When cockroaches get into a home or business, their presence is never received with open arms. Roaches are not only disgusting, they are known carriers of human pathogens, parasitic worms, and harmful bacteria, which often lead to sickness for individuals in an infested structure. Sickness is a strong motivator to take action. That is why many home and business owners turn to do-it-yourself solutions to "quickly" get rid of cockroaches when they appear. The problem is that these solutions are not quick--and rarely effective--at arresting an infestation. Here are some DIY methods often used to stop roaches and why they are usually unsuccessful.
Hiding your food to control cockroaches
Some well-meaning "cockroach experts" say that hiding food will make those cockroaches go away. While it is true that hiding and protecting food is a good idea when cockroaches start to appear, it is not likely to get cockroaches to pack up and leave. The problem is that cockroaches consider lots of things to be food. They're known to eat book bindings, grease, waste, wallpaper paste, pet fur, plants, and even each other. Worse still, they'll nibble on you if they can't find another food source.
Hiding and protecting food is not without its advantages though. When you protect your food, you keep it from being contaminated by cockroaches. Making it harder for cockroaches to get a bite to eat will help stunt population growth. But, at the end of the day, you're still going to have cockroaches.
Controlling cockroaches with store-bought cockroach traps
This is the big one most people turn to--probably because it works. The issue with these kinds of traps, as well as other DIY pest control solutions, is that it doesn't fix the actual problem of your cockroach infestation. There are all kinds of ways to bait or trap cockroaches, and many of them will help you trap some roaches. But, if you don't stop those cockroaches from coming in, you'll be trapping cockroaches indefinitely as cockroaches are prolific breeders.
Using store-bought pesticides to get rid of cockroaches
Can you spray and kill cockroaches? Yes. But, cockroaches have natural defenses that help them avoid areas where pesticides are being used. And, when exposed to pesticides, roaches can develop a resistance to those pesticides. The last thing anyone needs in their home or business is pesticide-resistant cockroaches. Pesticides are also toxic to humans and pets. When applied wrong, they can lead to greater sickness than simply living with those dirty roaches.
Using natural cockroach control methods
There are all kinds of natural cockroach control options available. Some can be used to kill roaches, like boric acid or baking soda. Some promise to drive cockroaches away, like bay leaves and lemon juice. Some natural products, like coffee, which is attractive to cockroaches, can be used to lure roaches into DIY traps. The problem with all of these is that they are as effective as trying to hit the bullseye on a dartboard while blindfolded.
Cockroach prevention tips for New Jersey residents
While cockroaches are associated with poor sanitation, they really don't pick and choose. Cockroaches can be just as likely to appear in a professionally cleaned home as they are to show up in a college dorm room. All cockroaches need is a way into your home and a compelling reason to do so. The following are a few prevention tips to help keep cockroaches out of your New Jersey home or business:
- Inspect and seal entry points in your exterior walls and foundation.
- Examine and replace door and window screens.
- Cover vent openings with screen mesh.
- Seal exterior trash.
- Address areas of moisture to avoid attracting these moisture pests onto your property.
- Keep weeds and other organic debris cleaned up around your foundation perimeter.
Residential and commercial pest control services
Cockroaches are resilient and relentless. That means your pest control service should be as well. Extermination of cockroaches is a process that requires strict adherence to established methods and the experience to apply these methods effectively. Once the cockroaches have been eliminated from the structure, it is important to invest in ongoing barrier treatments to prevent new roaches from replacing the old roaches. Whether you're looking to protect a home or business, cockroach prevention should be done by a professional to ensure success.
At Arrow Pest Control, cockroaches are just one of over 30 pests from which we protect homes and businesses in New Jersey. If you live or operate a business in our service area, schedule a free estimate, and we'll send one of our certified pest control technicians to do a detailed inspection, and guide you in industry-leading solutions to control the pest threats on your property.
Testimonials
‟I have a service plan with Arrow and use them quite often. Never disappointed, always friendly and knowledgeable and come right out and address the matter. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them at all.”
Testimonials
‟We have a quarterly service plan with Arrow. They are not only focused on addressing issues they put preventative measures in place to prevent issues from happening, like looking for and sealing the places where bugs can get into the home. The team are professional, friendly, thorough and provide details about every step of their process. We have had several different technicians over the last 2 years and each follows the same process and guidelines. Definitely recommend for treatment and prevention.”
Testimonials
‟My family has used Arrow since the early 80's. In our new home we use them as well. Jason came yesterday and did a great job. Thanks again for your great service to our community!”
Testimonials
‟Best customer service and the owner is the most honest business man. He will tell you the truth and not scam you like the rest of the big named pest control companies. Highly recommend Arrow has my business for life.”
Testimonials
‟I used Arrow Pest Control for the first time today and I was totally satisfied, I reached out to them on Sunday and spoke to Beatrice and she set me up an appointment for Monday morn for an estimate and Monday afternoon the technician came and serviced my house.....I wish I could have gave them 10 stars, very helpful, right to the point, very professional, on time and no games.....I highly recommend arrow pest control in Morganville.......thank you J.F.”
Testimonials
‟With Covid hitting everyone, the exterminator that helped us was respectful of the safety with a mask, boots and gloves. He was very informative and explained everything as he did it.”
Testimonials
‟We’ve been using Arrow for the last 4 years. We have a monthly plan, so they come and service the interior and exterior regularly. We can also call them anytime for anything we see...wasp, wasp nests, rodents, ants, whatever...our coverage literally includes the mailbox at the curb all the way to the furthest point of our backyard fence and everything in between. All the technicians we’ve had, including Jason, were friendly and knowledgeable. But, Jason, goes above and beyond with his service and willingness to do more for his customers. Highly recommend Arrow Pest Control!”
Testimonials
‟Tom is amazing! Arrow is the best company! Love their services. They truly care about their clients. ”
Testimonials
‟Today was my first appointment with Arrow and Jason made everything seamless and efficient. Not only was he knowledgeable, he took his time explaining everything to me which proved he cared. I’m happy to have found Arrow and will continue to request Jason for my services! Thank you!”
Testimonials
‟All the professional qualities a business such as Arrow Pest Control would expect a service technician to exhibit, Brian, effortlessly presented. From my standpoint, he offered GOLD STAR ”
Testimonials
‟Recommended to us by neighbors, Arrow arrived promptly to treat our new to us home. The house is built on a slab which small ants love to nest in.
Their program is such that they return til the problem is solved. Today was their third visit. Steve was very thorough, professional and had a great sense of humor. I am hoping not to see him again this season! I would recommend based on our current relationship.
Like”
Testimonials
‟I’m so happy we went with Arrow! We had been using another pest control company and still had a lot of spiders and crickets!! We switched to Arrow and after the first use with them, all the bugs were gone. They do a great job, very thorough, professional, friendly and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend using their services if you have any bug issues!”
Testimonials
‟We were very pleased with how easy it was to schedule a first appointment with Rob and how reassuring and thorough his inspection was. A few hours later Josh arrived for the first treatment and was professional and took the time to answer all our questions. We didn’t hesitate to sign-up for Home Protection Program after seeing the quality and level of service we will receive.”
Testimonials
‟Arrow and Brian with Arrow were amazing! He came same day when we heard scary noises in our attic. He found mice and a loose wire and even took a photo so we could see. He worked hard to crawl into a tiny space and we are so appreciate!! We can sleep tonight thanks to him.”
Testimonials
‟Extremely professional and always on time. I was having an issue with mice and decided to call Arrow. They were able to get here next day and have an inspection. I set up with one of their monthly contracts and they were out to my home once a week continuously monitoring the situation until it was fully taken care of. I truly couldn’t recommend them more.”
