How to Prevent a Winter Cockroach Infestation

When the colder months roll in, you find yourself exhibiting certain behaviors. For one, you start setting up your home to stay nice and warm so that everyone is comfortable. You stock up on food and supplies and make sure that everyone can have filling and soothing meals and drinks throughout the winter. And you try to stay away from the outdoors and from being directly exposed to the cold.

These are all things that humans normally do to survive and even enjoy winter. However, people tend to forget that other creatures may be seeking out similar comforts when it’s cold — like cockroaches, for example. And these critters are very likely eyeing your house as their perfect shelter for the winter as well.

An instinct to survive

When the outdoor temperature drops,cockroaches will look for a place where they have access to the resources they need to live throughout the winter: warmth, food, and some dark hiding places. And your property has all those.

To prevent a winter cockroach infestation from ruining the cold season for your family, there are a number of things that you can do to discourage cockroaches from settling into your house. Pay attention to the following tips from a trusted Modesto pest control company:

Keep all of your non-refrigerated foods securely stored in the properly sealed containers

Food is a top survival priority for any creature, so it’s also the first thing you need to eliminate if you want to remove pests from your house. Take away their potential food sources by keeping pasta, grains, flour and other items in glass containers with tight-fitting lids.

Never leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight

It may be tempting to skip doing the dishes after a hearty dinner and just deal with them in the morning, but you are giving cockroaches an opportunity to eat off your dishes all night. Make sure to wash and put away everything before bed. If this isn’t possible, at the very least, soak all the dishes in soapy water.

Clean out your pet’s food and water bowls every night

Similarly, cockroaches can use your dog or cat’s food bowl as food sources, so wash and dry them before you turn in for the night as well.

Wipe down all surfaces used for dining or food preparation

Crumbs, spills and bits of kitchen scraps left on your tables and countertops are an invitation for cockroaches, so always wipe down surfaces after use.

Clean the house regularly

This translates to sweeping and vacuuming floors, taking out the garbage every day, and eliminating clutter. Cockroaches will happily live in undisturbed areas so keeping every inch of the house tidied up will prevent them from settling in.

Seal gaps, cracks and holes in walls, floors, cabinets, and areas around pipes and cables

Inspect your home for these openings and close them off to keep cockroaches from entering.

If you are worried about a cockroach infestation in Stockton, contact the pest control professionals at AAI Pest Control today.