Keep Roaches Out By Keeping Up With This Simple House Cleaning Task

If there's one thing nobody wants to see in their home, it's a cockroach. They are not only unsightly, but they can spread diseases. Cockroach infestations can happen to anyone, regardless of how clean your house is. Weather changes or nearby construction can send the pests scurrying towards your home. However, there are ways to create a less inviting environment so the critters don't stick around and multiply. 

Cockroaches don't enter homes just to seek shelter: they're also after food and water. As a result, one of the best ways to keep roaches from entering your home is to reduce any resources available to them. Fortunately, by implementing the simple household chore of vacuuming into your day-to-day routine, you can help reduce the likelihood of cockroaches becoming uninvited long-term guests. Vacuuming can be a beneficial way to get rid of cockroaches for two reasons. First, you can remove the resources that cockroaches depend on for survival, encouraging them to move out of your home to find food. Second, vacuuming can also be a way to target the problem pests themselves.

You may avoid common mistakes that attract roaches like leaving food out (including pet food), but cockroaches are resourceful, and even small crumbs can be enough for them. Crumbs happen. When you're cooking, it's likely that small crumbs will fall onto your counter, in between appliances, and on your floor. Then, while you're eating, crumbs can end up on furniture and in cracks. 

Vacuuming provides an easy way to eliminate most of the crumbs in your home, and the detachable wand can access those hard-to-reach places where food particles (and roaches) love to hide. When using your vacuum for pest management, you'll want to act sooner rather than later. This means cleaning up messes and removing food debris when it happens, rather than leaving it to sit. You may also want to go a step further with this simple house cleaning task. This means vacuuming not just floors and hard-to-reach spots but tackling other areas where crumbs may accumulate, like chairs, couches, and mattresses.

If you see a roach while cleaning, your first instinct may be to vacuum it up as well. While you can use your vacuum to suck up roaches and their eggs directly, there are some caveats. First, when it comes to eggs, your vacuum may also disperse them around your home, leading to a recurring infestation. Not to mention, using your vacuum can also stir up dust, and if you're already sensitive to roach sheds and droppings, this can cause further respiratory problems. As a result, it's important to use the right vacuum for this job. Use a filtered bag when applicable and properly clean out your vacuum after each use.

You also don't want to risk reintroducing the just-vacuumed roaches to your home. This means that you won't want to leave any dumped bags or the contents from canisters sitting around. Instead, try to dispose of your vacuum's contents outside when possible. This can help keep the cockroaches from reentering your home if they survive the vacuum. If you're faced with a significant infestation, it may be best to pair vacuuming with other pest management solutions, or reach out to a professional to identify the species of roach in your home and implement a plan tailored to your situation.