American cockroach

Cockroaches transmit multiple diseases. As cockroaches eat, move, and defecate, they spread a variety of diseases easily, such as Mycobacterium leprae, Salmonella enterica, Yersinia pestis, Staphylococcaceae sp., Escherichia coli, Enterobacteriaceae sp., etc.

Might cause allergies. Cockroaches carry a lot of allergens. Nearly 50% of asthmatic people are allergic to cockroach's saliva, eggs, feces, and the proteins in their exfoliated sloughs.

Bites and other injuries. Although they rarely attack humans, medical entomologists have proved that cockroaches can feed on human nails, eyelashes, hair, skin debris, and even calluses. So, people in their sleep could risk getting bitten by cockroaches. There are medical records of cockroaches crawling into human earholes.

Active entry. When the weather turns cooler in autumn and winter, outdoor food sources become limited. Cockroaches that used to be active in garbage recycle stations, sewers, and yards begin to look for warmer places and could enter your house through various cracks and seams.

Passive entry. Cockroaches could hide in old appliances, furniture, suitcases, etc. Without careful inspections, it's easy to bring them into your home when you move these items inside.

Maintain cleanliness. Sweep up at home regularly and don't miss the dead sanitary corners, especially when cockroaches have infested your home. In winter, pay special attention to the cleanliness of warm shelter areas, such as under and behind the heating appliances. Cockroaches often lurk around the refrigerator compressor and similar places to survive cold winters.

Use trash bins with lids for kitchen waste. Remember to keep the lid on after dumping the waste.

Use camphor ball or camphor tree nature fragrant stick. Place the processed camphor tree nature fragrant sticks in your cabinets, wardrobes, and shoe cabinets to keep away cockroaches. Camphor pills emit an irritating smell which is slightly toxic. Hence, camphor tree nature fragrant stick is a safer option for families that are more health-conscious or with babies or pets.

Homemade traps. Just a little water in a container with a smooth inner wall (such as a transparent glass vase or a plastic soda bottle) is enough to trap cockroaches under dry weather.

Homemade cockroach bait. Mix food like Custer sugar, flour, and bread crumbs evenly with the same amount of boric acid powder from a drugstore. Leave it where cockroaches often appear for 2-3 weeks and the number of cockroaches would drop significantly. Although the boric acid powder is only slightly toxic, there could be a risk for mistaken consumption by human kids and pets. It is best to place the bait where cockroaches appear but not accessible to babies and pets. Lay a layer of newspaper, cardboard box, or plastic box and leave the mixed power on top of it to protect your floor or furniture surface from dampened boric acid power and moldy food debris.

Purchase cockroach bait

Place the cockroach bait you purchased where they might actively appear in your home and follow the instructions. There are two types of cockroach baits - one is physical, the other chemical.

Physical baits are safer for humans. Generally, these baits emit a unique smell that attracts cockroaches and lures them to a strong glue trap or container trap where the cockroaches are easy to enter but impossible to exit.

Chemical baits are somewhat toxic. Mix toxic chemicals into food baits that attract cockroaches and they get poisoned and die after consumption. Even those that attempt to feed on the dead bodies of their fellows get poisoned. However, it's important to keep track of where and when to use the baits. Be extra careful to prevent your baby kids and pets from mistaken consumption.

Apply pesticides regularly at home. It is a common way to exterminate all pests at home, but due to the general lethality of pesticides and pests' resistance to them, people tend to use pesticides too frequently, making it harder and harder to eliminate cockroaches. You must follow the instructions carefully. Also, pesticides are dangerous for human children and pets and must be kept out of their reach.

Keep healthy living habits. Wash your hands before eating and use clean utensils to avoid diseases from unclean hands contaminating the food.

Dealing with bites. If you are bitten by a cockroach, you should rinse the wound with clean water immediately. It is also encouraged to use alcohol to clean the wound and pay close attention to any changes or discomfort to your wound or your body. If you feel uncomfortable, contact a family doctor for diagnosis and treatment in time. If a cockroach gets into your earhole, please see a doctor as soon as possible.