Why Can't I Get These Cockroaches Out Of My Chicago Home?

The simple answer to the question above is that cockroaches don't want to leave. This is an important fact to understand about cockroaches. If your home provides what cockroaches are looking for, they're not only going to continue to live with you, they're going to multiply like crazy. This can lead to health issues for you and everyone living in your Chicago home. Let's take a look at why cockroaches don't want to leave your home. Correcting these conditions can have a big impact; reach out today to begin with effective cockroach control for your Chicago home.

Moisture Plays Many Roles

It goes without saying that cockroaches need water to survive. Water is a building block of life. Cockroaches can get moisture from many places in your home.

• Droplets of condensation in your bathroom.

• Droplets or puddles in baths, showers, and sinks.

• Water in your pet's dish.

• Water collected in a dish that is sitting in your sink.

• And more.

Tip: You can reduce water droplets and containers of water by considering how these conditions occur.

• Use your bathroom fan to vent moisture.

• Fix leaky faucets or showerheads to prevent dripping, and take baths or showers in the day rather than at night when cockroaches become active.

• Put your pet's water down only during the day.

• Don't let water collect in dishes, or put dirty dishes in soapy water.

Cockroaches don't just need water to drink, they need humidity to be comfortable. When they get into your home, they will gravitate to areas that are humid.

Tip: Address humidity by installing fans, vents, or dehumidifiers. This is particularly important in your basement, boiler room, or cellar.

Cockroaches survive on a wide variety of foods, some of which you wouldn't consider to be food. One of these non-foods is paper products. But roaches won't nibble on any piece of paper or any cardboard box. They're attracted to damp paper products. This is another example of how moisture plays a role in making your home a wonderful place for roaches to live.

Tip: Keep storage spaces dry and address leaks that can cause cardboard storage boxes and cardboard recyclables to become damp.

Roaches Eat The Foods You Eat

If you don't protect your food, cockroaches will love living with you. They can get into your kitchen cabinets, pantry, and storage rooms and nibble on whatever you give them.

Tip: Store your foods in sealed containers. Keep food covered if it is left out on a counter or on your kitchen island.

Roaches Eat The Foods You Eat Long After You Would Eat Them

Cockroaches will dine on food that is left on a dirty dish, even if the dish is inside your dishwasher. Keep in mind that roaches can get into most dishwashers. They'll also get into your kitchen trash.

Tip: Do dishes as you dirty them or as soon as you can, and store your trash in a covered container. Be sure to remove trash from your home before smells develop and keep your receptacle as clean as possible. 

Roaches Eat Your Pet's Food

Cockroaches have no trouble eating the foods your pets eat. If you leave food in a dish, roaches are likely to eat that food during the night.

Tip: Put pet food down only during mealtimes and refrain from leaving it overnight.

Roaches Eat Hair And Dead Skin

Bathrooms are a favorite room for cockroaches, not only because they tend to be humid and have water sources, but also because bathrooms have hair and dead skin for roaches to eat.

Tip: Keep your bathroom clean to remove this food source

Roaches Eat Feces

If you have a cat box, cockroaches may take notice of it. These insects are more than capable of finding sustenance from the feces of domesticated animals.

Tip: Make sure your cat does a good job of covering things up. If you have trouble with this, you may want to consider changing the litter you use.

Roaches Love Tight Spaces And Clutter

If you address moisture and food in your home, it may be enough to drive roaches out, but there is one more thing you can do to make your home an unwelcoming place for roaches: Organize. Cockroaches are attracted to cracks, creases, tight spaces, and compressed areas.

Tip: Make a place for everything and put everything in its place. Store boxes so that they are not right up against each other, or put stored items in plastic totes, which naturally provide space between.

When Targeted Control Is Needed

When you take the steps provided above, your home will not be suitable for cockroach habitation, and keeping things clean will help with detecting cockroaches as they leave their black excrement as a warning sign.

Cockroach Control In Chicago

If you need assistance with pest control in the Chicago area, remember that the reliable pest control team at Aerex Pest Control is always available to help. We use EPA-approved products and industry-leading methods to arrest cockroach infestations. We can help with all your Chicago, IL home pest control needs!