A Step-By-Step Cockroach Control Guide For The Sacramento Region

Step 1: Inspect

A good place to start is to determine that you have cockroaches in your home, and then consider the level of infestation. Some of the warning signs of a cockroach infestation that roaches leave for you to find include:

• Feces. The feces of cockroaches are black. You're likely to find them sprinkled about in dark, hidden spaces and inside creases and cracks.
• Skins. As a cockroach develops, it will shed its skin many times. These shed skins can be found in tight spaces, cracks, and crevices.
• Oothecae. These are the egg cases of cockroaches. You can find these egg cases, or the shells of these cases, in hidden and secluded spaces.

Step 2: Sanitize

Cockroaches have no trouble eating food that is spoiled. In fact, they actually prefer it. One of the best ways to resist cockroaches is to deep clean your home. Not only can this make your home unappealing for habitation, but it can also work to limit the growth of the cockroach population in your home.

• Properly manage your trash.
• Deep clean around appliances.
• Clean underneath your couch cushions.
• Perform a drain cleaning.
• Clean your bathroom and remove hair, dead skin, feces, and other materials roaches eat.
• Store your toothbrush in a container.

Step 3: Protect Food

It should come as no surprise that roaches will eat the food you eat. If you want to drive roaches out of your home, you need to protect food in all of its forms.

• Keep food covered when left on the counter.
• Store fruit in your fridge.
• Put potatoes in a sealed container.
• Store your pantry foods in sealed containers.
• Put pet food down during meals and pick them up afterward.
• Place dishes in soapy water. Roaches can get into your dishwasher.

Step 4: Remove Clutter

Cockroaches have a preference for spaces that have lots of clutter. These insects are thigmotactic. This is a fancy way of saying, they are motivated by touch. If a cockroach can squeeze into a space where its back and belly are touching surfaces at the same time, that is one happy roach.

• Remove general clutter around your home.
• Adjust stored items in your attic so there are gaps between them.
• Consider storing items away in plastic totes.

Step 5: Address Humidity & Moisture

When cockroaches get into your home, they are drawn to dark, damp locations. While you can't do much about the dark, you can address the dampness. Here are a few ideas:

• Fix leaky faucets.
• Turn your bathroom fan on when you shower or bathe.
• Refrain from leaving water in your bathtub.
• Address leaking pipes.
• Install dehumidifiers in humid spaces.

Step 6: Seal Entry Points & Limit Access

If you have any success getting rid of the cockroaches in your home, you're going to want to keep new roaches from getting in to replace the ones you've gotten out.

• Make sure all of your exterior doors are properly sealed.
• Make sure your screens aren't damaged.
• Seal your exterior window frames and remove gaps between your window screens and window frames.
• Seal gaps around foundation penetrations.
• Seal cracks in your foundation walls.

Step 7: Remove Exterior Debris & Clutter

It is difficult to keep cockroaches out of your home. They can take advantage of extremely small openings. Plus, they're attracted to tight spaces. Therefore, along with sealing exterior entry points, you should also work to remove debris and clutter. Yard work is essential for effective cockroach management. Remove leaves, sticks, wood, and objects that sit on the ground near your home.

Step 8: Address Exterior Moisture

Dampness around your home can attract roaches. While you're out there doing your yard maintenance, consider factors that create damp conditions such as clogged gutters, plumbing leaks, and dense vegetation. If you address these, it can go a long way toward making your home less of a target for roaches.