Expert Tips for Preventing and Eliminating Roaches in Your Plano Home

There are two ways to deal with cockroaches in Plano: proactively and reactively. Proactive roach control (referred to as prevention) is the best way to address cockroach problems because roaches are unsanitary insects that can make you sick. One reason reactive cockroach control (referred to as elimination) is not the best solution is that roach infestations grow. The longer they're allowed to grow a population, the greater the health risks become and the harder the roaches will be to control. It is essential to know how to keep cockroaches out of your house and how to reduce roach activity on your property. Today, we're going to share five naturally effective tips to prevent roach infestations in Plano and explain how professional service fits into the cockroach control picture. If you've been looking for expert tips and advice regarding cockroaches, you've found it! If you would like to talk directly with a pest control professional, remember that we're available to help you find answers. Contact us at any time.

Sure Signs You Have A Roach Problem

Knowing how to detect cockroaches provides two benefits. The first is obvious. If you're able to detect cockroaches in your home, you'll know you have a problem. The second isn't quite as obvious. Cockroach detection can help you tell whether or not your roach control efforts have successfully arrested cockroach activity in your home.

"Can't I just look around and see that I have cockroaches? Why do I need to know how to see the signs?"

Cockroaches in Plano are actually quite sneaky. It is rare to see them out and about, and seeing one is considered a warning sign of a large infestation—but not always. You may see one cockroach, remove it, and not see any more for quite some time. If this is the case, that little roach found a way into your home but conditions of infestation were not present. What are the conditions? Food resources, unsanitary habitats, other cockroaches to mate with, etc.    

Often, cockroach infestations begin with no fanfare. You won't suddenly start seeing roaches skittering around in your home, clinging to walls, or surprising you on the drain in your tub. They will crawl around in hidden spaces and only come out at night to find food. Even at night, only a small number will roam around looking for food. The others will wait until food is found, come out quickly to eat, and then return to their hiding places. You'll have to look for evidence that this is happening. Here are a few sure signs of a cockroach infestation.

• Droppings: Cockroaches can't help but leave their waste as they move about inside your home. Look for their droppings in dark areas, humid zones, and tight spaces. Roach droppings are black (or brown) and look a bit like moist pepper. On fabrics, the droppings will soak in and cause spotting.
• Cockroach exoskeletons: If you find a cockroach and realize it isn't a roach at all, you've found a cockroach skin. As roaches develop, they shed their entire exoskeletons several times. Usually, they do this in places you can't examine, such as inside wall or floor voids. Seeing one under your sink or in a hiding place within your pantry is a sure sign of an infestation.
• A white cockroach: It is startling to see a white roach if you've never seen one before. White cockroaches are not a unique species or a cockroach with a pigment malady, it is a nymph that has recently shed its skin. If your home has nymphs, there is likely an infestation. 
• Egg pouches: Cockroaches lay a pouch called an ootheca. Inside the pouch are many eggs. The pouches look like tiny purses and are typically brown. If an ootheca is broken open, you may see a hollow husk or fragments of a husk.
• A scent of cockroaches: Your nose can alert you to a cockroach infestation. These insects have an oily, musty, and sickly-sweet scent. We recommend doing a quick internet search for other descriptions provided by people who have had infestations. You may find the exact description of the scent you're detecting in your home.

Now that you know how to detect sneaky roaches, let's turn our attention to ways you can stunt cockroach population growth, guard yourself against sickness, and possibly repel certain cockroach species from your home. 

The Dangers Roaches Bring Into The Home

We won't spend much time on the dangers presented by cockroaches, but we must consider a few essential facts as they relate to preventing and eliminating cockroaches in your home.

• Cockroaches are drawn to the fecal matter of other roaches. Cleaning up roach droppings will help to deter and repel roaches while also reducing health concerns related to exposure.
• Cockroaches get into trash receptacles and crawl around on rotting organic material. Cleaning your receptacles and keeping trash secure inside covered containers can resist roaches in your home.
• Cockroaches eat things that are filthy. Keep your bathroom as clean as possible until you know that you've dealt with all of the cockroaches in your home.
• The shed parts left by cockroaches are a source of allergens, which can aggravate asthma symptoms and lead to hospitalizations. Clean these up to reduce this threat and also to remove another attractant for roaches. Why do skins attract roaches? As cockroaches move across surfaces contaminated with their droppings, they get the waste on their skins, thus picking up the scent that attracts other roaches.
• Cockroaches damage paper products as they feed on paper for the cellulose inside. When cockroaches get into your cabinets, they can chew through packaging and contaminate your food. We recommend putting food items in sealed containers to guard against illness—and to prevent roaches from getting a bite to eat. Containing food will also help to contain the scent of food.

The primary issue with cockroaches is that they are unhygienic and unsanitary insects. They chew through cardboard and paper to contaminate food and crawl across surfaces in kitchens and bathrooms, leaving invisible disease-causing organisms in their wake.    

Five Naturally Effective Tips To Prevent Roaches In The Home

Now that you know how to detect cockroaches and a few ways to deter roach activity in your home, let's look at the bigger picture. We'll walk you through five naturally effective tips to prevent a cockroach infestation inside your home, starting with how to deter cockroaches outdoors.

1. Address potential food options around your home.

Cockroaches are attracted to rotting organic matter, animal droppings, and anything that has a bad smell. Sanitation around the exterior of your home will have a big impact on cockroach activity. 

2. Remove hiding places near your home.

Cockroaches prefer to crawl around in tight spaces and hide under objects. The tighter the space, the happier the cockroach. It is why you can move a welcome mat and see a dozen roaches skitter away. Remove yard clutter, rake leaves, and get rid of stacked items. 

3. Deal with moisture problems.

Most cockroaches have a high moisture requirement. Without moisture, they dry up and die. If you have a clogged gutter, dense vegetation, poor gradation, or some other issue causing damp habitats, cockroaches will love your yard. 

4. Remove entry points and routes cockroaches may use to enter your home.

Cockroaches can't help but explore tight spaces. It is critical to seal all gaps, cracks, crevices, and other potential entry points. A caulking gun is a great tool for doing this. You may also use a few cans of expanding foam to get this job done. 

5. Make your home unfriendly to cockroaches.

We've touched on a few ways you can deter cockroaches that get into your home. What we've talked about so far is related to unsanitary conditions and health concerns. There are other ways to deter roaches in your home that have nothing to do with their ability to make you sick.

• Use your fan in your bathroom to vent moisture during showers or baths.
• Install a dehumidifier if humidity is an issue inside your home.
• Fix leaking faucets and address other plumbing issues.
• Wipe down shelves and surfaces to remove food particles.
• Feed your pets during the daytime and pick food up before nighttime.

As you can see, you have many options available to you. These tips can keep roaches out and also drive them out. When more control is needed, it is time to turn to a professional cockroach remedy. Let's take a look at how professionals eliminate cockroaches.

Call The Pros To Eliminate Cockroaches In Your Home

Professionals address cockroaches in targeted ways using a multi-pronged approach. If you want effective house cockroach prevention, professional cockroach treatment is the best option. A professional will perform a professional inspection and evaluate the conditions of your infestation, select appropriate products, use field-tested methods to apply roach control, and monitor the treatment plan to ensure success. Whether you need cockroaches removed from your home or you want to prevent roaches from entering, professional service provides the highest level of control and prevention.

Do you need cockroach pest control in Plano, Texas? All-Safe Pest & Termite is the right choice. Our comprehensive treatments eliminate cockroaches, prevent roaches from continuing to enter, and are able to give you long-lasting prevention around your home. Contact us to learn more or check out our residential service page to learn about our pest control strategy. You don't have to live one more day with roaches! Get help today.