Cockroach control in Bluewater Bay

Whether it's a large reddish-brown cockroach crossing the bathroom floor or a cluster of small brown ones scattering when you open the cutlery drawer, cockroaches in Bluewater Bay can be cleared properly. The trick is knowing which kind you've got, because they live in different places and need different treatments. A single spray around the kitchen rarely sorts out either for long.

Two cockroaches, two very different problems

The big ones from outside

American cockroaches are large, reddish-brown, and can fly short distances. They live in sewers, drains, manholes and damp garden debris, and they come in from there. In Bluewater Bay, the low-lying ground and the damp air from the estuary keep drains and garden mulch moist, which suits them well. On warm, humid summer nights you'll see them near floor drains, baths, shower traps and outside doors, or on the patio under the light.

The small ones inside

German cockroaches are small and light brown, with two dark stripes behind the head. They don't come from outside. They arrive in cardboard boxes, shopping bags, second-hand appliances and furniture, then settle into the warmest, dampest spots in the kitchen: behind the fridge and stove, inside the dishwasher housing and under the sink. They breed very fast.

Signs to look out for

• Seeing cockroaches in daylight, which usually means a big population with no room left to hide
• Tiny dark droppings like pepper in drawers, hinges and cupboard corners (German cockroaches)
• Larger, cylindrical droppings near drains and in the garage (American cockroaches)
• Brown egg cases tucked into cracks or behind appliances
• A musty, oily smell in cupboards with a heavy infestation

How we treat

1. We find the source. For American cockroaches that means the drains, manholes, gully traps, garden debris and any gaps where pipes come through the wall. For German cockroaches it means every crack and void in the kitchen and bathroom.
2. Gel baits for German cockroaches. Placed in cracks and crevices where they hide. They eat it, return to the harbourage and pass it on to the others. This is what actually clears a kitchen.
3. Residual treatment for American cockroaches. An odourless, non-staining residual spray into drains, around manholes, along outside walls and into the voids they use to get in.
4. Follow-up. German cockroach egg cases are protected, so a second visit catches the ones that hatch after the first treatment.

You don't need to leave the house. Gel bait goes into cracks, away from food prep surfaces. Keep children and pets off sprayed areas until dry.

The mistake that spreads them

Using a bug bomb or fogger. In a German cockroach infestation, foggers drive the cockroaches deeper into walls and into neighbouring rooms instead of killing the colony. They can also make later gel baiting less effective. If you've already used one, let us know when we come.

Family kitchens and food businesses

A busy family kitchen gives German cockroaches a lot to work with: crumbs under the toaster, juice spills under the fridge, lunchboxes left in school bags overnight and a pet bowl on the floor. None of that causes an infestation on its own, but once they've arrived it keeps them fed between treatments. A quick wipe of counters and a sweep under appliances before bed makes the baiting work faster.

For takeaways, restaurants and other food premises in and around the area, cockroach control needs to be ongoing. We set up a regular schedule that fits around trading hours, and keep a record of each visit.

A local tip

Put the plugs in the bath and basins at night, and keep floor drain covers in place, especially in the warm, humid months. Many of the large cockroaches we're called about in Bluewater Bay come straight up through a bathroom or laundry drain. It's also worth checking the gully trap outside: a cracked or missing grid lets cockroaches move easily between the sewer and your yard.

What does it cost?

It depends on which cockroach, how bad the infestation is and the size of the property. A few American cockroaches near the drains can sometimes be handled with drain covers and a perimeter treatment. A German cockroach infestation in a kitchen needs proper baiting and usually a follow-up. Restaurants and food businesses do best on a regular schedule. We quote once we've seen what's there.

Ants in the kitchen too? See how we bait ants in Bluewater Bay. For more background, read our guide to cockroaches, or see cockroach treatments around Port Elizabeth and cockroach control in Despatch. Everything else is on our Bluewater Bay overview.

Call 087 012 5550, or WhatsApp us a photo of the cockroach and we'll tell you which one you've got.