What do pest control companies do about roaches?

Question

How do they get rid of them? What kind of methods do they use?

We recently moved some furniture into our house and it turns out it was full of roaches. Now they are in our kitchen and bathrooms. I usually see small ones, like they are babies or something. It is absolutely disgusting and I can't live another day like this.

We aren't dirty, by the way. I clean daily and we don't leave food or garbage out.

I just want to know what exactly they do to get rid of them. I really don't want someone to just come out, set up some of those roach motels, then leave. That grosses me out. Isn't there some type of spray or something they can use that will get rid of them?

How long does it take for the roaches to die? Will I have dead bugs all over my house??

If you are familiar with it, how much does it cost?

I live in Houston, TX and my home is small, about 1500 sq ft. Thank you!!

Answer 1

Poor you!  It's is so easy to get roaches from furniture that's brought in.  I've seen dead roaches in the finest furniture stores, and that's how easily it can happen.

The pest control companies will spray, but I'm not sure if you'll be happy with that.  Sprays tend to go in places where you don't want them, and none of them are nontoxic.  You'll be told they are "safe," but at the same time the company will recommend that you and your pets not be in the house for a while.  

I used to live in Virginia, where roaches are in charge.  Nevertheless, I once got rid of them with the judicious application of boric acid in powder form behind sinks and refrigerators, etc.  You can find boric acid in the roach powders that are sold in the large box stores.  Make sure whatever you get is 90-some percent boric acid.  Sprinkle it into the holes where pipes come through walls, in any moist and dark areas in your basement, etc.  

The beauty of boric acid is that it's relatively inert and it's the gift that keeps on giving.  The roaches track it back to their nests and the nest dies.  This takes a week or so, and in the interim you can use a roach trap or whatever suits you, but this is the one way to really knock them dead and take them out permanently.  

You still don't want your pets or children getting into the powder, but I promise you it works.

Answer 2

It doesn't mean you're dirty just b/c you have roaches.  They can survive on very little. Pest control companies use a strong version of Spectracide.  They dilute it some but it is still stronger than what we can buy.  It kills them almost immediately and continues to kill for days. You will have dead bugs to sweep up.

There are things you can do to prevent them that most people just don't think about. When you clean up your kitchen, don't use your dishcloth (the one you used on the dishes) to wipe off your stove, countertops, table, etc.  Use a different, clean cloth. The dishcloth, even if rinsed out, still has tiny particles of food and grease, which is then put back on surfaces. Wipe everything off with the clean one and maybe a little dish detergent. Roaches can actually live off those tiny food particles. Clean the sides of your stove, the outside of your hot water heater & refrigerator, corners in the kitchen. Clean the grease pans, the oven,..they love grease...Get some Boric Acid and sprinkle it in corners of cabinets and behind and under big  appliances. Sprinkle it along the baseboards. Roaches go down your drains and live in the septic tank, then they come out at night. That is why they spread bacteria  all over your home. Plus, they defecate on things...like your plates in the cabinets. Keep your drains closed at night if possible.

They like to get behind wallpaper and can live off the glue. If you have wallpaper peeling, they are behind it. Either get it glued down good or remove it. If you have a leaking pipe or water leaking into your roof, they will go to that water and spread from there. Fix any water leak problems, under sinks, leaky roof, etc.

Take your furniture outside, cover it with plastic and set a roach bomb off or spray under the furniture to get them out of the furniture 'outside'  the house.

They have eggs all over the place and those eggs will hatch.  Keep doing everything to deter them and they will actually leave. Why would they stay at your clean house when somebody down the street isn't so meticulous and they can get a smorgasbord. Lol..

I don't know how much the exterminators charge in your area. I'm sure the cost is different in different areas.

I hope you can get rid of them. It's really difficult, but it can be done. "Been there, done that"...Lol...Good luck :)

Answer 3

First: Boric acid is toxic. The LD50 (lethal dose to kill 50% of the rat population it's tested on) is anywhere from 2500mg/kg up to 5000mg/kg. So, it's not non-toxic.

Pest control companies may do the following.  I'll start with Joe Schmo who is an underpaid technician and doesn't care.

Joe will go into your house and depending on what kind of car he sees in the driveway will charge you accordingly.  He'll bring his one or two-gallon B&G (bug-guy-talk for a hand-held compressed-air sprayer), probably loaded with cypermethrin, or if you're lucky bifenthrin or cyfluthrin.  He'll make you take everything out of your cabinets because he'll soak the place.  You'll see roaches crawling everywhere, including your ceiling.  Two weeks later, you will see lots of babies, you'll call Joe and he'll stall you.  Two weeks later, the babies are growing up and you call back only to have him tell you it's your fault.

Bob is a new business owner.  He's risked everything to run the business the way he wants to without all the corporate bologna.

Bob will arrive and depending on the home's construction and the severity of the problem bid the job accordingly.  Bob will then apply a special pesticide in cracks and crevices, places you wouldn't normally touch.  Bob will then apply some roach bait.  Though this stuff is ugly and has a slight odor of stinky feet, roaches love it.  Bob may also apply an Insect Growth Regulator to stop them from breeding.  If Bob feels like you are dissatisfied, hey may apply some boric acid... but that's more for show than actual effectiveness.

Other companies do other things, such as using a backpack vacuum to suck-up some of the roaches.  Others include housecleaning, at least of the kitchen.  Others may insist on treating the attic and crawl space as well.

I recommend a company who will use an IGR, will not use cypermethrin and will bait for the roaches too.

Expect to see results in 7 days with complete elimination in as little as one month.

However, if you bring them in or hold on to furniture that is full of roaches, they can live there for a long time and possibly never be killed (since bug guys are limited on what they can spray on couches).

Interview a few pest control technicians.  Don't talk to the salesman... they'll tell you anything to get their commission.  Insist on talking to the technician who will actually do the work so you can hold him to his word and so you can make sure he's confident in what he's doing.