Year-Round Cockroach Prevention for Arizona Homes

In Arizona, cockroaches remain a problem all year long. These pernicious, resilient, and highly-mobile pests can get into every nook and cranny of a home, and when they do, can become a serious threat to the health of everyone living there. Let’s take a look at how they can accomplish this:

There are conflicting views about cockroaches. Some people think cockroach are vile and disgusting while others think those poor cockroaches have gotten a bad rap and aren’t all that bad. This might be connected to the fact that cockroaches are a culinary delicacy in some countries. Because, if they were really disease-ridden critters, how could people eat them? Well, the simple answer to that questions is that the cockroaches people eat aren’t wild caught. They’re farm-raised. This is an important distinction.

Cockroaches are naturally drawn to filthy things. In the wild, these insects can be found feeding on the dead carcasses of animals, animal dung, and other rotting things. Because of this behavior, it isn’t safe to pick one up, throw it in a pot, and cook it. On the other hand, farm-raised cockroaches don’t have access to those things. They live on a diet prepared for them and they are protected from their own filthy habits. This is what makes it possible for them to be consumed by humans. Some people even consider them to be quite tasty, though we don’t blame you if you cringe a little at the thought of consuming these insects. We totally get it. It’s not for everyone. But what we’re trying to say is, cockroaches in the wild are extremely unsanitary and should not be allowed in your home.

The cockroaches that invade your home are definitely not going to be farm-raised roaches. If you are dealing with an infestation in your home, you are dealing with wild cockroaches. And, as we mentioned above, you can be sure that it has fed on some pretty vile things in its lifetime, especially if you live in an urban center! Cockroaches will feed on garbage, sewage, compost, animal feces, and the sludge found inside drains. They’re drawn to bacteria-laden environments and are mostly immune to things that make us sick. So when these pests invade your home and then get into your pantry or kitchen cabinets, they can contaminate the foods items inside. When they crawl on our dishes or food-prep surfaces, they can contaminate any food items that touch those surfaces.

So how dirty are cockroaches exactly? According to the National Pest Management Association, cockroaches are linked to 33 kinds of bacteria, including E. coli and salmonella, 6 species of parasitic worms, and more than 7 other human pathogens. They’re also linked to increased asthma symptoms in urban areas. So trust us when we say, allowing cockroaches to take up residence inside your home is not a good idea!

How to Resist Cockroaches in Arizona

Sanitize all your counters, sinks, floors, and tables to make your home less interesting to cockroaches and make it a little more difficult for them to spread illness; good sanitation is the foundation of effective cockroach management.
Keep your floor clear of clutter that cockroaches could hide in as the more clutter there is in your home, the happier those roaches will be to invade.
Clean up crumbs, spills, and dirty dishes to remove food sources for cockroaches. It also helps to soak dirty dishes in a sink full of soapy water instead of in a stack next to the sink.
Keep your stored food in sealed plastic containers to protect them from contamination and remove food sources for those roaches. Start with packaged food that comes in paper, cardboard, or thin plastic as cockroaches can chew through these materials.
Turn the water on in sinks that aren’t used often to flush roaches out of your plumbing.
Do an inspection of your foundation walls and seal any gaps, crack, or holes you find. This will help to keep cockroaches from continuing to get in.
Inspect your kid’s backpacks when they come home from school. Cockroaches can stowaway in these items and get carried right into your home.
Inspect any carriable items that may have been exposed to cockroaches while you were away from your home.
Inspect grocery items for roaches before storing them in your pantry.

These tips can help you get control of a current cockroach infestation in your home or prevent one from taking root. But, in light of their illness-spreading behaviors, it is best to have a licensed pest control professional make sure your home is roach-free.

At Schendel Pest Services, we use industry-leading pest control solutions to inspect for the presence of cockroaches, monitor for activity, and eliminate cockroach infestations. We also provide routine treatments that work to create a barrier around homes. Get your barrier in place by reaching out to us and scheduling a free inspection. We’ll help you stop those cockroaches in their tracks!