Effective roach control requires a combination of techniques and products. Prevention and sanitation are the basis of the effort because its far more effective to prevent roaches than to get rid of them after they have become established. Next we will talk about baits, dusts and sprays. You might want to think about calling a professional to do the dirty work. They have the equipment and know-how to do a thorough job and have the right to use products unavailable to homeowners.
Roach management begins with prevention and sanitation. Prevention just means barring roaches from your home. Keeping window screens repaired and the doors and windows closed will help, but the majority of the time roaches catch a ride into the home in bags or boxes. So check everything before it comes in your house. Any sign of roaches or roach eggs, or brown liquid stains is a red flag.
The next step is sanitation. Vacuum everything thoroughly in every nook and cranny. Scrubbing every surface with hot soapy water will destroy the smell that attracts more roaches. Then eliminate the roach necessities, that is, food water and shelter. If you can do this phase properly, roaches will find it very difficult to get established. After all would you want to live where there was very little in the way of food, water or shelter?
While still used are used for roach control, the strategies have changed greatly over the last few decades. Baseboard sprays, once extensively used, have been found to be unproductive. The techniques preferred today are baits and dusts. chemical sprays are usually reserved to locate and clean out nests or high populations. The fact is that chemical products alone are the least effective method to control roaches. Used correctly in combination with prevention and sanitation techniques however, they can be a valuable addition to the toolbox.
Baits are effective and highly recommended. They function well and limit pesticide exposure. Baits commonly come in plastic stations, or large syringes for gel applications. Put bait stations in corners where roaches have been seen. Squirt small amounts of gel into cracks and crevices in the vicinity of roach sightings. Also use gel around windows, doors, and any other suspected cockroach location, but not where food is prepared or handled.
Insect growth regulators (IGR) are another effective roach control product. Even though they take longer to work (4 to 6 weeks), they work much longer that other chemicals because the roaches can no longer reproduce. Watch for adults with deformed wings since that is a sure sign the treatment is working.
An additional useful group of tools are dusts. Dusts are slow-acting but offer long term control. The most common dust labeled for roach control is boric acid dust. Do not mistake the boric acid available in drug stores with the roach control products. They are very different. Boric acid dust is most effective inside the home in clean, dry areas. Use dusts in concealed locations like under appliances and in cracks and crevices. Be cautious not to go overboard with dusts. A very light dusting is plenty. This is one product where less actually works better.
Here is roach control in a nutshell. Vacuum thoroughly and clean everything with hot soapy water. Position baits where you have seen roaches. Use either gel or container type of baits. Use dusts in concealed locations. Check monthly, replace when gone or empty. Do not use liquid sprays unless you intend to to clean out or knock down nests. Read all directions and be safe.
Author Resource:
Florida Bug Inspectors , a leading Tampa pest control company, has over 25 years experience finding solutions for tough pest control issues. If you have roach control issues, call Florida Bug Inspectors.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")