Cockroaches in Summerstrand? Here's how we stop them

Seeing a cockroach run when you switch on the kitchen light in Summerstrand usually means there are many more you haven't seen. The good news is that cockroaches are very treatable when you go after where they breed rather than where they run. That's what we do.

Why Summerstrand has a cockroach problem

Summerstrand is one of the busiest suburbs in the Bay. There's the university, rows of student houses and digs, beachfront apartment blocks, holiday flats and a strip of restaurants and takeaways. Lots of kitchens, lots of people moving in and out, and lots of shared walls and plumbing.

That matters because cockroaches travel. They move between flats through pipe ducts, electrical conduits and gaps behind kitchen units. They also arrive in boxes, second-hand fridges and furniture when students and tenants move in at the start of the year. A block can have one clean flat surrounded by infested ones, and the clean one won't stay clean for long.

Which cockroach have you got?

• German cockroaches are small (about the length of a fingernail), light brown, with two dark stripes behind the head. They live indoors, mostly in kitchens, and breed very fast. In flats and restaurants, this is the one we deal with most.
• American cockroaches are much bigger, reddish-brown and can fly short distances. They come up from drains, sewers and outside, and you'll often see them at night near bathrooms, drains and bins.

They need different treatments, so it helps to know which one you're seeing. If you're not sure, send us a photo on WhatsApp.

How we treat

1. We find the hotspots. Behind the fridge and stove, under the sink, inside the dishwasher housing, around the geyser cupboard and in the drains.
2. Gel baits go into cracks and crevices where German cockroaches hide. They eat it, go back to the harbourage and pass it on to the rest of the colony. This is what clears a kitchen properly.
3. Targeted residual spray goes into drains, gaps and outdoor areas for American cockroaches. It's odourless and doesn't stain.
4. Follow-up where needed. German cockroach eggs are protected in a case, so a second visit catches the ones that hatch after the first treatment.

For landlords, agents and body corporates

If you look after a block of flats or student digs, treating one unit at a time is the slowest and most expensive way to do it. Treating the whole building, including common areas, refuse rooms and service ducts, in one go is what actually gets rid of them. We can schedule around tenants and do regular checks between move-ins.

Restaurants and takeaways

Commercial kitchens along the beachfront need regular cockroach control, not a once-off spray. We set up a schedule that fits around your trading hours and keep records of each visit.

A tip that actually helps

Don't leave dishes in the sink overnight, and wipe the stovetop before bed. Cockroaches can live on very little, but a sink of dishes is a feast. Keep the drains covered at night too: American cockroaches come up through floor drains in bathrooms and kitchens.

What does it cost?

It depends on the size of the place, how bad the infestation is, and whether it's one flat or a whole building. A small flat with a few German cockroaches is a quick job; a restaurant or a block of student units takes longer and usually needs a follow-up. We'll quote once we know what we're dealing with.

We also treat ants and bed bugs in Summerstrand, and cockroaches across the Bay. See cockroach control in Port Elizabeth.

Call 087 012 5550 to book, or WhatsApp us a photo and we'll tell you what you've got.