No one ever wants to see cockroaches in their home. Regardless of whether they are big or small in size, roaches are the type of pests that can make your skin crawl. So, finding roaches roaming around your apartment can be extremely frustrating. So, it’s important to know how to get rid of roaches in an apartment effectively. To help you with this, here’s a step-by-step guide on how tenants like you can deal with a roach infestation properly.
Step 1: Deep Clean Your Apartment
Coming from our experience in Austin TX property management, we know that roach problems often start with clutter. Cockroaches are generally attracted to two things – food and moisture. On top of that, cockroaches love to live in gaps, cracks, and crevices. Wherever it’s damp and dark, they’ll thrive in it.
So if you start to spot cockroaches in your apartment, the first step you need to take is to clear out any trash and clutter in your home. We’re talking about cardboard boxes, old paper files, or food scraps. Whatever litter you have in your storage shelves, drawers, and closets that roaches can get into, throw it out. By doing this, you’re not only clearing out your space but also exposing the areas where the roaches are possibly hiding.
Step 2: Eliminate Food & Water Sources
As we mentioned above, cockroaches love food and moisture (much like any other common household pest). So, if you’re starting to see more and more roaches in your apartment, you need to cut them off from their food and water supply.
Keep food items (particularly flour, cereals, and sugar) in sealed containers and avoid leaving any food out. Clean up spills and any food crumbs on your kitchen counter, table, or shelves. As for the moisture, make sure to check your pipes for any possible leaks and have them repaired by your landlord immediately.
If you have pets and have to leave food and water out, put them far away from where you typically find the cockroaches. As much as possible, don’t leave pet food out and just fill it when it’s time for your pets to eat.
Step 3: Seal Entry Points
Did you know that apartment buildings struggle with cockroach infestation the most? This is primarily because a roach problem in one unit can easily spread to its neighbors. Aside from that, roaches love to hide deep in gaps and crevices, making it hard to eradicate them completely. As a preventive measure, look for cracks and other openings that you think roaches can get. Check gaps in your walls, cabinetry, and even your baseboards. You can also prevent roaches from getting in and through your plumbing using mesh screens. If you discover cracks – let your landlord know and coordinate getting those sealed with caulk or mesh as soon as possible.
Step 4: Use Roach Bait and Traps
Even as a tenant, there are ways for you to eliminate roaches in your apartment. How? By using renter-friendly roach baits and traps. Now, there are several options for you to choose from.
First, there are gel baits. This is a toxic paste that you apply (in small amounts) in hard-to-reach spots such as wall cracks, under your sink, and even behind appliances. These work in two ways – they attract roaches to feed on them, and once they do, the ingested gel acts as poison that kills them.
Then, there are cockroach bait stations – small containers loaded with the same gel poison that attract and kill roaches. Using these helps prevent accidental ingestion – by you or your pets.
Sticky traps work roughly the same way. These consist of a sticky paper with a food bait in the middle that will draw the roaches toward it, effectively trapping them. These are great to place in spots where there is high roach activity. Keep in mind that when you place these traps and baits that you focus on places where the roaches frequent, such as dark, warm, and most areas. Place them under your kitchen sink, inside your cabinets, and behind your stove.
Step 5: Tell Your Landlord or Property Manager
If even after cleaning up, sealing entries, and placing traps and baits, you still have your roach situation, it’s time to raise your concern to your landlord. At this point, it’s safe to say that the infestation has escalated past your control, even to the point of cross-unit infestation.
Let your landlord know about the pest infestation as soon as possible, and send them a formal notice in writing. Provide documentation of the roach problem to provide a better context of how urgent the problem is. The sooner you let your landlord know, the faster they can contact a licensed pest control professional to inspect and address the emerging infestation.
Step 6: Schedule Professional Pest Control
Apartment buildings are at risk of widespread roach infestations. When the roach problem is no longer contained to just one unit, the next step is for your landlord to contact a professional and have a complete pest control of their apartment complex.
The key difference between your home remedies (baits and traps) and professional pest control is that they target the pests at different life stages. They make sure that they are eliminated – from egg, young, to adult. However, for this to be effective in multi-unit buildings such as apartments, pest control treatment is needed for several more applications over the span of several months.
Step 7: Keep Roaches From Coming Back
Even if you’re successful in treating the roach infestation down to the root, you’re still responsible for keeping them out. But how do you prevent roaches from coming back? There are various preventive measures you can take:
- Keep a consistently clean place. Wipe kitchen counters, wash dirty dishes right away, and keep clutter to a minimum.
- Empty your trash cans daily to take out leftover food and other debris that can attract roaches.
- Store food items in sealed containers or inside your refrigerator.
- Regularly check your plumbing and fixtures for potential leaks (even minor ones) and report them to your landlord immediately.
- Check out entry points and reseal them with caulk as needed.
Partner with BMG for your Property Management Needs
As an Austin property manager, we know how frustrating roach problems in apartment buildings can be for tenants. Much like any pest problem, all you need is a strategic plan and approach. From cleaning up your space to removing food and water sources and using roach baits and traps, you can start to reduce the roach population in your apartment.
However, keep in mind that a pest infestation is not a problem that you need to face alone. Communicating the emerging issue to your landlord or property manager is key to addressing any roach problem quickly. Not just that, but you can expect more targeted pest treatment, building-wide pest control, and continuous applications to ensure that the problem is completely eradicated!
In the meantime, if you want to live in a home managed by property managers who take your pest control problems seriously, we’re here to help. Our professionals work around the clock to make sure your home is safe and habitable like you deserve. If you’re looking for exceptional customer service, look at our listings today!