Tag Archives: roach removal

7 Of The Best Hiding Spots For Cockroaches – How To Spot Cockroaches In Your Home

If you’ve ever wondered ‘where do cockroaches hide?’ we don’t blame you. A nocturnal species, cockroaches are one of the most evasive, irritating pests of all! Ultimately, these six-legged nuisances love playing hide-and-seek. If you’ve unwillingly taken part in cockroach fun and games, you’ve likely discovered a gross bug, found a nearby shoe to swat it, and then experienced the sheer terror of the roach disappearing altogether.

Small, fast and agile insects, cockroaches can effortlessly squeeze themselves into ridiculously tight places. In short, they actually enjoy the squeeze. It’s like a free massage at the spa each day. Oh, to be a roach… not quite! With speedy cockroaches usually having the upper hand in hide-and-seek, Terminix Canada is here to help you level the playing field. This blog will not only answer the question ‘where do cockroaches hide?’ but it will provide a list of everyday measures you can take to keep disgusting roaches out for good.

Hiding Spot #1 – Your Cabinets

Unfortunately, simple wooden cabinet doors are no match for conniving, sneaky cockroaches. Roaches are capable of sniffing out the teeny tiniest of food crumbs and they’ll adventure across your dinner plates to get there. Carrying bacteria directly into food-dense areas like your kitchen countertop, the sheer thought of this is enough to make you vomit. Simple preventative methods of cockroach control include regularly cleaning out your cabinets and keeping food in sealed airtight containers.

Hiding Spot #2 – Your Appliances

Besides carrying bacteria into food-dense areas, cockroaches literally poop where you eat! Everyday comforts like our stoves, heaters, microwaves, coffee machines and toasters are all hotspots for a cockroach infestation. Not simply providing comfort and a place to hide out, this is where food debris and spilled sauces reside too. This is where roaches hit the jackpot. It really is a win-win for their survival. By cleaning these appliances as a part of your daily routine, this DIY method of cockroach removal can help.

Hiding Spot #3 – Pipes

Remember the infamous basilisk that travelled around Hogwarts castle’s pipes in the Harry Potter movies? Much like this, cockroaches often use pipes to travel to different rooms and parts of your property. Ultimately, pipes provide cockroaches plenty of rest stops. Roaches thrive in dark and moist places where mold can grow into delicious cockroach cuisine. By inspecting your home for leaks and ensuring your pipes are properly insulated, you are taking a good form of preventative cockroach control.

Hiding Spot #4 – The Ceiling

Thought that was the end of answering the question ‘where do cockroaches hide?’ We’re not done yet. Did you know cockroaches hide on ceilings too? These pests are so stubborn that they don’t even care about gravity! Like action movie stars who hide star-fished on the ceiling, roaches seem to know that we rarely look up. Cockroaches will happily chill in the corner of a room and then laugh at you as they scuttle away as soon as you turn the lights on. Another form of DIY roach control includes sealing even the littlest cracks and holes in your ceiling.

Hiding Spot #5 – The Trim and Moulding

At the outset, we discussed how cockroaches get off on squishing themselves into the tightest places. In short, there’s no place as tight as the cracks in your trim and crown moulding. Cockroaches use these cavities as tunnels to infiltrate your walls. We don’t blame you for thinking this is where roaches gather to collectively cheer and celebrate at shaking you off their tail! Cockroach removal in this situation involves sealing up every crack where trim and moulding come together with walls and floors.

Hiding Spot #6 – Your Electronics

Have you ever laughed at someone for being fussy about keeping their phone, computer keyboard, or gaming console incessantly clean? Well don’t! Ultimately, if you eat while using your electronics and leave any crumbs or spills, cockroaches will use this opportunity to scare you while you’re having a good time. No matter how much you enjoy multitasking, avoid eating while using your electronics and keep them clean.

Hiding Spot #7 – Your Furniture

There’s no place like an armchair or couch for a cockroach cuddle. Sure, us Canadians are used to hibernation season indoors. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant we’ve all spent more time home than ever before. Unfortunately, our indoor behaviours can affect the likelihood of a cockroach infestation.

These critters jump at the opportunity to feast on the popcorn or chip crumbs you’ve enjoyed alongside your weeknight Netflix binge. Ultimately, dark corners and crevices in your home make a lovely space for cockroaches to start a family. Besides your current furniture, if you’re buying used furniture online; remember to check it for eggs first. Vacuuming any furniture on a regular basis will help deter cockroaches since food dust and dirt will be minimized.

Now That You Know The Answer To ‘Where Do Cockroaches Hide?’, Take Action Right Now

While the simple preventative cockroach control measures discussed in this blog will help deter the pest, you still need Terminix Canada. In short, cockroaches lay eggs aggressively. The best way to get rid of cockroaches is persistent treatment from the professionals. Terminix Canada has helped homeowners get rid of cockroaches for over 90 years. We succeed where many fail with their ineffective, DIY cockroach killers.

Why Using A Cockroach Bomb Is A Bad Idea

When Googling cockroach control online, it won’t take you long to uncover the so-called ‘cockroach bomb’. Otherwise known as total release foggers, you should know that these roach bombs aren’t effective at eliminating cockroach infestations from homes.

According to a study published by BMC Public Health in January 2019, the study suggested cockroach bombs do little to kill roaches indoors. According to the report, the released chemicals don’t breach the areas in homes where cockroaches are abundant and thrive. These areas include cabinets and underneath surfaces. This blog will further discuss what the study revealed. Additionally, it will list the further shortcomings of using cockroach bombs as an effective method of cockroach removal.

What Else Did The BMC Public Health Study Reveal?

The BMC Public Health study involved testing four different commercial bug bombs with various insecticides in 20 homes with German cockroach infestations of varying severity. Weeks after the cockroach bomb treatment, there was no significant decline in the estimated cockroach population numbers.

Study researcher Zachary DeVries said: “The bug bomb products did absolutely nothing to control cockroach populations in these homes.” The research also investigated insecticide exposure in homes and its risks after a bug bombing. A month after cockroach treatment, they discovered 34% of flooring and surfaces still had insecticide residue present.

De Vries continued: “Bug bombs are not killing cockroaches; they’re putting pesticides in places where the cockroaches aren’t; they’re not putting pesticides in places where cockroaches are and they’re increasing pesticide levels in the home.”

How Is A Cockroach Bomb Meant To Work?

Cockroach bombs spray pesticide into the air in a confined space. As it falls to the ground, it coats infested surfaces and kills the associated cockroaches. Extension Entomologist at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Michael F. Potter, previously spoke about how bug bombs work, or are intended to work.

He said: “Most foggers are designed to be placed in the center of a room on a chair or table and activated by depressing or removing a tab at the top of the can.

“The entire contents are released upwards, into the airspace, where the aerosol droplets remain suspended for a period of time and then gradually settle onto floors, countertops and other surfaces.

“When applied in this manner, very little insecticide actually penetrates into cracks, voids, and other hidden locations where cockroaches, ants, silverfish, and most other household pests congregate and spend most of their time.”

What Are The Other Problems When Using A Cockroach Bomb? 

So, we’ve established that cockroach bombs don’t reach the tiniest nooks and crannies that roaches love to hide out in. What else? Cockroach bombs are highly flammable and can be toxic due to the aerosol and pesticides used. In other words, cockroach bombs are problematic in unqualified or unskilled hands. If you are considering using bug bombs, you need to be aware of the associated safety risks.

The University of Kentucky Entomology Department actually recommends avoiding cockroach bombs altogether. Michael F. Potter continued: “Many insect foggers contain pyrethrin as an active ingredient. The ingredients within ‘bug bombs’ also tend to be repellent, causing insects to scatter and move deeper into walls, crevices, and other hard-to-reach areas.”

What About Cockroach Gel Baits? Do They Work?

Hopping back to the BMC Public Health study, Zachary DeVries and his team tested other popular cockroach removal tactics too. One of them included the use of cockroach gel baits. Their research showed that gel baits were more effective than bug bombs after treating an additional 10 homes with gel baits.

Wondering The Best Way To Get Rid Of Cockroaches? Call The Professionals At Terminix Canada

Ultimately, the best way to get rid of cockroaches is consulting with a professional cockroach exterminator like Terminix Canada.

Cockroaches are simply too resilient for the average Canadian homeowner to overcome alone. Our residential pest control teams can manage cockroach infestations with environmentally friendly solutions such as our Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This is a complete plan to get rid of cockroaches for good. Including proper procedures like inspection, monitoring, elimination and exclusion, you can be sure cockroach problems will crawl away for good.