Cockroaches are an unsanitary pest that have no place in your home. Despite this, cockroaches find their way into thousands of houses each year, building nests and extremely large populations in very little time. You may think that you can control these pests on your own, but you will quickly realize that you are mistaken. In order to successfully control this problem, a professional cockroach extermination will be required.

You may think that cockroach extermination is as easy as calling a pest control provider, and while this is true there are other steps that you can take to ensure the success of professional treatment. Here are some steps to consider taking before and after seeking a professional cockroach extermination.

Step One: Clean Your House

You may clean your house all of the time, but this doesn’t mean you are taking the right steps to eliminate the chance of cockroach infestation. These pests look for certain factors within your home, and if you are overlooking these specific cleaning tasks you could be inviting these pests into your home. Standing water, leftover food and garbage that sits out for an extended period of time will all attract these pests to your home.

Never leave dishes sitting in your sink overnight. If you are unable to wash dishes immediately after preparing food, be sure to wash any remaining food particles off before leaving them in the sink. Be careful not to leave excess water on these dishes as well: A pest population that has access to water can survive for months even without food.

Step Two: Eliminate Leaks

As we’ve already established, cockroaches need water to survive. You may think that water is only found in your sink or bathtub, but it could be lurking in places that you don’t suspect. A tiny leak underneath your sink can sustain a cockroach infestation for a very long time, and cockroach exterminators will tell you how important it is to remove any leaks from your home in order to contain a pest problem.

Showers are another common source of leaks, and these are notoriously hard to find. If a leak is happening behind your shower, you may need to remove part of the wall in order to locate it. This type of repair is extremely challenging, and for this reason should only be left to the professionals. If a pest problem remains following a visit from a cockroach exterminator, it may be time to give a plumber a call to check for leaks. Other than visible moisture signs of leaks can include an irregularly high water bill or a sour smell throughout your home.

Step Three: Seal Your Home

Pests are far less likely to become a problem in homes that they are unable to enter, and sealing your home ensures that this is the case. This process involves looking for tiny entrances throughout your home, they are most commonly found around the edge of your doors, along the foundation of your home and beneath windows. If you do not have screens outside of your windows you should invest in them immediately, and make sure to regularly inspect these screens for tears.

Pests are tiny creatures, and the entrances that they use in your home are even smaller. If you are unsure about the thoroughness of your sealing you should get in touch with an expert. A good cockroach exterminator will know all of the ins and outs of sealing, and will be able to ensure that no pests are finding their way into your house.  Get in touch with a licensed cockroach exterminator today to find out if sealing and chemical treatments are required in your home.