5 Things Every Community Manager Needs to Tell Their Residents About German Roaches
The German Cockroach is one of the most common roaches found in apartment homes, restaurants, houses, and hotels.
German Cockroaches are most commonly brought into a human environment on/in a person's belongings, luggage, boxes or packages. A single egg capsule, or Ootheca, being brought into the home can lead to a major infestation in less than six months if precautionary methods aren't taken.
Below are 5 things residents of multi-family communities need to know to prevent roach infestations.
1. Clean living conditions are necessary to prevent infestation.
Roaches feed on the leftover food and liquid humans leave behind.
Recommend your residents sweep and mop their kitchens regularly and clean up liquid spills immediately.
Vacuum the carpet, couches, chairs, and cushions frequently to remove crumbs and other food particles.
Use a trashcan with a close-able lid or take trash out as often as possible. Thoroughly clean dishes before leaving them in the sink overnight.
2. If your residents are allowed to have pets, recommend they store pet food and bowls at night.
Store pet food in well-sealed containers.
Clean and store any pet's water and food bowls daily.
Wet pet food attracts roaches much faster than dry pet food.
3. Remove water sources.
Fixing leaky faucets and sweating pipes can remove the water source roaches need to survive.
Before bed, stop up sinks in the kitchen and bathrooms and wipe them completely dry.
Place wet rags and sponges in airtight storage bags overnight, or place them directly in the washing machine.
Wet toothbrushes should be dried and stored away at night.
4. Make sure your residents are mindful of what they bring into their home.
Do not keep brown-paper grocery sacks, they are often contaminated with roach eggs and can lead to infestation. Also, check recyclable grocery bags before bringing them inside.
Recommend careful inspection of any used cardboard boxes that are brought inside, this can include used appliance boxes or boxes brought from storage.
5. Advise your residents to clean up all dead roaches, roach droppings, and eggs they see.
Clean up any dead roaches or roach remains after a Pest Control Treatment. Surviving roaches may be drawn to any visible droppings, eggs, or dead roach bodies that are leftover after treatments.
