What to do when you have a problem with cockroaches in the workplace

Nobody wants to face a cockroach infestation. This is especially the case if you’re running a business thanks to the damage cockroaches can cause.

Cockroaches can very easily damage your reputation (probably beyond repair if you’re a food manufacturer, restaurant, hotel or café). What’s more, they can also make customers and employees sick (cockroaches are linked to 33 different kinds of bacteria, 6 parasitic worms and several forms of human pathogens).

If you’ve spotted even just one cockroach on your business premises, aside from seeking professional cockroach pest control, what should you do?

Look out for the signs of an infestation

There’s a slight chance a rogue cockroach may have made its way into the building but unfortunately, this is rarely the case and it’s more likely you have a cockroach infestation.

Whether you think you have a problem or not, it’s always a good idea to keep a lookout for signs of an infestation which can include:

• An unusual or unpleasant smell
• These are usually about 2mm long and are cylindrical. They can also be brown/black if they don’t have access to much water
• If water is abundant, cockroaches will produce brown and irregular shaped smear marks. These will often occur on horizontal surfaces and at wall-floor junctions where they pass
• Shed skins – these are often found close to where the cockroaches are sheltering
• Cockroaches will eat almost anything so you may notice damage to leather items, books, paper, clothing, packaging materials and they can even eat pet food and droppings

Make your premises less appealing

Cockroaches will enter a building if there’s food, water and somewhere safe for them to shelter. Ensure your workplace is as inhospitable as possible by adopting the following tactics:

• Clear up any food and liquid spills as soon as you can, sweep up crumbs and debris and wipe down surfaces regularly. This helps to eliminate any potential food sources
• Store all food in sealed containers and don’t leave anything in countertops
• Don’t leave liquids sitting around in sinks or buckets
• Rinse out any cans, bottles or plastics before putting them in recycling bins
• De-clutter – the fewer places cockroaches have to hide, the less likely they are to stay
• Block off any potential entry points such as cracks in walls and gaps in doors
• Check dark, undisturbed areas regularly
• Ensure bins are always tightly covered

Getting rid of cockroaches

Gel bait can be an effective cockroach killer. It can be applied under baseboards, in cracks and crevices and near areas that are most likely to attract these pests. The only downside is that you may end up with many dead cockroaches around the building which isn’t ideal if clients or customers visit your premises.

Bait stations work by attracting cockroaches into stations to feed on poison. They then travel back to its home, dies and is eaten by other cockroaches which further passes on the poison. Bait stations work partially to get rid of roaches but can struggle to target large infestations. You may also want to avoid using toxic poisons around the workplace.

The quickest and most effective way to eliminate a cockroach infestation is to call a professional pest controller. Importantly, they will work discreetly so as not to affect the everyday running and reputation of your business. You can book in for a free pest control audit by getting in touch with us today either via our online form or by calling us on 0800 328 9354.