Just found a cockroach...bleurgh

[LittleMilla]

Moved in to our old victorian house two months ago. Evidence of mice (droppings encrusted on to the back of worktops) but we put out traps, had a thorough clean and seen nothing else. House wasn't very clean, she was clearly a sloth.

Just done a wash (including big dust sheet we've used for decorating) and when I cleaned out the seals I found a dead cockroach. It's a new washing machine.

Soooo, I am thinking:

We've got roaches and I just haven't seen them (please god, no)
It's an old one that's been scooped up in dusty/manky/drafty utility area

Erm, any other options? How do I know if we have a problem??

I've never even seen one in the UK. Is it possible it has been there since the machine was shipped in from the country where it was made? Have you cleaned the seals before?

They are nocturnal - so have a look in your kitchen at night - if there are any there they will be crawling around, up the walls, in sink etc. If there is one, there will be many more.

I've never had them (thank God!) but stayed for 6 weeks at a pub (many years ago) that was infested with the little buggers. If you have them, might need a vist from Rentokil...

pastabee you do get them in the UK, my mum's flat got infested when the council fumigated the flat below, they came up the flu for the gas fire.

I would be surprised if you haven't seen any at all with an infestation. That's to say I suspect anything, just there must be some evidence if they are there. I would contact the local pest control peeps and get some traps set to see if they come out for them.

You may, of course, not have a problem, but I wouldn't wait-cockroaches are the one thing that make me feel faint.

oh yeh you get them in the UK alright.
You must get the council or rentokil around to do a professional job.
While you are waiting for them to come, get some spray yourself and spray around skirting boards, edges of walls, under the sink, etc., especially in the kitchen. the places they like best are damp and dark.
You must wipe out all the cupboards and food surfaces with disinfectant.

Eeeeeeeeeew

I used to do gymnastics in a school when I was younger that had SO many roaches we used to skip over them when going to the loo . They make my skin crawl!

Right, so do I call someone out before any more evidence? I just feel that we would've seen more if we had an infestation? The filthy bitch lady that lived here before clearly had quite lax cleaning standards, but I've cleaned and despite some dusty corners, it all seems OK?

The dark and dingy bit makes me feel queasy though. The kitchen is (hopefully) being ripped out, knocked through and extended ASAP. It's so dark and dank that I dread to think what's lurking in the chimmney behind the cooker (and well out of reach!).

It could have come with the washing machine (thinks positive...)

just call someone out anyway littlemilla, put your mind at rest.
although dirt does kind of help them, it doesn't produce them iykwim, old victorian buildings are often infested, I lived in an old student house on a damp seafront that had them. The council are excellent at this, we used to call them and bill the landlord, they would come around with 'roach motels' (they check in but don't check out ) and know exactly where to put them. Dark and dank places are your enemy.

I lived overseas and had an infestation (massive), a legacy from the previous very dirty tennants. It was usual to get the odd one up the drain and fumigation usually kept them at bay and killed them (actually what they used on them was nerve agent and when you found one on it's back, even though it appeared dead, it would kick it's legs and feelers about).

OK so yes, nocturnal, look at for little black droppings, in drawers, cupboards or anywhere warm and damp. My infestation was in the tray at the back of the fridge, where you sometimes get a vessel collecting water. I found the little black bits in the cutlery drawer, and the creatures in my tea towel drawer!

You will have to get the pest control people in, sooner rather than later. Have you got children who crawl etc? Make sure they know that, if you have. The chemicals used where I used to live probably wouldn't be legal in the UK anyhow, whatever it was used to make my lips burn.

Whatever you don't crush them, as if you hit a female it will automatically drop it's eggs and cause more problems.