How to Prevent Cockroaches from Encroaching on Your Business
If you spot a cockroach in your facility, don’t turn a blind eye. Cockroaches are hide-and-seek champions (spending 75 percent of their life in hiding*), so the one you see is a likely indication of many more nearby that you don’t see. Prolific breeders, a female roach can hatch more than 300,000 roaches in just one year**—that’s a sizable threat hiding inside your business. (To improve your odds against cockroaches, download our free guide, Cockroach Chronicles: Your Guide to the World’s Most Resilient Pest.)
Cockroaches can enter buildings through doors, vents, windows and sewage pipes, and on shipments, luggage, bags and even clothing. Only needing 1/16" to slide into your facility, cockroaches’ stealth mode means you have to stay vigilant to keep them from getting past your defenses. It takes a proactive approach to manage them, so you need an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program focused on exclusion, sanitation and facility maintenance. Take these three tips for keeping these six-legged intruders out:
Remove Access
Cockroaches will always be attracted to your facility because it offers the three things they need to survive: food, water and shelter. But there are a few preventive measures you can take to close the gaps:
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Caulk around utility lines and outlets.
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Apply door sweeps or weather stripping to all exterior doors.
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Repair all leaky drains and pipes to help reduce sources of moisture.
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Make sure all vents, screens and windows are tightly sealed.
Keep It Clean
The presence of clutter, food and trash may increase the odds of a cockroach infestation, so follow a stringent sanitation plan:
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Clean up food debris and scraps.
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Line garbage cans and keep the lids tightly sealed.
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Empty trash regularly, and clean areas near dumpsters.
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Sweep and mop regularly under machines and appliances, or around furniture.
Monitor for Activity
Once inside, cockroaches can hide in various areas of your facility, especially ones that are hard to reach or see. Monitor the “hot spots” of your facility that offer the most hiding spots for roaches:
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Inspect all shipments for cockroach droppings, egg capsules and “musty” smells (in large populations, cockroaches can leave behind a pungent odor).
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Identify less trafficked areas that provide cockroach havens like utility rooms, basements and supply closets.
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Identify the root causes of the cockroach infestation and establish an ongoing, customized treatment plan with your pest management provider.
Want to know more about how to craft the perfect cockroach approach? Download our free guide, Cockroach Chronicles: Your Guide to the World’s Most Resilient Pest.
*http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pcsaferoach.htm
**http://www.combatbugs.com/en/home/pest-identification/bug-files/how-often-do-cockroaches-lay-eggs.cky.html