22 Feb If I have Cockroaches, Does This Mean My House is Dirty?
While many Southerners have come quite accustomed to the sight of bugs, there is still something utterly spine-tingling about seeing a cockroach scurrying across the floor of your home. Unfortunately, since the great state of Texas isn’t only one of the hottest states in the country, it is also one of the most urban—making it the ideal environment for cockroaches to thrive.
While many people associate cockroaches with dirty or abandoned residences—just because you have cockroaches in your home, it doesn’t mean your house is dirty. While these resilient little bugs will often flock towards places where they can get shelter, and a few crumbs of food, even the cleanest of homes can play host to these common pests.
The most important thing to remember is that while a clean home can be less of a lure for cockroaches, these pests are equal opportunity invaders, whether they find a condemned apartment or million-dollar mansion that meets their needs.
What Attracts Cockroaches?
Food crumbs and overflowing trash cans are big attractants for cockroaches and can easily lure them into your home. However, these aren’t the only things that attract cockroaches. Standing water from leaking pipes, water damage, or even your pet’s food bowls are also attractive to these pests. Since cockroaches love dark tight areas inside structures, homes with lots of clutter provide the ideal hiding spots for cockroaches and tend to attract them to a space.
Therefore, while not all homes with cockroaches are dirty, clean homes typically have fewer things that attract cockroaches in the first place. However, these bugs are highly resourceful and adaptable and can live off of small crumbs, bar soap, paint particles, or small droplets of water. This is why you can even find these pests in sparkling clean homes as well. If cockroaches want to get in, they are going to find a way to survive.
How to Keep Cockroaches Out of Your Home
Cockroaches are notoriously difficult to get rid of. While having cockroaches in the home doesn’t necessarily mean your home is dirty, a clean home can be a great way to keep your home cockroach-free.
Wiping down your counters, cleaning up crumbs, sweeping, and vacuuming regularly are all great ways to make sure cockroaches aren’t attracted to your house. You should also make sure that all human and pet food is tightly sealed—as nothing attracts cockroaches like food. Roaches like to eat everything we like to eat! Your trash should be sealed and taken out regularly as well so that the strong odors aren’t attracting unwanted pests to your home.
It is important to remember that these bugs can go up to three months without eating. This means, that even if you’ve deep-cleaned your home and gotten rid of every crumb of food, cockroaches may still be hiding out. This is why in addition to keeping your home clean and crumb-free, regular pest control can help keep cockroaches out for good.
If you have questions about pest control or want more information on treating your home for cockroaches, contact the area experts here at Western Exterminating for more information.