Health Hazard

Cockroach

Cockroaches in the home environment are a health hazard not only because of the risks posed by cockroach antigens to asthma sufferers, but also because they can carry disease-causing germs and because some of the methods traditionally used to eliminate them cause additional health hazards.

Any home can have cockroaches. However, there are steps you can take to prevent cockroaches from becoming a problem in your home; identify the extent of and solutions to any potential cockroach problem; and reduce or eliminate cockroach problems.

Prevention

General maintenance and cleaning are important because they remove the food, water, and shelter on which cockroaches depend. There are many steps tenants, landlords, and homeowners can take individually and jointly to prevent cockroach infestation of the home environment.

* Wipe off counters, tables, and stovetops after all meals, snacks, and food preparations.

* Keep food confined to specific areas of the house and clean any spills immediately.

* Keep all food and garbage in tightly sealed containers.

* Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink, on the counter, or in the dishwasher overnight.

* Remove all piles of boxes, cardboard, newspapers, etc. from both inside and around the home.

* Fix leaky pipes, faucets, toilets, and other plumbing problems.

* Use a bathroom fan that vents to the outside after all baths and showers to reduce humidity.

* Caulk all cracks and crevices throughout the home around systems such as plumbing, electrical, and gas lines, as well as in places like cupboards and walls.

Identification

Generally, determining whether a home has a cockroach problem and the extent of the infestation involves the use of glue traps, which can be purchased at most hardware or grocery stores. The traps are laid out in target areas, where they are left for at least one night. Upon either filling the trap with cockroaches or waiting a...