Cockroaches spread a number of diseases to humans including salmonella and gastroenteritis.
They can aggravate allergies just as much as household dust can!
Is your family continually getting sick? Cockroaches spread diseases that display almost identical symptoms you would show if you were experiencing a common cold or even flu!
In addition, abundant breeding, skill at hiding, and difficulty to control, make them a tough problem to tackle on your own.
Even an immaculately cleaned home can suffer from Cockroach infestation.
Not sure what to look for? Read on below for some signs to look out for.
Signs you have a problem
Cockroach droppings
Droppings from small cockroaches such as the German Cockroach, resemble ground coffee or black pepper.
Larger roaches leave behind dark, cylindrical droppings with blunt ends and ridges down the side.
Smear marks
Smear markings are indicative that water is abundant in your home. The markings themselves will be long with an irregular shape. Most commonly found under your kitchen & bathroom sink, behind your fridge or dishwasher. Basically anywhere it's warm and humid.
Unusual smells
The odor of cockroaches is distinct. In fact, many report it smelling like "death". This is not an exaggeration. The cockroaches emit a stench of oleic acid, found in decomposing flesh.
Cockroaches also defecate where they live and sleep, producing a pheromone that attracts other cockroaches to congregate there.
Shed skins or egg sacks
Egg sacks, also called Ootheca, varies in brownish color. Their length is about 5mm, or sometimes as great as 10mm. The German Cockroach, one of the most popular found in human dwellings, have Ootheca which can contain up to 50 eggs. American female cockroaches can produce up to 1,350 eggs in her lifetime.
Damage
Cockroaches do not limit their diet to food only- they will consume almost anything organic such as leather products and paper goods. So don't just check your pantry for nibbles on your stored perishables. It could be something as small as a sheet of paper that has fallen behind your kitchen drawers or an old sponge cloth under the sink that they eat first!
I've had a treatment. What now?
Eliminate access to food
Your treatment will work most effectively if food sources are removed. Clean up after meals, don’t leave food out overnight, empty bins regularly and ensure you store all food in airtight containers.
Seal up cracks and crevices
Seal off any cracks or holes that cockroaches could use to get into your home.
Silicon the gaps between your spashback, sink, bench top, cabinets and walls. Install fly screens on your windows and put foam door strips around your front door.
Cockroaches can fit into extremely small spaces. Some as small as 1.5 millimeters thick.
Eliminate access to water
Dying cockroaches need water, so ensure that your sinks, bathtub and shower are kept as dry as possible, and put the plug in. This will speed up the treatment process!
I'm still seeing Cockroaches!
No matter how thorough a treatment is, some Cockroaches do survive and may carry eggs, but they will be controlled.
You may find dead Cockroaches
For a couple of weeks after your treatment, it’s perfectly normal to see cockroaches due to the flushing effect of the treatment.
Finding dead cockroaches months after your treatment is a sign your treatment is working!
A treatment will not stop Cockroaches from coming in from outside or if you bring them in on belongings. So if you happen to spot one in your home - give it time before calling us back. Chances are it will be gone before you know it or you'll discover it dead somewhere while cleaning.
All Things Pest Control chooses to use several effective treatments when conducting Cockroach treatments - to cover all bases of an infestation.
With years of experience providing pest control in the Mackay region, we know our safe treatments are superior to the use of over the counter surface sprays, that can be dangerous to your family if used incorrectly.
With our treatments, cockroaches will not die immediately on contact - just like the TV commercials of some well known surface sprays may imply. Instead, the cockroach will come in contact with the treatment in a variety of forms (dust, gels and ban sprays) and then take it back to the nest - wiping the colony out from there.
Your treatment will continue working after the initial spraying, providing ongoing control
through the service period.
Are you worried about Cockroaches in your home? Contact us for a free quote. We can tailor a treatment to suit your needs for a variety of household pests, all backed by a 12 month warranty in most cases.
