Cockroaches are quite harmful. They carry harmful bacteria and diseases, breed quickly, and rapidly spread throughout a home. They are known for causing diarrhoea, fever, and worsening asthma. In rare cases, they are even known for biting humans. Gross!

It is crucial to take action ASAP to destroy these nasty roaches.

We’ll go through tried and tested strategies you can use to get rid of cockroaches from your home. There are ways you can kill them on sight, as well as easy methods to make your home the last place these creepy crawlies want to be.

How do Cockroaches Enter Your Home?

They enter your home through the slightest of entry points, like cracks and crevices, openings in your door, and openings around windows. They are also known for entering homes through plumbing like pipes, vents and drains. An often overlooked method is by hitching a ride on infested packages or belongings. 

What Attracts Cockroaches? 

Simply put, the main reasons cockroaches enter any home are food, water and shelter. Any crumbs on the floor, leaking taps, and cracks and crevices are ways you are inviting these harmful pests into your home without knowing it. 

Food

Cockroaches often find meals in the form of crumbs on the floor, improperly sealed food and leftovers in garbage bins. Some of the strategies you can use to discourage cockroaches include sealing your food tightly to prevent any cockroach from accessing it, regular cleaning of crumbs and spills, and sealing off your garbage bin.  

Water

Cockroaches are beyond smitten with damp, moist places. Therefore, kitchens, bathrooms, and basements are hotspots for cockroaches. However, any place with an exposed water source is at risk, including places with exposed water bowls, leaky pipes, and dripping faucets. 

Shelter

Cockroaches love dark, hidden spaces. Any area that’s away from sunlight and offers plenty of shelter becomes a prime spot for them. Common hiding places include cracks in walls, behind appliances, inside cupboards, and right in the middle of clutter. Keeping these areas clean, sealed, and well-lit when possible can help keep roaches away

Are Cockroaches Dangerous? Hint: You Won’t Like The Answer

Cockroaches are known carriers of dangerous bacteria and diseases, spread through their faeces, saliva and other body parts (yikes!). They are especially harmful to children, who are more vulnerable to infection.  Let’s take a closer look at the health risks they pose

Contagious Disease 

Cockroaches carry a range of contagious diseases like salmonella and E. coli, and can contaminate almost anything they crawl over, including food, cutlery, and even kitchen counters or shelves. This makes it easy for harmful bacteria to spread throughout your home without you even realising it.

Salmonellosis: This causes symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps

E. coli infections: These can cause intense stomach cramps and severe diarrhea, sometimes leading to further complications if untreated.

Cholera: A fast-acting diarrheal disease caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae, which can lead to extreme dehydration if not treated quickly.

Cockroach Allergies:  Roaches are bad news for anyone with allergies. The proteins in their body can trigger bad reactions like sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes, and difficulty breathing.

Risk to Children 

Cockroaches are a serious risk to kids, whose immune systems are still developing and aren’t strong enough to fight off certain infections. On top of that, kids often play on dirty surfaces and forget to wash their hands, making it even easier for germs to spread and cause illness.

Significant Threat to Kids With Asthma

Cockroaches are known for their significant risk to children with asthma, making it vital to eliminate these pests as soon as possible. Allergens found in a cockroach’s body can worsen the frequency and severity of  symptoms like difficulty breathing, wheezing and tightness in the chest. 

Rapid Cockroach Life Span/Breeding: Hundreds of Eggs a Year  

On top of the diseases they spread, cockroaches breed at an alarming rate, which makes them even more dangerous over time. A frightening fact is that a female can lay up to four hundred eggs in one year alone! This leads to drastic increase in population and potential risk of harm. 

Do Cockroaches Bite?

Cockroaches can bite, but it’s pretty rare and usually only happens during severe infestations. If a bite does occur, it’s often because the roach is starving or feels threatened, like if you’re trying to squash it. Most bites aren’t serious and usually just cause mild swelling and itchiness.

DIY Cockroach Treatment: How Can I Eliminate Cockroaches?

DIY cockroach treatment can work well for mild to moderate infestations. The key to getting rid of roaches is to kill the ones you see and stop the ones in hiding – you can do this by making your space completely unwelcoming and deadly to all roaches. 

Baits and Sprays

Contact sprays and baits can be very effective at getting rid of an infestation. Sprays are useful for active killing, while baits are great for attracting and poisoning roaches over time, helping to eliminate hidden or hard-to-reach pests.

Contact Sprays

Look out for contact sprays with ingredients like cypermethrin and imiprothrin, known for their potency against roaches. Hold the can about 12-18” from it and ensure you get a good amount on it for maximum effect. 

Baits: Non-Chemical Cockroach Treatments

If you don’t like the idea of using chemicals, you could give these natural methods a go. We’ll be adding a link to our DIY Cockroach Treatment Guide soon—it’s filled with proven strategies and tips to help you use them effectively.

Baking Soda

Super easy and convenient, this seemingly harmless baking favourite is kryptonite to a cockroach. The roaches’ stomachs explode as a result of the gases produced when they eat the baking soda.

Borax 

Borax is a great non-chemical treatment option. It works by causing severe dehydration and death when consumed by a cockroach. It’s a safe alternative to harsher chemicals and can be placed in areas where roaches are likely to crawl, such as along baseboards or in cracks.

Citrus 

Lemons, specifically their smell, are an effective deterrent against cockroaches. It won’t kill them, but it certainly helps. We suggest dropping lemon oil around select areas to make roaches think twice before entering.

Eliminate Hiding Places 

Start by removing any hiding places that cockroaches could use as shelter. Here are some of the strategies you could use:

Cracks: Seal cracks and crevices in walls to prevent cockroaches from entering or hiding.

Clutter: Ensure that there are no piles of clothing, old dusty equipment or anything lying around that could be used as a hiding place.  

Appliances: Place strong tape over holes in appliances to stop cockroaches from entering.

Windows and Doors: Make sure that your windows are closed securely and doors have no gaps that a cockroach could exploit. 

Remove Water Sources

As water is a major motivator for roaches, it is essential that any water sources like sinks, faucets and water bowls are dried or sealed off and protected, especially at night. We recommend checking these before going to bed. 

• Fix any leaking faucets or plumbing (both outside and inside)
• Plug the drains of sinks and showers 
• Dry your pets’ water bowls before sleeping or place them in a sealed bag
• Dry your toothbrushes or place them in a tight container 

Professional Pest Control 

If the cockroach infestation is severe, professional pest control may be the most efficient option. Here’s why you should consider a professional pest control company:

• An expert will be able to tell which breed of cockroach has invaded your space.
• Experts know where they are most likely located and where their target location is
• They have strategies and equipment to ensure that these nasty pests are eliminated for good.  

Professionals know what they’re doing—they’ve got the tools, skills, and experience to get rid of roaches fast and properly, saving you time, hassle, and money in the long run

Need Help With Pest Control?
Since 1992, Northern Pest Solutions has been helping homes and businesses in Sunderland stay pest-free. We’ll get rid of any pest infestation from your home or place of work—and make sure they stay gone.

Get your free, no-obligation quote today:

Tel: 0782 823 0669 / 0191 597 1805
Email: info@northernpestsolutions.co.uk
Office Hours: Mon – Sun: 7:30 AM – 6:30 PM