While many people believe that cockroaches go hand-in-hand with unsanitary or dirty homes, these pests aren’t always an indicator that you’re not keeping up with the housework. Like any pest, cockroaches are after your food and water, so poorly maintained homes do make it easier for them to thrive.
However, these critters are still resilient, and they can survive just about anywhere, including a spotless home. Even if they don’t have easy access to human food or moisture, they can still feed on things like human hair, decaying matter, or even books.
As a result, cockroaches aren’t just a concern for people with unsanitary homes; they can happen to any homeowner. For Opelika residents in Foley, Orange Beach, and surrounding areas, it’s important to know what kind of dangers cockroaches bring into your house. Here’s what you should know about the problems associated with cockroaches, what you should do if you suspect you’ve got an infestation, and prevention tips for keeping them away.
Are Cockroaches Dangerous?
Unfortunately, a cockroach’s grimy nature means they can be dangerous to have in your home. Before they infest your living space, cockroaches aren’t shy about hanging out in unsanitary locations, like drains and sewers. Some species, like German cockroaches, even prefer to live and breed in sewers if they can.
By the time they make it into Opelika homes, cockroaches can come bearing a whole list of harmful bacteria and pathogens. Some of the health risks associated with roach infestations include:
Spreading bacteria and pathogens: Some of the most common bacteria roaches can carry are salmonellosis, staphylococcus, and streptococcus. Cockroaches may contaminate your food directly with bacteria, but they can also make you sick by crawling across kitchen surfaces, or anywhere else you prepare food.
Increased risk of allergies and asthma: Roach droppings and saliva contain an enzyme that can sometimes trigger allergic reactions or increase asthma symptoms, especially in the elderly or young children.
Can You Get Rid Of Cockroaches On Your Own?
Cockroaches may be dangerous, but are they easy to get rid of? For homeowners, getting rid of a cockroach infestation – big or small – is almost impossible without professional help. This is for a couple of reasons: not only do cockroaches reproduce quickly (and some female roaches don’t even need a male to reproduce), but they conceal themselves well too. Roaches are more active at night so that an infestation can go unnoticed for weeks or months by homeowners. They’re also resourceful enough to survive on almost nothing if you take away their direct access to food and water.
Even if you find their hiding spots, most homeowners don’t have the right tools to eliminate a cockroach infestation. These pests are resistant to a lot of conventional pesticides, and the survivors will just find new places to hide out in your home.
For these reasons, the best approach to cockroach infestations is professional assistance from Prewett Pest Control & Termites. With years of experience, we’ve dealt with cockroach infestations of every size in the Opelika area.
If you think you may have roaches contaminating your house, you shouldn’t wait for the problem to spiral out of control – contact us today at Prewett Pest Control & Termite to schedule an inspection of your home or to learn more about our cockroach treatments.
How To Prevent Cockroaches In Opelika
Besides using professional help from Prewett Pest Control & Termite for residents in Fairhope and Daphne, there are always steps you can take to prevent future cockroach issues, such as:
- Don’t leave food sitting out on countertops or tables, and keep leftovers sealed or packaged tightly.
- Immediately clean up spills or food crumbs after meals.
- Make sure you’re vacuuming and regularly sweeping, especially in rooms where you consume food.
- Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight.
- Use caulk or a similar sealant to identify and block off cracks and crevices that roaches may use as an entrance.
- Fix plumbing and drainage issues like leaky faucets as soon as you notice them.
- Keep a tight lid on both indoor and outdoor garbage cans, and empty them on a regular basis.
- Get rid of excess clutter, like empty boxes or stacks of unnecessary magazines, that roaches may use as hiding spots (and as a food source).
- Inspect used appliances, secondhand furniture, and yard debris for possible roaches before you bring them inside your house.
For more advice or assistance preventing cockroaches, call the experts at Prewett Pest Control & Termite.
Don’t leave food sitting out on countertops or tables, and keep leftovers sealed or packaged tightly.
Immediately clean up spills or food crumbs after meals.
Make sure you’re vacuuming and regularly sweeping, especially in rooms where you consume food.
Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight.
Use caulk or a similar sealant to identify and block off cracks and crevices that roaches may use as an entrance.
Fix plumbing and drainage issues like leaky faucets as soon as you notice them.