11/14/14

What Do Roaches Want For The Holidays?

What Do Roaches Want For The Holidays?

11/14/2014

Let’s dispel two ideas right off the bat. Roaches don’t gather together with family for the holidays, and a roach motel is not a place roaches stay while visiting that family. But here is how roaches ARE like us: They love a nice warm house during the holiday season. They like to fill their bellies with a wide variety of food substances. And, they do a lot of traveling. The question you should be asking yourself this holiday season is: “Do I want roaches staying in my house over the holidays?” If you’re sane–and not an entomologist–your answer should be NO! Here are some reasons cockroaches should not be welcome in your Kansas home, and some things you can do to discourage them.

  • This probably goes without saying, but cockroaches are disgusting. You should not want them in your home for the yuck factor alone. They scale walls, scurry across floors and congregate in the most nasty fashion.

  • Cockroaches are actually REALLY disgusting. They’re not just nasty to look at. They’re nasty all the way around. According to the CDC, cockroaches are directly connected to the spread of salmonella, staphylococcus, pseudomonas, aeruginosa, and E. coli. They are also spreaders of bacteria which leads to dysentery, diarrhea, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, cholera, polio, and septicemia.

  • Research by The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America shows that roach infestations also increases incidents of Asthma.

  • Roaches get into food. This can quickly ruin a day of holiday cooking.

  • Roaches freak people out. The last thing you want is Aunt Betty packing up the family and going home because she saw a roach on the bathroom wall.

Okay. So roaches are disgusting and can make things most unpleasant for the holidays. Here’s how you can keep them out.

  • Deep cleaning. Before the holidays begin, go through the kitchen, making sure to get in around the stove, the fridge, and inside all the cracks around your counter. Roaches thrive on grimy, left over food.

  • Make sure to clean up any spills, especially juice and soda. Don’t let that sugary liquid roll into a hard-to-reach spot, like under the cabinets. Roaches can get into those places. In fact, a roach actually prefers to be in places where it can feel the ground and the ceiling touching its belly and back at the same time. The cozier, the better.

  • Vacuum and sweep regularly.

  • Keep your kitchen garbage in a sealed container. Don’t get one of those rocker lids. Roaches don’t have a problem getting into those.

  • Put your dishes into soapy water instead of a dry sink. This will discourage the cockroaches (and will also make it easier to clean the dishes later.)

  • Keep food stores in hard plastic containers. Roaches can chew through cardboard and paper.

  • Keep your pantry dry and ventilated.

These tips will deter roaches and decrease their ability to reproduce, but, to keep them out of your home, you’ll need to use a caulking gun to seal your exterior walls–and have a professional do a treatment. If you’re already infested, get a professional to clear those roaches out. Do-it-yourself methods just leave you with continued health risks. The holidays are stressful enough without everyone getting sick.

What Do Roaches Want For The Holidays?