6 cm. Their bodies are brownish in color, and although they have wings, they cannot fly. They are nocturnal insects, so you are more likely to find them at night in your kitchen or bathroom.

In addition to being extremely unhygienic, cockroaches can transmit diseases, cause allergies (sneezing, watery eyes, headaches, etc.), and trigger asthma attacks. The presence of cockroaches in the living environment can also be a source of stress for the household.

Time plays a crucial role in a cockroach infestation, because the longer they go undetected, the more they reproduce and the harder they become to exterminate. It is therefore important to know how to detect the first signs of a cockroach infestation:

01. See one or more cockroaches

The most obvious sign is seeing one. Since they are nocturnal insects, the best time to spot them is at night. You'll usually see them scatter if you enter a room and turn on the light.
They don't like light, so if you see them during the day, it could mean the infestation is too severe and has been going on for some time. Or, a lack of food sources might be driving them to brave daylight to survive. You might also find dead cockroaches.

02. Finding cockroach droppings

Cockroaches are capable of eating just about anything, from plants and human food to dead skin cells, garbage, and even feces. They have a high metabolism, so they produce a lot of droppings. Depending on the type of cockroach, its size, and the level of infestation, their droppings can range from tiny peppercorns to coffee beans.
If you find a large amount of droppings behind your stove, refrigerator, sinks, cupboards, etc., you're in a high-traffic area for cockroaches, so cut off the food and water sources nearby.

03. Finding cockroach eggs

Cockroach infestations can escalate quickly because cockroaches are aggressive breeders. And they lay a lot of eggs. Cockroaches don't lay single eggs; they produce what are called "oothecae."
Oothecae are long, brown casings that contain numerous eggs. For the German cockroach, an ootheca can contain up to 50 eggs. This very protective mother doesn't leave her oothecae in view of humans like most other types of cockroaches, but carries them with her until the eggs are ready to hatch, making them even more difficult to spot and exterminate.

04. Musky scent

Cockroaches can emit a pungent, unpleasant, musty odor as the infestation spreads. This oily smell can come from a large number of cockroaches, or it can be from a single German cockroach. The odors produced by cockroaches linger in the air and can even affect the taste of food, hence the need for prompt intervention.

Prevention

Prevention is often the best cure. To prevent cockroaches from entering your home, take the following steps:

1. Before buying or picking up second-hand goods, please inspect them thoroughly to check for the presence of dead skin, excrement… of cockroaches.
2. Wait until the infestation is over before transferring from an infested house to a non-infested one.
3. Seal the cracks around the pipes and install mosquito nets.

Physical interventions

First, you need to make sure your accommodation is clean and dry. Therefore, you need to:

1. Store food, even pet food, in tightly sealed, airtight containers.
2. Pick up crumbs and leftover food immediately.
3. Clean dark and narrow places thoroughly and frequently (behind the refrigerator, household appliances, etc.).
4. Keep bins tightly closed and empty them regularly.
5. Vacuum the house to remove crumbs and capture cockroaches and their eggs.
6. Wash your dishes immediately after use if possible. Otherwise, soak them in soapy water.

You could also use sticky traps, which will allow you to capture cockroaches when their numbers are small. Simply place the traps in the most likely locations, namely the kitchen and bathroom. However, most of the time, to exterminate this formidable enemy, it is essential to call a pest control expert .

They will be able to guide you in implementing the specific hygiene measures needed to get rid of cockroaches once and for all and prevent their return. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have an infestation!