Now that most schools are returning to hybrid or completely in-person education, it’s time to think about pest control. More specifically, it’s time to think about your school’s risk of a German roach infestation.
German roaches are the most common breed of cockroaches. If you’ve seen a cockroach before, it was most likely a German cockroach.
These pests thrive in the heat. This heightened activity is leading them to creep into your school to hide in cracks and crevices of classrooms, cafeterias, school buses, and more.
This type of roach infestation can escalate rapidly. The best way to defend your school against these German cockroaches is to prevent them from entering your school in the first place.
Keep reading, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about German roach infestations and how to prevent them at school.
What Causes Cockroaches?
Cockroaches can thrive in a variety of environments, as they’re a famously resilient pest. Unfortunately, this means that sometimes you can end up with a cockroach infestation despite your best efforts.
However, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you’re less vulnerable to a German cockroach infestation.
The most common cause of a German roach infestation is a lack of cleanliness, particularly when it comes to food. Cockroaches are drawn to food scraps, crumbs, and residue. Cockroaches will often seek refuge in warm buildings when it gets cold at night. The warmest areas of your building may be especially attractive to German roaches, especially during the winter.
So, if you have an area of your school that’s warm and lacks cleanliness, you’re setting up German cockroaches with perfect living conditions.
How to Spot a Cockroach Infestation
There are a few telltale signs that you have a roach problem. The sooner you spot one of these signs, the better you can prevent your cockroach infestation from getting out of hand.
Cockroaches have an unpleasant odor that is commonly described as oily or musty. This is the smell of the pheromones that roaches use to communicate with each other.
German roaches also leave behind brown streaks. You might notice these streaks around the baseboards of rooms or any other place low to the ground.
The most telltale sign of a cockroach infestation is the discarded shell of a roach. Roaches molt often and leave their empty shells behind.
How to Prevent a German Roach Infestation At Your School
Cockroach prevention in schools is no laughing matter. Cockroach droppings, saliva, and eggs can cause allergic reactions. Younger students are often more susceptible to these allergens.
Let’s break down some of the ways that you can prevent a German roach infestation at your school.
Clean Every Day
Cleanliness is the best defense against a German roach infestation. Ensure that your custodial staff is sweeping and mopping every day.
Pay special attention to the cafeteria, teacher’s lounge, and any other places where food is consumed. Cockroaches love food scraps.
Countertops and appliances where food is prepared should be cleaned daily. You should especially avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight.
Roaches can easily feed on food scraps in the garbage, so make sure that every teacher and custodian does their part to empty the garbage cans at the end of the day.
Store Food Properly
Make sure all food that is kept in the school overnight is stored securely. This includes both human food and the food for any classroom pets that you might have.
All food should be stored in airtight containers. If possible, you should store everything in plastic Tupperware rather than plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Make sure that the insides of your refrigerator, cupboards and desk drawers are kept clean from food debris. You should clean these surfaces daily to minimize your risk of a cockroach infestation.
Avoid Cardboard Storage
German roaches love to burrow in storage containers. These environments appeal to them, as they’re often warm and feel safe.
If possible, you should always store supplies in airtight plastic containers, not cardboard boxes. Cockroaches can easily crawl through the cracks of cardboard boxes.
If you are keeping something in storage for an entire season, you should take special care to store it in a container that cockroaches cannot access.
Prevent Moisture
Cockroaches are drawn to dark, moist environments. You should prevent moisture from accumulating in your building as much as you can.
In moist environments, German roaches can feed on decaying organic matter.
These environments include kitchen crevices, basements, drains, clothing storage areas, bathroom plumbing, and sewer pipes. Whenever possible, you should seal these areas off entirely.
You should also use a dehumidifier to remove moisture from the air, especially during more humid seasons. The more moist hiding spots there are for cockroaches, the more stubbornly they will remain in your school.
What To Do If You Have an Infestation
It doesn’t take long for cockroaches to breed, and infestations can grow before your very eyes. That’s why having a tool on hand to treat pests immediately is so important.
Cryonite is a safe and non-toxic solution to address pest problems, such as roaches, in schools. Cryonite uses liquid carbon dioxide to freeze these pests to death. It leaves no residue and works consistently so roaches are unable to develop any resistance.
Avoid Cockroach Infestations Today
Now that you know all about how to prevent a German roach infestation, you can better protect your school from these insidious pests. If you take all these safety precautions and still spot an infestation, Cryonite is a great solution to turn to.
Cryonite is exceptionally advantageous for sensitive environments, such as schools, as carbon-neutral CO2 is pesticide-free. Schools can also continue to operate as usual while treating individual hot spots of pests. The Cryonite Machine is available for purchase online, and users can be trained to use the machine through the online manual and other materials available.
Cockroaches are some of the most notorious pests you can encounter. However, with the right resources, getting rid of them can be quick and easy.
Check out the rest of our blog for more pest control tips. When it comes to infestations, you can never be too careful!