The Professional DIY German Cockroach Treatment
INFORMATION ON THE GERMAN COCKROACH
Although the mere word “cockroach” conjures up a disgusting image, most people associate cockroaches with large, scurrying cockroaches that often come in from outside. However, the smaller cockroach species, especially the German cockroach cause the most problems and can be very difficult to control.
Small cockroach species, such as German and brown-banded cockroaches, live inside buildings. Their small size and rapid breeding cycle make them well-suited to taking advantage of every nook and cranny in your home and establishing a significant population, even before you know you have a problem. !
These are small cockroaches. Adults are only 1.5cm long and the young (nymphs) start at just 3mm! This small size means they can take advantage of very small spaces and in fact some people don’t even realize they are cockroaches…. they are just these “small, brown beetles”!?
Often German cockroaches are able to enter buildings hidden inside cardboard boxes (so check any incoming boxes!). While they prefer cardboard boxes they will also try and find a warm dry shelter, close to food and water. They can take advantage of different hiding places and if you do not find all these harbors and kill all the cockroaches hiding there, the population will return and the problem will return.
The professional 3-step process to get rid of German cockroaches:
1) FIND THE SOURCE OF THE INFESTATION
German cockroaches tend to make a home in the kitchen, but also in bathrooms and laundry rooms. Here are the key places to see;
- Cupboards – check the corners and hinges of the cabinets. Also under and behind any kick-board.
- Oven / Grill – under and behind the oven / grill
- Refrigerator / Freezer – under and behind the refrigerator (on hot electric motor)
- Microwave – Below and behind the microwave
- Dishwasher – under, inside the door and inside the back electrics
- Toaster – inside the toaster
- TV – Inside TV – yes, inside TV!
- Sinks
Brown-banded cockroaches can live in the same places, although they can tolerate dryer conditions to find them in living areas and bedrooms.
2) APPLY THE RIGHT COCKROACH PRODUCTS
Cockroach Gel Baits:
Cockroach gel baits are the main product used by pest professionals to deal with German cockroach or brown banded cockroach infestations.
As it is difficult to find the hiding places of the German cockroach, the use of small gel baits placed around the kitchen, is the smart way to control – no need to look for their hiding places, find- the cockroaches are the bait!
Place baits in areas where you see cockroaches active or know they are hiding. Place small pea-sized bait dots in the corners of cupboards, on door hinges, and under sinks, dishwashers, cookers and fridges.
They will come out of their hiding places and eat the bait. Lures do not move fast by design. The cockroaches then have the opportunity to return to their hiding place and share the bait, killing other cockroaches where they hide, to gain complete control of the population. Be aware that the performance of the bait depends on how attractive the formulation is and the type of insecticide it contains, so not all baits will provide the same performance.
In fact, young German cockroaches do not leave their hiding places, so to fully control the problem, cockroach baits are necessary and cockroach gels (such as PestXpert 2 of 1 Cockroach Bait) is the choice of professionals. This is because it is more attractive than the solid type of baits and you can put a small amount of gel in many locations, making sure that you target all potential hiding places.
However, it is important to know how to use cockroach gels correctly to get the best results.
Watch this video showing PestXpert 2 in 1 Cockroach Gel Bait in action on the greater American cockroach…
Bombs / Foggers:
If you have an infested room, a cockroach bomb/fogger is a good way to start. It gets very well into cracks and crevices and also kills cockroaches when they come out of hiding places and walk on treated surfaces. With high lasting performance it helps to prevent the recurrence of infestation. Make sure you follow all safety directions. However, it is not likely to get all the ukpis hiding places.
Sprays:
Sprays are useful for targeting known hiding places, directly treating the corners of cupboards, under furniture and other cracks and crevices. Sprays with a nozzle to get into small areas make the job easier.
Important note to get the best performance!
Foggers, sprays and dusts tend to keep cockroaches at bay. Because baits are designed to attract cockroaches, baits should not be used in close proximity to other insecticide products. The best option is to conduct a gel bait treatment in the kitchen and other known areas of infestation and then, if necessary, apply a fogger or targeted spray treatment in other rooms. .
Important safety notice / electrical equipment:
Treating cockroach populations in electrical equipment is a challenge – you don’t want to damage the equipment and there are obvious safety issues with using sprays and liquid products in electrical areas. Baits should be the first choice in these situations, for example, putting a couple of gel dots under the microwave, toaster and kettle.
3) AVOID THE RETURN OF THE IPI PROBLEM
For small cockroaches, the most important step is to prevent the infection from returning. Checking any incoming boxes is a good first step and setting up a regular spray or bait program is a good preventative measure. However, there are other important steps you can take to make your home less attractive to cockroaches;
- Do not leave dirty dishes overnight
- Clean up any food spills (oven, refrigerator, grill, food cupboards, etc.)
- Do not leave pet food
- Place waste in sealed bins
- Repair any leaks / areas of moisture.
- Seal any cracks/openings that could create a suitable cockroach harbor
For more information on cockroaches, prevention tips, control techniques and cockroach products, check out our other blog articles or visit our cockroach treatment page at our website.
PestXpert Products for control of small cockroaches (German and brown banded cockroaches)
All PestXpert products are available at Bunnings. Non-aerosol products are also available for purchase online at the PestXpert store.