It’s every host’s worst nightmare. You decide to host a small gathering of friends to enjoy a nice dinner, some light conversation and entertainment. Everything is going well until one of your guests lets out a cry of surprise. Soon the others notice that a very uninvited guest has joined your party. Cockroaches are not only a nuisance in your home but an embarrassing way to ruin any occasion. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways you can remedy this unfortunate situation.
How to deal with a cockroach in your kitchen while you have company
Manage Your Guests
The first step to handling this situation is to remove the uninvited guest. Cockroaches are notoriously difficult and messy to kill, so exterminating them is best left to the professionals. While removing the cockroach will not keep it or its friends from returning, it will give you time to explain to your guests that an infestation can happen to anyone at any time.
Find the Others
If you are seeing one cockroach, the chances are that many more are hidden away in some dark, damp corner of the home. Once you know the source of the problem, you can begin to formulate a solution. In many cases, cockroaches can hide under the floorboards or inside the walls, so finding them yourself could cause damage to the home.
Keep it Clean
While the popular idea that cockroaches only congregate in low-budget hotels and messy homes is false, it is easier to spot and stop a cockroach invasion in a clean home. Roach droppings are easy to spot on clean floors and baseboards as they closely resemble black coffee grounds. Older roaches may leave droppings as large as a grain of rice. In fact, many homeowners mistake adult cockroach droppings for mice feces. Cleaning any droppings you find can help reduce the health hazards posed by cockroaches until you find a permanent solution.
Insect Poison
Most supermarkets carry roach poison that can be placed around the home. Cockroaches step in the poison and lick it off their legs while grooming themselves, resulting in death. The downside to cockroach poison is that it can be extremely toxic to humans as well, so it is not ideal for use in homes with children or pets.
Call a Professional
The best way to deal with a cockroach invasion in your home is to call a professional exterminator. From a one-time extermination to continual preventive care, Preventive Pest Control is a leader in safe and efficient pest control. Not only does a professional extermination save you a messy job, but it takes care of cockroaches with a strategy tailored for your home’s needs.