The Truth About Cockroaches...

Cockroaches have proven to be one of the most resilient, adaptable creatures in the history of the world, with their origins dating back an estimated 300 million years. This adaptability has become the bane of pest control professionals across America determined to keep their clients free from these troublesome invaders. 

Of the 4,000 or so cockroach species in the world today, only a small handful are routinely considered structural pests. As with many other insects, the habits of each cockroach species has a tendency to vary, making proper identification the first consideration when investigating cockroach treatment options. The cockroach treatment approaches and corresponding roach control product options are vast, posing unique challenges for those wishing to manage their own infestations.

Before jumping into a do-it-yourself roach control program, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with how various roach control products are designed to work. The effectiveness and expediency of resolving your infestation is likely to be more of a reflection of the manner in which you apply your products of choice as opposed to which products you actually choose. Some products can (and should) be used in combination with certain other products, while other products may be designed to work independently. When choosing products, always give consideration to what your ultimate objective is, keeping in mind that it is very easy to use products that will kill some roaches without ever positively impacting the overall roach populations. 

The Best Cockroach Elimination Products...

Pest Control Everything discusses the many ways of treating for cockroaches in its Best Cockroach Control Products Blog, along with reviews and comparisons of roach gel baits, granular baits, roach powders, dusts, roach sprays, and much more. Our ratings are based on our own professional experience using these products on hundreds or sometimes thousands of properties, assessing the overall practicability of the products across a wide range of uses. 

Professor Pest Says: The best way to treat roaches is... Comprehensively. The worst thing that can be done with any type of cockroach infestation is a half-hearted treatment approach. Whether you choose baits, foams, growth regulators, dusts, sprays, or something else, you will need to make sure you are treating where the cockroaches are...everywhere they are. Unlike ants, roaches don't travel great distances from their harborage areas. Any effective treatment includes a commitment to assessment, sanitation, treatment, and further assessment.

Are Cockroach Baits Effective?

Sure. Many roach baits have proven to be very effective...when the right bait is applied in the right manner in the right locations. The simplicity of application is one of the many advantages of utilizing cockroach baits. When using baits, it is critically important to minimize potential competing food sources in order to encourage more aggressive feeding on the bait placements, thereby speeding up the roach elimination process. 

Roach baits can be used in combination with Insect Growth Regulators such as Gentrol Point Source, which disrupt the cockroach reproductive cycle. Be sure to sanitize the environment and keep all bait placements away from contaminants such as other pesticides and household cleaners. It is generally not advisable to use roach dusts, repellent sprays, or contact kill insecticides while executing a cockroach baiting regimen. z

Can I Just Spray For Roaches?

Certainly. Assuming it's your home, spray away. But whether or not spraying resolves your roach problem will depend partly upon whether the spray products you choose are optimal for your particular environment, and if they are, whether you apply those products in the optimal fashion. Spraying properly for roaches takes some diligence, and often requires more than one product formulation.  

Why NOT to Spray For Most Roaches...

It isn't necessarily the case that you shouldn't spray for roaches, but rather that if you plan to spray for roaches it should be done within the framework of a targeted treatment strategy. Different types of roach sprays are designed to impact roach populations in different ways, and not understanding how a product functions will keep your battle with roaches entirely an uphill one. 

All sprays are also not designed to be used in all locations. Using a liquid spray to try to treat a concentration of German Roaches above and behind a dishwasher is unlikely to provide the right exposure in the right ways that would be necessary to yield positive results, for instance. Keep in mind also that most non-repellent roach sprays, contact killers, or flushing agents will, somewhat by design, cause the roaches to scatter in search of refuge away from the treatment zone. Partial, non-comprehensive spray treatments can have the tendency to kill some roaches on the surface while enabling the larger populations to spread to other areas and continue reproduction. 

Professor Pest Suggests: Before you being to spray for roaches, start with a comprehensive inspection and assessment of the environment. Pay special attention to cracks, crevices, behind switch plates, and other tight spaces where roaches are likely to hide. Once you've got a pretty good idea where they seem to be concentrated you will be able to move proceed with a targeted treatment.

 

Get Rid of Roaches in 6 Easy Steps...

The steps to get eliminate roaches are easy...the execution is the hard part. In many instances, it's possible to get rid of roaches on your own. But it requires commitment to the process.  

1. Inspection & Assessment:

Start with a thorough inspection of the impacted area and the areas around it. Because roaches are thigmotactic insects, they have a need to remain in tightly confined spaces such as cracks and crevices. Using a flashlight, look low and high behind baseboards, undersides of drawers, joints of cabinets, beneath sinks, and around pipes. Remove switch plates and, pull out the stove, dishwasher, and refrigerator. Inspect the joints around microwaves. Because roaches only travel short distances from their harborage areas, start your inspection in those locations and work outward from there.

2. Begin Monitoring:

Come to terms with the fact that the roaches didn't appear overnight, and you're unlikely to get rid of them all overnight either. Slow down and allow yourself to truly assess what's happening.Using any type of roach monitoring sticky trap, place several monitors throughout the impacted zone abutting vertical services. These monitors will not independently resolve the roach problem, but that really isn't their purpose. They will, however, give you an idea how extensive or widespread the roach problem is, and indicate where their harborages are. As roaches start getting caught on these traps, pay special attention to the direction they are heading as they get stuck. Whichever direction they traveled towards the trap, their harborage is likely 18-36 inches away from the trap back in that direction.

3. Sanitize The Environment: 

Nothing will limit the effectiveness of any roach treatment program more than poor sanitation. Go on a cleaning and disinfecting frenzy, paying special attention to cracks and crevices throughout the area.

 

4. Choose A Treatment Strategy:

Are you going to use baits and IGRs, or some combination of sprays, aerosols, and dusts? Using baits is often a slower process, but may have a higher probability of total elimination. Sprays and dusts may provide an opportunity for instant gratification, but only through a comprehensive treatment approach.

 

5. Research & Select Your Products: 

Once you decide on a treatment approach, browse through our Recommended Roach Control Products to decide which ones you want to go with. Our products link directly to Amazon for easy purchase. Remember to purchase any personal protective equipment that might be required for the products you choose. 

6. Execute Your Treatment:

Following the label instructions of your products, execute your treatment. Continue to monitor and treat accordingly until the activity has subsided. 

Seem Like Too Much Trouble? Find a Pest Pro Now...

Handling your own roach control treatments isn't right for everybody, and there is no shame in hiring a professional. Those that do typically find themselves enjoying a cockroach-free environment faster and longer with less hassle and aggravation. Submit the form below to receive a FREE, no obligation roach control quote from licensed professionals in your area.