Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Cockroaches!

6 replies

airborne · 01/05/2010 10:09

I saw 2 in my lounge last night! I have checked out websites and know there are lots of products available but its recommended a professional company come out to do it. (I can get it done cheaper through my council, but its not all that cheap and might take several gos). I live in a flat in a converted Victorian house and I have 4 different neighbours surrounding me and there are many food outlets below. I am pretty sure they are coming in from elsewhere as I have not discovered any evidence of them in the kitchen. We recently eradicated a mouse problem (Crikey, I sound like a right slut!) so all food stuff is in airtight containers and I am clean...I am! I am! It's impossible for me to block up the gaps, of which there are loads - flat has bare floorboards and the two cockroaches scuttled away under them last night. One of my neighbours is away and has been for a couple of months, I don't know when they are back - it could be a while, I was thinking that they could be coming in from there if they have left something out that the roaches are feeding on. Bleurrghh! I don't want to pay for professional service if they are going to keep returning back from a neighbouring property. If I buy some spray/powder through the gaps in floorboards will this stop them coming in? Will they still wander around/reside/sleep under my floorboards if there is no food in here? And has anyone got any recommendations on a brand, I hear ones from the supermarket aren't much good.

OP posts:
schroeder · 01/05/2010 13:04

Yikes I have no idea about recommendations,sorry.
I would be tempted to contact the council and ask them to check out "many food outlets" though.
I sure someone with more experience will be along soon.

airborne · 03/05/2010 11:32

Bump!
Caught 4 in a glue trap last night and one of them is eating the other.....they are truly disgusting...

OP posts:
Bonsoir · 03/05/2010 11:56

If you live in a flat, the whole building needs to be treated for cockroaches. I have lived in flats for nearly 20 years and am quite used to seeing the rodent/cockroach people knock at my door to put nasty products down, despite never ever seeing any cockroaches or rodents in my own home.

Bonsoir · 03/05/2010 11:57

What kind of ownership/leasehold do you have? There must be regulations governing issues that affect whole properties.

CaptainNancy · 03/05/2010 12:10

Make sure you seal away all yiour foodstuffs!
Sprays from supermarket are effective for those you see... but prob harmful to dc and pets.

You have to get spray treatment... hiding your food is just for your benefit... cockys can live on anything inc dust, hair, drop of water etc- no matter how clean you are, they can survive. (Sorry)

cupparooibos · 04/05/2010 20:01

Boric acid is one of the best treatments and I've known lots of people who swear by it. It is cheap and as long as you/ pets/ dc don't eat it, non-toxic.

Scroll down to get to boric acid section.

Also found this. Various American universities have agricultural extension websites that I find are great for help with these kinds of questions. They say you also need to try to caulk any cracks where they could be getting in. But as Bonsoir pointed out, the other units should ideally be treated too.

Diatomaceous earth is totally non-toxic and works by drying out their external skeletons. We used it successfully to get rid of persistent ants. Makes it look like you had a weird talcum powder spill, though . . . !

New posts on this thread. Refresh page