Throughout the holiday season, your residents are likely throwing parties and hosting guests. During this busy time of year, cockroaches will also want to join the party – whether already living inside, venturing in from the outside or arriving on guests’ belongings. Although these pests come inside searching for food and warmth, you can help keep them out of your condo complex and away from your residents through preventive facility maintenance and sanitation techniques.

Cockroaches are thought to have been around for nearly 350 million years, and therefore aren’t going anywhere fast. There are approximately 3,500 species of cockroaches worldwide and about 70 of those species live in the United States. Cockroaches’ ability to survive under almost any condition has made them one of the most endurable species on earth. In fact, some cockroaches have developed a resistance to the products we use to control them, making it even more challenging to manage an infestation.

For this reason, awareness of preventive methods like facility maintenance and sanitation are two of the best ways to ensure that your condo doesn’t become home to these pests. Facility maintenance and sanitation practices help make your building less appealing to cockroaches by limiting their access to food, water and shelter sources inside. Work with your pest management professional to incorporate the following tips into your cockroach prevention efforts.

Dumpster areas
Cockroaches thrive in dirty, moist conditions, including dumpsters and allotted trash areas. For starters, keep dumpsters away from your building to reduce the risk of cockroaches making their way into the building. Monitor these areas for pests and maintain a regular trash pick-up to prevent overflow. Eliminate any debris surrounding trash areas, such as cardboard boxes, which can serve as a home for cockroaches. Seal all trash bins with lids to help eliminate any odors that might attract pests. Finally, rotate and clean dumpsters regularly.

Parking lots/sidewalks
Even the smallest pieces of food and litter can attract cockroaches. Unclean parking areas and sidewalks surrounding your property can encourage cockroaches to search inside for additional food and water sources. Sweep and hose down parking lots and walkways to remove any debris that may entice pests. Cockroaches need water to live, so they tend to gather in areas where they can find a source. Eliminate standing water surrounding air-conditioning units or near community areas such as the pool and workout rooms.

Building exterior
Cockroaches are attracted to the light, odors and temperature emanating from a building. They can fit through an opening as small as one sixteenth of an inch, so regularly monitor the exterior of your facility for any holes, cracks or gaps where pests could enter. Seal any unnecessary openings with weather-resistant sealant. To protect the entrances to your building, install door sweeps or weather stripping to help prevent cockroaches from squeezing underneath or between doors.

Landscaping
While landscaping complements your property, vegetation can serve as housing for cockroaches. Trim back foliage at least three feet from your building, and avoid using ground-covering plants such as ivy, which can offer a secure harborage for the pests. Many cockroaches find harborage in mulch, so reduce the amount you use or pull it away from the building. Consider asking your pest management professional to consult with your landscape architect and recommend plants and shrubs that are less attractive to pests.

Common areas
Sanitation efforts throughout common areas on your property are important to help eliminate food and water sources that attract cockroaches. Vacuum, sweep and mop communal and multi-use areas regularly to remove dust, debris and food particles from cracks and crevices where cockroaches often hide. Any food or drink spills spotted in these areas should be taken care of immediately. Using an organic cleaner in floor drains also can aid your sanitation efforts by eliminating any residual organic material left behind.

Keep up these facility maintenance and sanitation techniques throughout the year to protect your condo from cockroaches during all seasons, especially when the weather starts to warm. Monitor the common areas around your property for signs of a cockroach infestation, such as shed skins or live or dead pests. If you find evidence of an infestation, contact your pest management professional immediately to determine the best treatment methods. With an ongoing cockroach prevention program, you can help keep these creepy crawlers out of your condo and away from your residents’ hors d’oeuvres.

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Author : Ron Harrison, Entomologist, Ph.D.
Company : Orkin Training Center
Ron Harrison, Entomologist, Ph.D., is director of training at the Orkin Training Center.

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