We all deal with cockroach infestations from time to time. If you see a cockroach in your apartment, it’s likely that there’s more than one lingering around. Cockroaches take up occupancy in places such as shelves, boxes and magazines to protect themselves from humans.
People also frequently find them in their garages or basements where there’s a lot of clutter. But before you call in the exterminator, there are a few things you can do to solve the issue yourself. It’s essential that you first find out where the cockroaches are nesting in your apartment.
Let there be light
If you find a cockroach in your apartment, it’s safe to say you’re probably dealing with some sort of infestation. To find out where the cockroaches are nesting, you can use lights to get a general idea.
Flipping the lights on and off in a dark room and observing where the creatures run will let you know where the nest location is. You can use a flashlight or your phone flashlight to look under furniture and other areas of clutter.
You also want to make sure to look behind walls to see if roaches are nesting in them. If you find any roaches during this process, use a vacuum to suck them up.
Beware of other nesting signs
Live roaches are obvious, but you’ll also find signs of cockroach nests and this is what you want to pay attention to. Look for cockroach feces, which look like small black spots – kind of like black pepper.
If you see feces, it’s a sign that you’ve got a lot of roaches in your apartment. If you consistently smell something bad, that might also be a sign of a cockroach infestation. They give off a poor, musty-smelling scent.
Other signs of nesting include skins and remains of roaches on your floors. Any kind of remains or feces is an unfortunate sign that there are cockroaches nesting in your apartment.
Process of elimination
To locate and eliminate the cockroach nests, you can put out sticky traps. Your trap will fill up quickly if you’re in a prime nesting area. If it doesn’t, you may not be near the nesting area after all.
However, if the problem persists, you should call in a professional exterminator to figure out the source of the issue and get rid of it. It might be hard to fully eradicate the infestation if it’s spread quickly.
Keep it clean
Similar to the approach you’d take to keep bugs out of your apartment, cockroaches aren’t much different. Keeping your apartment clean and organized is the first step to eliminating cockroach nests and preventing them to begin with.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Don’t leave any food or crumbs out
- Clean any spills up quickly
- Create more open space
- Clean your apartment regularly
- Organize your garage or basement
- Regularly take out the trash
Remember, cockroaches love clutter. If you keep your home clean and, cockroaches are more likely to find another place to nest.
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Source: apartmentguide.com