How to kill cockroaches

Cockroaches are notoriously hardy creatures, apparently able to survive anything the world can
throw at them, including the apocalypse.
Luckily for us, this isn’t quite the case. Cockroach infestations can be stressful and scary, but when
dealt with by an experienced pest control expert, getting rid of them can be relatively quick and
easy. But how do you tell if you have a cockroach infestation, and how can you get rid of them?
Here, we cover everything you need to know, including how to kill cockroaches.

How can you tell if you have a cockroach infestation?

It can be difficult to visually identify just how bad a roach infestation might be, especially if you have
just seen one or two roaches roaming around. This is partly because cockroaches will avoid humans
wherever possible. They are far from stupid creatures, their instincts tell them to avoid a creature
hundreds of times their size, and they can do so with great speed and agility.
Another reason why you might not see the entire extent of the cockroach infestation is that they like
to find dark, damp, secluded crevices to live and breed in, so if there are corners of a building that
have been unchecked for a while, it may be worth checking to make sure there are no unwanted
visitors.
One reliable marker to look for if you think you have a cockroach infestation is cockroach droppings.
Especially near the dark crevices where they like to hide, you may see small black-brown speckling
that looks like dark dust. 1-2mm wide and with a tendency to smear, large amounts of cockroach
droppings are a good sign that there are large amounts of cockroaches.
Other physical signs of cockroaches include dead cockroaches, and the discarded skins they shed
as they grow, which can be mistaken for cockroach carcasses. You might think that only seeing
dead cockroaches is a good thing, but they hint that there may be many more alive and well nearby.

Another sign to look for is egg casings. These are small bean-shaped objects, approximately 1cm
long, and a yellowy-brown or brown colour, depending on the species.
Yet another recognisable thing about cockroaches is the distinctive and unpleasant odour that they
emit, and in some cases leave on things. The sickly sweet musty smell of cockroaches is pretty
unique, so if you think you may be infested, make sure to keep a nose out for it.

How to kill cockroaches safely

If you find yourself with a cockroach infestation, whether it be in your home, place of work or even a
local restaurant, the most important thing you must do is to contact pest control specialists.

If you are adamant about trying to tackle the problem there are a few things you can do to try and
reduce the number of cockroaches around.
The first thing you can try is to lay glue traps for these pesky pests. These traps work by baiting the
cockroaches onto a sticky pad where they will die, ready to be disposed of. This may work for a few
roaches, but will not be able to handle very many – and if you have enough that you need to change
your traps frequently, then the problem needs to be dealt with at the source.
Another remedy often suggested is the use of bait stations. Similar to glue traps, a bait station lures
the cockroach out of its hiding spot, but instead of trapping them, tricks them into taking poisonous
food or gel back to their homes, where other cockroaches will also eat it.
There are a lot of downsides to bait stations, however, such as that they can be expensive,
especially if you need to replace them frequently. Even if you don’t have many roaches, the poison
will likely have to be replaced as it will lose its effectiveness over time, and you will essentially have
a cockroach feeder, rather than a trap. Bait traps can also be very harmful to pets and children, so it
is essential that they are used properly by someone who knows what they are doing.
These are just a couple of ways to target and remove a few cockroaches you’ve noticed hanging
around. However, it is important to know that these will not remove the root of the issue – if there is
an infestation in your home or building, you are never going to solve the problem by baiting a few
cockroaches out of their holes to kill.
This is why it is vital that you contact a pest control expert who can help you remove the infestation,
or even just give you advice on how to kill cockroaches safely.

How can you stop cockroaches from returning?

Once you have gotten rid of a cockroach infestation you may finally breathe a sigh of relief. As
anybody who has ever had to deal with any kind of infestation before will tell you, you will
immediately want to make changes to ensure it never happens again.
Cockroaches love moisture and water, so ensure that all areas of your building remain as dry as
possible. This is especially true of kitchens, which can have a lot of leaky pipes, warmth and
condensation, all of which make for fertile breeding grounds for cockroaches. Cockroaches can
survive weeks without food, but only a few days without water, so cutting off any sources of spilt or
leaky water is key.
Maintaining as hygienic an environment as possible is important. This is not to say that cockroaches
only seek out ‘dirty’ environments. Any crumbs, morsels of food, or even dead insects in your walls
all make for a tasty treat for the indiscriminate diet of the cockroach. Some cockroaches will even
eat other cockroaches, meaning that once an infestation beds in, it can almost self-sustain.
This means that even the cleanest of houses, office buildings and restaurants can end up with
cockroaches, but the cleaner the building is, the lower your chance of initially attracting these bugs.

Contact the pest control experts

If you see the signs of a cockroach infestation, then it is very important to consult an expert in pest
control as quickly as possible. A small problem with a couple of insects can quickly and

exponentially grow into a problem that is much harder and more expensive to fix.
If you need immediate help, you can chat with us live on
our website, or fill in our urgent callback form, and a member of our team will get back to you as
quickly as possible.
Alternatively, contact us via our website, by
emailing info@ccsenvironmental.uk, or by calling
020 4538 0938