Pest Control Issues

What to do if you spot a cockroach in your flat;

 

1. Clean the area

The first step is cleaning your home thoroughly. For hard floors, remove potential food sources by sweeping up any crumbs, then vacuum and mop with a floor cleaner which contains disinfectant. Likewise, after you wipe your countertops clean with a damp microfibre cloth, apply a disinfectant here too, such as Dettol Antibacterial Surface Cleanser. If you own pets, check the product is safe to use around them and follow any safety precautions.

 

Make sure food is contained and sealed away – never leave any food out in the open. That means you need to remove uneaten pet food at night and avoid leaving dirty dishes sitting in the sink too. Remove your bins each night and disinfect the exterior, both outside and in. Try to avoid leaving potential water sources out which are easily accessible too, such as pet water bowls and drainage trays in plant pots. Move pet bowls out of reach of cockroaches.

 

2. Seal up entrances

Cockroaches can fit through the tiniest of cracks and crevices, so you need to find any potential entrances to your home and seal them up with caulk or foam – this includes any gaps around windows and under doors. If needed, you can install draught excluders to block the space beneath your doors. Don’t forget to check where the utility lines and pipes enter your home too - cracks and gaps can often be found here.

 

It's also worth fixing any leaky taps or pipes which could be providing a water source too.

 

3. Lay traps

There are a couple of cockroach traps that you can lay yourself. Glue traps are widely available, as are bait stations (which are designed to let the cockroaches carry the poison back to the nest) and ultrasonic traps are available too which emit a high-pitched sound to deter the roaches. There are also insect killer sprays readily available. Place your traps around areas where you’ve noticed cockroach activity and check them regularly. But take care if you have children or pets and follow safety instructions.

 

4. Call in a professional

Setting up DIY traps often isn’t enough to fully eradicate the roaches. If you suspect an infestation, it’s always best to call in a professional to help. The BPCA can help you to find a local vetted exterminator.

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5. Reporting issues to management 

If you are a tenant then you must inform your landlord of any pest issues immediately, If you are a landlord you must report pests in flats to us by email as soon as you become aware of any issue so that reasonable steps can be taken by us to ensure that it does not become a wide spread issue throughout the block.