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4 Ways to Get Rid of Cockroaches in Kitchen Cabinets

4 Ways to Get Rid of Cockroaches in Kitchen Cabinets

What are the different ways to get rid of cockroaches in kitchen cabinets?

  1. Use borax powder
  2. Place a bowl of powdered sugar
  3. Spray with water and soap
  4. Remove sources of food and water

 

For residential and commercial pest control, a cockroach infestation is perhaps one of the most difficult to address. For one they’re extremely difficult to catch and get rid of. It may need a few more insecticide sprays before a single roach will stop squirming. When spotted in the kitchen, these nasty pests can spread whatever harmful bacterial or even parasites they’re carrying. If you’re thinking about ways to get rid of cockroaches in your kitchen cabinets, but don’t know where to begin, this guide lists some of the most effective methods.

A cockroach presence is not only unsightly but also cumbersome to deal with. Apart from chewing into sweets, cardboard, paper, or any food source, cockroaches can also be disease spreaders. The key to stopping them from proliferation or preventing an infestation altogether is to target the source and be strategic about pest control strategies. Read on to learn more.

 

Use Boric Acid Powder

Use Boric Acid Powder

Boric acid powder is mainly used as a detergent, hand soap, or fertilizer for plants. It’s a naturally occurring chemical that’s found in fruits and vegetables such as apples, bananas, nuts, or even during the fermentation process of beer.

In cockroach pest control, boric acid is also known as one of the fastest ways to get rid of these pests. When a cockroach comes into contact with the powder, it sticks to them, no matter where they may scurry off to. To get rid of the powder, the cockroaches must clean themselves, inevitably ingesting the boric acid compound, and killing them instantly.

Sprinkle the boric acid powder in different locations in your kitchen cabinets, like the ones when you read this guide here, for best results. You may also have your cabinets cleaned with this substance, as it can also help get rid of tough stains and remove odors.

 

Place a Bowl of Powdered Sugar and Baking Soda Solution

Cockroaches will consume anything sweet, which makes a powdered sugar and baking soda solution another thing you can use to get rid of them. Compared to pesticides which can be harmful to humans, pets, and the environment, this alternative is much safer and does not pose any threats to any other living thing than these pests.

The sweet scent of powdered sugar mixed with baking powder is enough to get cockroaches out of hiding. To make your own solution, you’ll need the following materials: a small bowl or dish, powdered sugar, and baking soda powder. Follow these steps:

  1. Mix equal amounts of powdered sugar and baking soda into the dish. This will serve as the bait.
  2. Fill a small bowl with water and place it near the other dish.
  3. Place them in kitchen cabinets, cupboards, countertops, pantries, or anywhere cockroaches are present.
  4. Replenish the mixture every few days and clean up any dead roaches that you find.

 

Spray with Water and Soap

Spray with Water and Soap

Although using only simple ingredients, this cockroach control remedy packs enough punch to kill roaches and get them away from your kitchen cupboards in no time at all. Similar to the boric acid solution and powdered sugar mixture, water and soap are relatively harmless and won’t emit toxic chemicals in your kitchen.

Any mild hand soap or liquid soap will do. Combine the soap foam with equal parts of water and then transfer it inside a medium-sized spray bottle. As part of your routine kitchen/dining room maintenance, spray the solution on shelves, tables, countertops, or any surface. Cockroaches will be deterred by the scent, ensuring that dry food items like canned goods, chips, bread, rice, oatmeal, and the like, will be safe from contamination.

 

Remove Sources of Food and Water

The best way to keep roaches out of your kitchen cabinets is to directly remove the food source attracting them — snacks, fresh produce, bread, oats, or what have you. Place them inside the refrigerator instead to put them out of harm’s way, as well as prolong the freshness.

An alternative you could do is to remove the food from its original packaging and transfer them to sealed and water-tight containers. This is good practice to retain the quality of dry food products and extend their shelf life without being affected by pests.

 

Key Takeaway

Cockroaches are some of the most invasive and destructive pests in homes and buildings. Aside from being difficult to spot and exterminate, they can also contaminate food and cause destruction to property in any kitchen space.

Fortunately, there are different ways to get rid of cockroaches in kitchen cabinets. In this guide, you’ve learned about 4 of these methods. From dusting with simple boric acid powder and removing potential sources of food, these remedies can prevent cockroaches from wreaking havoc in the kitchen.

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5 Ways to Remove Cockroach Smell

Selective focus of cockroach on the cement floor, Close Up of cockroach on street, Insects on concrete background.

What are the ways to remove cockroach smell?

  1. Find the nest
  2. Eliminate the source
  3. Use the right equipment
  4. Vacuum
  5. Disinfect and clean

 

A cockroach infestation can be troublesome for homeowners in a number of ways. Aside from carrying diseases, one of the grossest things associated with them is their smell. A heavy roach infestation can leave your home with an unbearable stench. So what causes cockroach smell and what are the ways to remove cockroach smell?

Most expert pest control services use the words moldy, oily, or mildewy to describe a cockroach smell. The oriental cockroach type is known to produce one of the worst stenches, but American and German cockroaches can also give off a foul smell. Continue reading on to learn about the best and most effective ways to remove cockroach smell.

 

Why Do Cockroaches Smell?

Before you learn about how to get rid of cockroach odor, you must know the three main reasons why cockroaches smell in the first place.

The first reason involves their pheromones. Pheromones are secreted or excreted chemicals that form communication between members of the same species. This is used to gather other cockroaches to nesting areas and to attract mates.

The second cause of roach smell is feces. Most living things excrete feces that smell foul. The difference with cockroaches is that they move around and poop everywhere. If a cockroach is moving around your kitchen and bathroom, it is excreting feces throughout the travel. Their feces can also start to grow mold, which adds to the stench.

Lastly, when cockroaches die, they give off a “death stench.” Their decaying bodies shed skins and release oleic acid, which also has a powerful stench.

 

Find The Nest

To get rid of the cockroach smell you must first get rid of its source — its nest. Take the time to identify where the cockroaches travel and live. These are their nesting areas, which will be the biggest source of their smell.

Use a flashlight and check for common cockroach nests such as cracks and crevices in kitchens, inside appliances, laundry rooms, under the drains of bathrooms, and crawl spaces. Keep in mind that cockroaches prefer to take shelter in hidden and dark areas where moistures and food are present. You can determine a cockroach nest if there are piles of shed skins, feces, live and dead cockroaches, and egg cases.

If you are still unsure where they hide, you can try rolling out a baiting system and see which one catches the most cockroaches. That is where you will likely find the nest.

 

Eliminate The Source

Cockroach in the bathroom near the drain hole. The problem with insects. Cockroaches climb through the sewers.

Once you find the nest, you should start getting rid of the sources — which are the cockroaches themselves. A strong musty smell is an indication of a cockroach infestation and must be dealt with properly and quickly to prevent the population from increasing.

To completely get rid of a cockroach infestation, you will need to have an integrated pest management approach. Cockroach pest control services will do this job best, but the more you can eliminate along the way, the better. Elimination of food sources and water sources, proper waste management, and disinfecting your home are some of the most important steps of pest management.

 

Use The Right Equipment

If you didn’t already know, cockroaches can be sources of allergens and they can carry harmful diseases. In order to protect you and your loved ones, it is vital to go take precautionary measures when cleaning the nest.

Getting rid of cockroach odor means getting rid of the feces, which can trigger allergens such as asthma. You might want to wear disposable vinyl gloves and masks. If the odor is unbearable, a respirator will provide more protection.

 

Vacuum

Woman vacuuming mat at home in a good mood

Start vacuuming the highest areas of your home and work your way down. Vacuum any cockroach feces, shed skins, and even live roaches that you come across. Run your vacuum home along the top of cabinets, inside drawers, behind furniture, under sinks, and anywhere you have seen signs of cockroaches.

Once you have ensured every location is properly vacuumed, seal the bag and dispose of it properly to avoid further infestations.

 

Disinfect and Clean

Once you have vacuumed the feces and skins, spray the nest and other zones where you found signs of infestation with a powerful EPA-registered disinfectant and let it sit for 10 minutes or longer. If the nest or smell is in the cabinet, remove all its contents and spray away. If the odor persists in other parts of your home, spray all the affected areas thoroughly.

Next, use a light degreaser to scour the infested areas. Scrub until no feces are present. Once you are sure all the areas are free from odor, reapply the EPA-registered disinfectant to kill other bacteria. After the chemical odor dissipates, you will remove the cockroach smell.

 

Key Takeaway

These are some of the best ways to remove cockroach smell. As you get rid of your roach odor problem, you may need to repeat these steps.

Cockroach infestations can be troublesome. Aside from their foul stench, they can also carry harmful diseases. If you realize that cockroaches are infesting your home, you should take immediate action. It would also be best to seek professional pest control services to ensure the musty odor never returns.

Cut back on your pest concerns today by calling Topbest. With years of expertise, we offer comprehensive and only the most effective pest control services. Click here to book your free pest consultation!

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4 Home Remedies for Cockroach Control

Dead cockroach on floor

What are some home remedies for cockroach control?

  1. Conduct thorough cleaning
  2. Cockroach traps
  3. Chemical baits
  4. Diatomaceous earth

 

If you’re looking for cockroach control home remedies, then chances are there’s already an infestation at your home. These pests are some of the most destructive — next to termites. Not only does their presence create an unsightly environment, but they may also be carriers of diseases that can cause physical discomforts, allergies, or even fatal diseases.

Fortunately, you don’t have to despair when it comes to getting rid of these vermin. Some effective home remedies include: Conducting thorough cleaning, placing cockroach traps, chemical baits, diatomaceous earth, and the like. Of course, when your infestation has already worsened to the point of no return, you also have the option of calling your local pest control service.

As much as possible, these measures should be preventive. Read on to learn how you can effectively practice them to get rid of cockroaches once and for all.

 

Conduct Thorough Cleaning

Woman cleaning the house

Cockroaches thrive in warm environments, especially in tropical locations such as the Philippines. In order to facilitate their survival, they have to rely on food sources such as leftover food, crumbs, garbage, pet food, and the like. To prevent your home from harboring these pesky creatures, the first step is to conduct a thorough cleaning of all the areas in your house.

First, you’ll need to start with the most easily-soiled locations, like the kitchen, dining room, or bathroom. Before, during, and after meal preparation, for example, make sure that food scraps are properly thrown in a waste disposal bin. Avoid leaving out any scraps on the table or in the sink, as these could attract the cockroaches.

For your dining area, on the other hand, make sure that every surface is free from grime or grease. When not in use, wipe each countertop, stove, table, and chair with an all-purpose cleaner. Make sure there is no residue or bits and pieces of food left.

In the bathroom, as well as other general areas inside the house, it’s a good habit to dust, clean, and mop every day, if possible. Sanitize every surface with the right cleaning implements and organize the space to ensure proper sanitation.

 

Cockroach Traps

Another effective roach control practice that you can do is to place cockroach traps in different locations around your home. These can easily be purchased in your local hardware, supermarket, and department stores at a low cost — make sure to buy as many as you need to get all areas of your house covered.

Place cockroach traps in strategic locations, such as the kitchen, dining area, living room, or even your bedroom. These traps don’t take a long time to set up: Simply leave the adhesive surface facing upright and wait at the end of the day to inspect if there are any pests that fell prey to them.

 

Chemical Baits

Dead cockroach on floor

Similar to cockroach traps, you can also purchase chemical baits that are just as effective. Many homeowners usually practice this technique in combination with other tips to get the best results.

The formulation for chemical baits is similar to popular insecticides in the market, but they’re easier to use for two reasons: One is that you don’t have to move around the house yourself just to simply catch the cockroaches in action. Second is, you only need to lie in wait until the bait attracts these pests.

A cockroach chemical bait contains a food-based substance — which attracts the cockroaches — as well as slow-acting insecticides. Once ingested, it will take only a few seconds until a minute until the cockroaches get poisoned and die.

 

Diatomaceous Earth

If you prefer natural and toxic-free remedies for your home, then the diatomaceous earth is the most suitable choice. It’s a powder-like compound that contains natural ingredients such as silica and diatoms — made out of fossilized animal remains. This product isn’t difficult to find and is oftentimes sold in hardware or even online shops.

Diatomaceous earth products may have different recommendations when it comes to the application, but it typically involves spreading the substance using a teaspoon in the affected area. Aside from cockroaches, this substance can also kill a vast range of other bugs and insects like bed bugs, fleas, silverfish, ants, and the like.

Set out the powder in such a way that it forms a line. Pests will instantly die upon contact with the powder. For best results, avoid vacuuming the powder or dusting it off.

 

Key Takeaway

In this guide, you’ve found out some of the cockroach control home remedies that are effective against this, and other types of pests. As mentioned before, using these techniques in combination without the other is a good practice. Consistently practice them and you’ll soon have a cockroach-free home.

Need to exterminate cockroaches and other pests in your home? Topbest Philippines’ team of pest control service personnel can get the job done for you. Click here to get a free consultation!

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Amazing Facts About Cockroaches

Amazing Facts About Cockroaches

What are the things you need to know about cockroaches?

  • Cockroaches can eat anything
  • Some cockroaches can grow as long as 3 Inches
  • Roaches can live up to a week without their head
  • Cockroaches can survive immense nuclear radiation

 

Cockroaches are among the nastiest pests that humans would ever encounter. Pest control in the Philippines is instantaneously called once the sign of an infestation is detected. Compared to the detection of termites, the sight of cockroaches doesn’t mean that your house will be at risk, but you definitely would not want them to go around spreading bacteria and potential viruses around your household.

Despite their revolting presence, these nasty creatures have some pretty amazing features. Here are some amazing facts about cockroaches:

 

Cockroaches Can Eat Anything

Cockroaches Can Eat Anything

This may come to no surprise for many as we have probably seen cockroaches munching down on any food that drops to the floor. You may even see them feasting on random leftovers and scouring through the trash just to grab something to bite. But did you know that they could even take their diet further?

You’ll be surprised to find out the range or the extent of their meals.
Cockroaches will eat just about any kind of organic matter, from dead insects, cloth, paper, wood, and even things such as soap, glue, hair, and poop. Cockroaches are also known to cannibalize when they need to control the growing population of their group.

Due to their cold-blooded nature, they can survive for up to a month without food. But they cannot live for weeks without water.

 

Some Cockroaches Can Grow as Long as 3 Inches

Cockroaches are among the creepy crawlies we wish would never grow in size. Luckily, the ones we find in our homes and consider pests never grow more than an inch and a half or so. But there are other cockroach species that we will never encounter in our homes that can reach sizes bigger than a whopping 3 inches.

We should be thankful that out of the 4500 species across the globe only 30 of these species are considered pests, and the large ones are fairly uncommon. A cockroach that’s native to South America, called the Megaloblatta longipennis is known to grow up to 3 inches long and 1.75 inches wide. What’s amazing (or frightening), is its 8-inch wingspan.

In Japan, a preserved female Megaloblatta longipennis from the collection of Akira Yokokura measures up to 3.8 inches in length, this is known to be the largest ever recorded cockroach.

 

Roaches Can Live Up to a Week Without Their Head

Cockroaches Can Live Up to a Week Without Their Head

Did you know that a decapitated cockroach can live for up to a week or two without their head? To grasp how we can understand how they can live headless for a week or two, we have to know about our own biology. Humans can’t live decapitated because we rely on important bodily functions in our head; and our brain is responsible for handling, controlling, and maintaining most of our biological functions.

Without it, the rest of our bodily systems would cease to work. Plus, decapitation would mean a tremendous drop in blood pressure and loss of blood. Cockroaches, on the other hand, don’t have their brain located in their head, because it’s spread out across their body.

They also breathe through special pores located along their body. When a cockroach gets decapitated, they won’t experience any uncontrolled bleeding; right after their head gets cut off, their neck would be seal by clotting. They can only survive without their head for a week or two because they will lose the ability to drink and die of thirst.

 

Cockroaches Can Survive Immense Nuclear Radiation

The theory or myth that cockroaches can survive a nuclear blast has been debunked. Though their threshold for radiation is still astounding. In the past, the theory that cockroaches are believed to survive the effects of a nuclear blast. They came up with that conclusion because they found a vast number of cockroaches roaming around the Hiroshima and Nagasaki after its bombing, and in Chernobyl, cockroaches were one of the few living organisms around.

Well, scientists have tested the radiation resistance of cockroaches and found out that direct exposure to radiation that is equivalent to a nuclear bomb would kill them. But they can certainly survive radiation levels that would kill a person in 10 minutes. In a recent study, scientists found out that they can withstand up to 10,000 rads. This is due to their simple bodies and slow cell cycles.

 

Key Takeaway

These are but a few amazing features of cockroaches. Though the sight of these creatures will lead us to contact our pest control in the Philippines. Just like termite detection, we wouldn’t want to keep cockroaches running around in our homes. Because we associate their presence with filth. But it’s good to know these cool facts about these pesky pests, right?

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4 Most Commonly Found Cockroaches in the Philippines

4 Most Commonly Found Cockroaches in the Philippines

What are the most commonly found cockroaches in the Philippines?

  1. German Cockroach – it has two dark vertical stripes running the length of its head shield.
  2. American Cockroach – an adult American cockroach is reddish brown in color.
  3. Brown Banded Cockroach – it has light bands across its abdomen.
  4. Oriental Cockroach – it is darker than most cockroaches.

 

If you live in the Philippines, then you’re no stranger when it comes to cockroaches. More than that, you probably harbor a fervent aversion towards them, and that the very idea of cockroaches already makes you shudder in disgust. Plus, when they start flapping their wings and blindly soar through the air? That will certainly have anyone screaming.

Cockroaches top the list of pests that need to be controlled. Aside from the multitudes of measures that you need to take—such as rodent control—managing cockroaches can be a nerve-wracking yet satisfying venture. Nothing feels more gratifying than finally seeing your beloved home devoid of this pest.

However, contrary to what you might think, cockroaches don’t look alike, and there isn’t just a single type of cockroach prowling out there. There are, in fact, thousands of species out there. But this post will only tackle the 4 most commonly found cockroaches in the Philippines. Read on to know more about them!

 German Cockroach

Source: Wikipedia

German Cockroach

Its scientific name is Blatella germanica. This particular species is the reason why cockroaches have such a dreadful reputation.

The German cockroach is spread all over the globe, and they can’t subsist in areas that have no human activity. Their survival is also hampered by cold temperature, which is the primary reason why they’re so drawn to the Philippines and its scorching heat. This makes pest control—especially cockroach control—even more crucial.

An adult German cockroach is 10 to 15 millimeters in length. Its distinct characteristic is the two dark vertical stripes running the length of its pronotum (or head shield).

In order to distinguish the males from the females, there are features that you need to look out for. Males have a thin and slender body, and its back is not covered by tegmina (or is leathery outer wings). The male is also rendered in a light yellowish brown color.

On the other hand, a female German cockroach has a plump body, and its back is covered by tegmina.

A female generates 4-9 oothecae (egg case). Each ootheca contains 37-44 eggs. Lastly, the adult life cycle spans for more than 100 days.

 

American Cockroach

Its scientific name is Periplaneta americana. The American cockroach is the largest of the most common cockroaches, with an average of 4 cm in length.

An adult American cockroach is reddish brown in color, with a light brown or yellowish band around the rim of the pronotum. Males are much more substantial than females because their wings can extend from 4 to 8 mm beyond the abdomen.

A female produces one oothecae every 10 months, with around 16 eggs per ootheca. The adult life cycle lasts from 100 days to 3 years.

 Brown Banded Cockroach

Source: thefollisreport.com

Brown Banded Cockroach

Its scientific name is Supella longipalpa. This is a domestic cockroach, which means that its whole life is spent indoors. Yes, aside from rodents that you need to control, there’s also this particular cockroach that has a penchant for hiding in your home.

An adult brown banded cockroach resembles the German cockroach a bit, especially with their tiny size and body shape. But the two can be set apart by the absence of dark stripes on a brown banded cockroach. Instead, they have light bands across their abdomen.

The adult males are 13-14.5 mm in length, while adult females are 10-12 mm. Another distinct trait is that males fly when they are perturbed, while the females can’t fly. Lastly, a female brown banded cockroach has a considerably bigger abdomen than a male.

A female generates up to 13 oothecae, which comprises of around 16 eggs. An adult typically lives 90 to 115 days.

 

Oriental Cockroach

Its scientific name is Blatta orientalis. It’s approximately 1 inch long, and is darker than most cockroaches. Some of them, in fact, already veer to black.

Males have wings that envelope almost ¾ of their body. On the other hand, females have extremely short wings. Despite this, both of them cannot fly.

The life span of oriental cockroaches ranges from 1 to 6 months.

 

Key Takeaway

Aside from rodent control, you should also concern yourself with cockroaches; they definitely top the list of pests that you need to control.

There are thousands of species of cockroaches available in the Philippines, although these four are the most common. Regardless of the species, however, it’s your duty to ensure that your home or establishment is completely devoid of this horrifying pest.