How to Get Rid of Pests
I saw a cockroach!
These unwelcome bugs come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors, so don’t assume it isn’t a cockroach just because it doesn’t look like the ones you’ve seen in pictures. Roaches are particularly unwanted because they can spread disease and irritate asthma, especially in children. They will eat pretty much anything, so simply putting food away and keeping a clean apartment will not encourage roaches to leave. However, a dirty apartment or one where food is left out will invite more roaches. Besides seeing a roach scurry across your kitchen floor (yuck!) you may see a clump of pepper-like specs in cupboards or drawers, which is the roach feces that roaches use to mark their territory. Yes, the roaches use their feces as a food source and as a way to claim their territory. Roaches are nocturnal and spend the day resting in secure warm harborages in your home, which include cracks and crevices in the kitchen and bathroom, electrical appliances and foodstuffs. If you see cockroaches during daylight hours, you have a very serious problem.
Fortunately, a variety of baits are effective for ridding your place of cockroaches. Unless you have been extremely unsanitary your landlord must take responsibility for getting rid of the roaches. Call and document the date, who you spoke with and what was said. You should have preventative services in your apartment within a few days. If you continue to get no response from your landlord call the health department in your area and report the issue.
I saw an ant!
Well, you probably saw way more than just one, as ants usually come by the thousands. They are generally the least harmful of the apartment critters but can still contaminate your food and get into your belongings and may even bite. The best way to get rid of ants is to follow the trail and find the source. Spray and use traps around areas where the ants are gathering. Boric acid products will kill ants as well as roaches if you are lucky enough to have both in your apartment. You also need to keep all food and drinks cleaned up and stored away. Inform your landlord that you are taking steps to rid your apartment of ants (you need to claim some responsibility, since ants will not come unless there is a food source available) and ask if the perimeter of the building can be sprayed. Ants will leave as soon as the food is gone.
I saw an earwig!
Earwigs are the beetle-like, short-winged insects that can be found crawling in cracks and crevices in outdoor areas or in indoor plants. They are not harmful—they got a bad rap with that burrow-in-the-ear thing– but it’s just a myth. A small population can be brushed out of the house with a broom, while a larger population may require insecticide. Also try to eliminate their hiding places (plants) and food sources (keep your apartment clean). In addition to an on-contact spray, use a dust product labeled for earwigs to keep them under control for months.
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