We have all encountered these pesky creatures at some point in our lives and some of us are battling with them literally every day. They can be found scurrying around the kitchen floor, enjoying a midnight feast of their own, when the lights are switched on. You can see them crawling out of your drain pipe, lurking in dark corners of your bathroom and sometimes just peacefully resting on a pile of garbage. Cockroaches are nocturnal creatures and are among the most common pests found in our homes and other buildings. How to kill cockroaches effectively has always been a question that crosses our minds, considering the fact that they are speed demons and move at a rapid pace.

Why is it imperative to kill cockroaches?

According to WHO (World Health Organization), “Cockroaches are unhygienic scavengers in human settlements. They have been known to play a role as carriers of intestinal diseases like dysentery, diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid fever”. This only goes on to show why pest control for cockroaches should be top priority for all those houses infested by these dangerous insects.

Another reason to kill cockroaches in home is the fact that they have been known to cause salmonella, staphylococcus and streptococcus infections, by the bacteria they carry and deposit on food.

Cockroaches have also been found to be an allergen source and asthma trigger. The enzymes found in the feces, saliva, shed body parts and eggs have been found to cause allergic reactions in many people. Symptoms of cockroach allergy include watery eyes, skin rashes and sneezing. Children have often been found to be more susceptible to these cockroach allergic reactions, making pest control a crucial part of home hygiene maintenance.

Cockroaches have been on this planet for a long time, since the time of dinosaurs. There is fossil evidence that proves that cockroaches have existed for nearly 300 million years. The fact that these cockroaches have existed for so many years shows just how difficult it is to kill cockroaches and that they are here to stay.

Here are seven things you probably didn’t know about cockroaches.

1. Cockroaches reproduce at a fast rate.

These unwelcome guests have huge families. Chances are that if you have spotted one in your house, there are several others taking cover in various corners of your house. Cockroaches have the ability to reproduce an unfathomable number of offsprings. For example, the variety of German cockroach, can give birth to more than 30,000 baby cockroaches of their own. This may have answered why pest control for cockroaches becomes essential in order to avoid the health hazards they bring along with them.

2. Cockroaches can survive without food

While many insects and rodents need a steady supply of food, cockroaches are one of those who can go long periods without eating anything at all. Cockroaches can pull through without any food whatsoever for nearly a month, whereas some species have even been found to survive up to three months without food. Generally cockroaches thrive in warm environments where the temperature is greater than 22 degrees and there is easily available food and water.This also points to the fact that by merely eliminating or getting rid of easily accessible food resources may not necessarily prove to be an effective way to kill cockroaches in home.

3. Cockroaches eat everything

Cockroaches are insects which can have a diverse diet. They can literally survive by eating almost anything and everything. While they are known to prefer sweet and starchy foods, they also feed on plants, animals, fecal matter, glue, soap, paper, leather and even strands of hair. While crawling around at night, they may contaminate any open food which is lying around with their hair, dead skin or even empty egg shells, making the food potentially hazardous to consume. Thus, the ability of cockroaches to literally live off just about anything, makes it really good at surviving, making pest control for cockroaches a tough task.

4, Killing cockroaches is not easy

Cockroaches are incredibly difficult insects to kill. They are hard to find as they hide in the various, creaks and crevices in your house. However, insecticides like HIT anti roach gel can help kill cockroaches in home efficiently and effectively. HIT anti roach gel is a cockroach nest killer. The gel has special ingredients that attract and kill cockroaches, making it an ideal “home pest control solution”.

5. Cockroaches contaminate food                 

While feeding, cockroaches have the ability to regurgitate, their digestive fluids as well as their own saliva in their mouth and inject your food with germs and bacteria residing in their gut. The bacteria Pseudomonas Aeruginosa has been found to multiply extensively in the gut of cockroaches, which can in turn cause urinary tract infections, digestive problems and sepsis in human beings.

6. Invasion of body parts

Did you know that just like how cockroaches invade our homes, they also have the ability to invade our body parts? A scary thought, isn’t it? There have been several cases reported where cockroaches have been found to enter body orifices like the ear and nose, especially the smaller varieties, when you are in a state of deep slumber.

It has also been found that certain species of cockroaches bite humans. While such cases are rare, but in houses where there is heavy infestation, they have been found to gnaw on toenails, toes, other soft parts of the skin and inflicting wounds.

Save yourself from such unpleasant experiences by getting pest control for cockroaches done that will not only get rid of them but also kill cockroaches in home.

7. Fear of cockroaches

According to a study, cockroaches are one of the most feared insects by human beings. This particular fear of phobia is known as Katsaridaphobia. There are many people who scream at the mere sight of roaches. While cockroaches may not be the cause of any immediate danger, they can prove to be a dreadful encounter for a person experiencing Katsaridaphobia. For all those who dread such unwarranted encounters with these unwelcome guests, you can do pest control on your own with products like the HIT anti roach gel- the perfect ‘home pest control solution’.

Control Measures

Controlling cockroaches may be easier to achieve in areas with temperate climate in comparison to warm and humid areas, as cockroach populations will not be able to survive outdoors in winters. However one of the most effective measures to kill cockroaches in home is by maintaining cleanliness in and around your house. But busy schedules, presence of kids and pets may make this aspect take a back seat at times.

In standalone homes, control maybe easier to achieve than in flats and apartments, where cockroaches can make its way into your house from the adjacent flat.

Intense water logging during monsoon, make cockroaches take shelter in our houses, especially the kitchens where they thrive. They crawl on and off utensils, contaminating them with deadly germs which can result in food poisoning. Using an anti-roach gel like HIT anti roach gel will kill cockroaches in home efficiently.

Inspite of all this, one cannot rule out reinfestaion which can occur from outdoors in warm areas. They can also make their way through groceries or luggage brought in from cockroach infested areas. Heating ducts and water pipes in apartments also can be a breeding ground for these insects. Cockroaches can also be found in very clean houses, but mostly lone ones as the conditions wouldn’t be favourable to establish colonies.

Heavy infestations of cockroaches need to be tackled with a two pronged approach. Chemical control measures like do it yourself pest control products, for example, a cockroach killer gel or an anti-roach gel, followed by environmental maintenance control measures which will deprive these invaders of food and shelter to prevent reinfestaion.

Environmental Maintenance Measures

1. Cleanliness and Hygiene

• Following a regular and strict cleaning schedule can help keeping away these pesky creatures. All areas must be cleaned periodically to ensure no fragments of food or organic matter are lying around.
• Store all food items in sealed containers and ensure no food is left open at night to prevent contamination. Cleaning your refrigerators regularly, ideally once a week, also helps in maintaining cleanliness.
• All old newspapers, magazines and books must be stacked in closed cupboards or shelves and not kept out in the open, as they too are potential sources of food for roaches.
• Invest in garbage bins with covers. A pile of uncovered garbage is like an open invitation to these creatures. Rubbish bins must be emptied frequently, preferably daily.
• Basements, attics, areas under the building should be kept clean at all times and free of any accessible food or water.

2. Block all accessibility.

• Groceries, laundry, furniture, egg crates should be checked thoroughly before being brought into the house.
• Another great way to block all means of entry is by closing any gaps, cracks, holes and crevices, in floors, walls as well as door frames.
• All openings of drain pipes, drinking water as well as electricity cables should be closed.

Chemical Control Measures

While there are a number of products available in the market to kill cockroaches in home, you may have found them to be not very effective. This can be attributed to several reasons, the main one being the development of resistance by cockroaches to traditional pest control chemicals and solvents.

This is why traditional pest control measures followed by professional companies may not yield the desired effects. They often end up being cumbersome and time consuming. They are also highly priced and often end up burning a hole in your pocket as their services maybe frequently required to prevent reinfestaion.

However, ‘home pest control solutions ’like a HIT anti roach gel are safe, fast, odourless and effective pest control for cockroaches.

HIT anti roach gel allows you to do pest control on your own and helps get pest control equivalent solutions instead of depending on professional pest control.

The main advantage of anti-roach gel like HIT anti roach gel is that it is a cockroach nest killer. It does not work as a repellant but eliminates the entire nest. Thus HIT anti -roach gel does not only kill cockroaches in home that come in contact with it but eliminates the nest itself. The cockroaches that come in contact with the HIT anti roach gel, eat it and go back to their nest and die.

Other cockroaches get attracted to the dead cockroach which consumed the HIT anti roach gel, and consume it. This is how it leads to the elimination of the entire nest of cockroaches.

Application

Areas to be treated

The key to effectively kill cockroaches in home is to identify the various areas where they can dwell. The various areas to be treated with anti-roach gel include corners of the refrigerator, kitchens, galleys, behind and along skirting boards, near the gas cylinder, in the cabinets and hinges of drawers, inside and outside sink, under chairs and tables, under loose floor coverings, ducts and pipes.

Method of Application

A single click of HIT anti roach gel is sufficient for a single dose. Apply the anti-roach gel in dry areas only.

Frequency of treatment

How long the effects of a pest control treatment will remain depends on factors like thoroughness of application, the speed of reinfestation, whether dosage and formulation were applied as per specified instructions, temperature, humidity and type of surface on which it was applied.

However in the case of HIT anti roach gel a repeat application every 45 days is all that is required. Thus providing an easy hassle free ‘home pest control solution’.

Safety and precautions

Whenever handling DIY pest control products, care must be taken to avoid food contamination. Avoid any area where children or babies can come in contact with the residue.

It must be remembered that chemical control measures can only provide temporary relief. Only if environmental hygiene and house improvement is done in conjunction with chemical control will satisfactory results be obtained. The above mentioned measures will definitely go a long way in achieving a cockroach free home.