Cockroach Control Done The Right Way For Kittitas County Homeowners 

It is more than a bit creepy to hear cockroach feet on your kitchen or bathroom floor at night, and even more creepy when you flick a light on and actually see a cockroach. If you're detecting cockroach activity, there are a few things you should know. Join us today as we look at what it means if you find a cockroach in your house and what you can do to alter conditions that allow cockroaches to remain in your home. We'll explore how to get rid of cockroaches naturally and discuss the role cockroach control products play. If you have an immediate need, remember that the pest management professionals here a Prosite are more than happy to help you solve your cockroach problem. We use trusted products and field-tested methods to apply pest control in Kittitas County. Our IPM specialists can not only arrest your infestation but also provide options for services that will keep roaches out of your home for good. Jump to our contact page and connect with us.

One Cockroach Usually Means Many More

If you see one roach every once in a while, it doesn't mean you only have one roach that keeps appearing. Cockroaches rarely enter homes by themselves. Seeing one roach is almost always a sign that there are more roaches you aren't seeing. In fact, some experts say that for every roach you see, there are likely hundreds more that you're not seeing. Why? There are a few reasons why you don't typically see cockroaches. Consider these common questions.

Why do I rarely see cockroaches during the day?

Most pest cockroach species are nocturnal. They prefer to explore your home at night. A big reason for this is that these cockroaches are not fond of light. If you see one come out into the light, it is a sign that your home is overcrowded with cockroaches. That one roach must do things it doesn't want to do to survive; it needs to outcompete the other cockroaches for the limited food resources in your home.  

Why don't I see cockroaches every time I flick a light on?

Researchers say that it is because only a handful of cockroaches have a "bold" personality. The majority are timid roaches that wait until the all-clear is given. The connection between the bold roaches and the timid roaches is what protects cockroaches from harmful food sources, like fast-acting bait. 

What does it mean when I see a lot of cockroaches at night?

Most cockroaches stay hidden unless a food source is found. If food is found, the roaches come out and feed in a group. A group of cockroaches is aptly referred to as an intrusion. When you see an intrusion of cockroaches, you can bet that they've found a desirable food source. You may also see an intrusion of cockroaches if you inspect your home and uncover their hiding place.

Where does that one cockroach go when it disappears from view?

A roach can squeeze down to a third of its height and stretch its legs out to either side, and skitter through the thinnest of gaps. When you see a cockroach, and it disappears into your kitchen cabinetry, you have gaps. If you seal those gaps, cockroaches will have more difficulty moving about inside your home. We also recommend checking under your kitchen sink and sealing gaps around your pipes. Plumbing gaps are often how cockroaches enter kitchen spaces. 

What does it mean when I see lots of cockroaches during the day?

Those are likely wood roaches. While it isn't good to have wood roaches getting into your Kittitas County home, they are far better to have than the common "dirty cockroaches" in our region, namely, German, American, brown-banded, and oriental cockroaches, all of which are active at night.

These are the cockroaches you'll likely see in your home. If you see one, there are likely hundreds more you aren't seeing. If you see hundreds, you've likely caught them in the act of finding food.  

Why It's Dangerous To Have Roaches In Your Home

Should you have hundreds of cockroaches lurking in your home? How bad can it really be? We don't know what your comfort level with cockroaches is, but there are a few cockroach facts every Kittitas County resident should know when determining what to do about roach infestations.

• Cockroaches are unsanitary. They eat rotting things, and they pass over dirty surfaces. The roaches in your home are not clean. Roaches in your home will cause stomach ailments.
• Cockroaches aggravate allergies. The proteins in cockroach exoskeletons are allergens. Research reveals that cockroach infestations in urban areas increase hospital visits for asthma symptoms.
• Cockroaches don't prefer to bite people, but they sometimes bite accidentally. They feed on dead skin around the mouths, noses, and eyes of sleeping people. If you wake up with a welt on your face, keep this in mind.
• Cockroaches carry bacteria and may cause pink eye when they touch your eyes at night while you're sleeping, or when you rest your eyes on a spot where a roach was perched on your pillow.

It is best to get rid of cockroaches as soon as possible. They are not good houseguests. Let's look at how all-natural pest management can help you get roaches out of your home and keep them out.    

Eliminate Factors That Attract Cockroaches Into Your Home

Some conditions bring cockroaches to your home, invite them in, and make them want to stay. If you assess these conditions and remove attractants, you can make roaches want to leave your home and go away from your property. Some roaches are easier to control than others. The easiest to control are oriental cockroaches. They're the black ones. They have a high moisture requirement and prefer extremely unsanitary conditions. Next are American cockroaches. They're the large, chestnut-colored roaches with the yellow marking on the back between the head and wings. Brownbanded and German cockroaches are the hardest to control. Brownbanded roaches are dark brown, and German roaches are tan. Use the following methods to control them all to varying degrees.

• Clean your trash receptacles, place your trash in scented bags, and keep your receptacles covered. Get your trash to the curb weekly to prevent odors.
• Clean up pet waste in the yard.
• Deter wildlife activity to reduce animal waste.
• Pick up yard clutter to remove hiding places.
• Store dead branches in a bin, rather than on the ground.
• Keep grass and vegetation trimmed.
• Clean your gutters.
• Fix broken downspouts or splash blocks.
• Stay on top of leaf clean-up.
• Properly mix any compost source so that there is no strong odor.
• Seal gaps in your exterior walls, particularly around pipes.
• Use expanding foam to fill in exterior structural voids behind joists.
• Use a caulking gun to seal exterior window and door frames.
• Replace damaged screens, door sweeps, and weatherstripping.
• Patch foundation wall cracks.
• Clean your entire home to remove dust and food debris.
• Deep clean around appliances, particularly stoves, refrigerators, and toasters.
• Clean your dirty dishes as you go.
• Put pet food down during meals and pick all food up before nightfall.
• Keep food covered when you have dishes out on the counter.
• Store your pantry foods in sealed containers.
• Thoroughly clean your mop bucket and mop or store these out in your garage or shed.
• Wipe down shelves in your pantry.
• Routinely vacuum your floors and use an attachment to clean your couch and living room chairs.
• Consider only eating in your kitchen or dining room until the roaches are gone.
• Fix leaking showerheads, kitchen and bathroom faucets, garbage disposals, and pipes.
• Install a dehumidifier to collect moisture from the air.
• Use your bathroom fan to expel moisture.
• Keep your home as clutter-free as possible.
• Seal every interior gap, particularly around pipes and along baseboards.

When you are diligent to take these steps, cockroaches will have difficulty living inside your home. Some roaches will decide to go elsewhere. If you convince one to go, the others will likely go with it. Cockroaches prefer to stick together.

The Best Way To Get Rid Of Roaches Safely And For Good

If you want the best cockroach control possible, it pays to hire a trained and experienced pest management professional. As you consider what pest control provider to select, you should know that we're not all alike. Prosite uses all-natural solutions, such as exclusion work, sticky traps, and sanitation first, and we only apply the amount of control material needed to address your issue. Cockroach control products have their place. Chose a company, like Prosite, that has professionals who know what to use, how much to use, and when to use these products.

Do you have questions about cockroach control in Kittitas County? Contact us. Our friendly and knowledgeable professionals can guide you toward the answers. They are not only highly-trained career professionals, but they live in Kittitas County and are experienced in dealing with common cockroach pests in our region. We know what is needed to stop pest roaches; no cockroach infestation is too complicated. Connect with us today!