Pest problem

MeganPobega · September 2014

I don't post here a whole lot. I just need some advice (if you have any). My boyfriend recently moved into my one bedroom apartment with me and my three year old daughter. To say we are on top of each other is an understatement. Anyways, when he moved his stuff here (which was just clothes and some pots and pans) I started finding roaches. Not everyday. But I'm killing at least one every other day. Mostly baby ones. I bought traps and they are all over my house. We've sprayed the whole place. But I still find them. I did some research but it doesn't look very safe to fumigate the house with me being pregnant and my daughter being so small. I'm at a loss. I have NEVER seen a roach in my house in my entire life and have no idea how to deal with them. I feel so gross. I keep my house very clean and have never even seen an ant in my apartment, let alone a roach. Has anyone else dealt with this? In short of throwing everything out and moving, I don't know what else to do. Advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

lisap0924 · September 2014

It may be easier said than done, but I would be looking for a new apartment. 4 people (including a newborn) in a one bedroom apartment doesn't sound like a good time to me.

lawsonellis · September 2014

Roaches are a thing here in Houston due to the humidity. Roaches like warm, damp, dark places. Things I'd suggest:

1) never leave food out. Seal everything, and make sure all counters are wiped free of crumbs. Same with floors.

2) roach traps with the sticky stuff on them are pretty good, or the roach motels, and you can put them in your cabinets and under appliances (small dark places).

3) you can buy the "hot shot" roach spray to use when you see one- can spray it to kill and then make sure you wash the area the spray went and wash your hands!

4) fumigation is okay, as long as you're not there for 24 hours after you do it. So if you have someone in to spray on a Friday, maybe go spend the weekend with a friend or parent. When you come back on Sunday, it should be safe.

Hope this helps!

MeganPobega · September 2014

Money is super tight right now. My boyfriend is the only one working right now. I'm looking for a job but being 14 weeks pregnant, it's starting to be challenging. We are planning on moving soon (across the street) because there is a two bedroom opening up there. I just hate thinking we will have to replace everything. And it makes me sick to think they could crawl on my daughter.

MeganPobega · September 2014

Does fumigation fix the problem completely? Or would I need to replace furniture and objects as well?

lawsonellis · September 2014

MeganPobega said:
Does fumigation fix the problem completely? Or would I need to replace furniture and objects as well?

Fumigation should fix it, for a while anyway assuming that the roaches are coming from the stuff and not the outside of your apt or the apt itself.

You shouldn't have to replace anything once the fumigation is done. The fumigation should kill any infestation that exists inside the apt and/or stuff.

MeganPobega · September 2014

They aren't coming from the outside. I've been here a year and have never seen one in my apartment. My boyfriend brought them and I'm furious right now. I'm constantly checking everything. I'm getting no sleep. I'm going to talk to my property manager. She is just really hard to contact. I'm not sure if she charges for the inside either. I know they spray the outside every month for free. Not sure about the inside though.

lawsonellis · September 2014

Well fumigating the inside should work, as long as his stuff is inside at the time. Anything that your lil one crawls on or puts her mouth on, you'll want to wash after the fumigation (or if it's a couch/fabric, you can vacuum it and or get some Lysol furniture spray from the grocery to make it cool to climb on again).

For your property mgr, I wouldn't tell her that it's his stuff- id just say that you're seeing them inside and need an internal fumigation. Hopefully, she'll cover it

Good luck! I hate them!

MeganPobega · September 2014

No my neighbors don't have them. I've had the same neighbors, no new ones. I'm just afraid it will be a bigger problem. It's only been two weeks but I've tried everything I could myself and I still find them every so often. There isn't many and they are never big. I'm just officially sick to my stomach.

copperrose · September 2014

I'm pretty sure that's the landlord's responsibility. Definitely do not tell them you think your boyfriend brought them with him. They will want to fix it asap as if it's a problem in one apartment it will soon be a problem in the surrounding ones.

MeganPobega · September 2014

I wouldn't tell her that. She doesn't even know he moved in, which I need to tell her. I have the application he has to fill out. I've had it for a week. He hasn't even looked at it...I just want these things gone. They are so gross!

stepherly · September 2014

Ortho makes a Home Defense spray you can find at places like Walmart. It's pet and children safe as soon as it dries. You'd need to spray all the perimeters of the rooms, windows, etc. it's relatively inexpensive if you want to try something before you can get a professional in there. (I can't say that I've ever used it for roaches, but it lists that it will kill roaches.)

Good luck.

MeganPobega · September 2014

If we fumigated before moving, would it be safe to take furniture with us?

MeganPobega · September 2014

Thank you so much for all your help! I'm going to contact my property manager about it tomorrow. If she charges, oh well. They need to go.

drudolph11 · September 2014

We fumigated and just made sure we were out for a long enough time. When we went back in we couldn't even smell the stuff at all. We think our prob is prob coming from our neighbors I mean were clean ppl and I have never dealt with a roach before in my life so I was way freaked out but we have a one bedroom apt and got 2 bug bombs and it seems to have worked well.

MeganPobega · September 2014

I'm just concerned about the chemical aspect of it. My daughter isn't small but she is only three. And being pregnant, I want it to be completely harmless to my daughter and myself. Some websites say things are safe, others say not so much. I'm just nervous. Plus I haven't seen a doctor yet (due to insurance issues I'm handling). So I can't ask them either.

kellbell1982 · September 2014

I had fleas infest my apartment when I was six months pregnant with my daughter. We stayed the weekend at my moms while they fumigated and you wouldn't have known there were chemicals in there by the time we got back. My complex paid for it which was a miracle cause they were notoriously cheap

skatergrl · September 2014

I live on the coast so roaches are an issue here. We fumigate every 3 months. It's fine when you're pregnant. I stay out longer than they say I should - even when not pregnant. Fumigation works. If they're in your walls, it may take a couple times. Use a professional. I've found the store bought stuff is crap - at least here.

MeganPobega · September 2014

I would rather just let professionals do it than just me dealing with a problem I know nothing about. I'm glad it's safe and people have experience. Thank you ladies. You guys have eased my mind a lot!! I was and am still freaking out. I can handle spiders and other bugs. Roaches not so much. I live in the Midwest, so it's not uncommon. It's just gross lol.

skatergrl · September 2014

I know how you feel. I detest them. Where I grew up, we never got them so I assumed they only lived in houses that weren't kept clean. I am a little OCD about keeping my house clean so when I moved to the beach and saw them in my house, I freaked out. My husband is from the beach so he's used to seeing them. When we fumigate regularly, I don't see them. But every once in a while I do and scream. I'll never get used to them. Good luck!

skatergrl · September 2014

Oh, my husband just told me fumigate isn't what we do. Ours is a spray the professional uses every 3 months. Also, a professional uses a different chemical combination each time so the roaches don't build an immunity to it. When you use store bought stuff, that obviously does not always happen. Oh and I read roaches hate bay leaves so as it's nearing the end of our spray cycle, I brew them and spray it around the door frames. It probably has no effect but it smells good and makes me think it's working so I keep doing it.

MeganPobega · September 2014

I've only lived in the Midwest about 18 months, so these huge bugs are new to me. I tend to freak a little lol. I just feel so dirty and that people will think I am. Which is not the case. I'm very OCD about cleaning, so this is a first. I have a toddler who does play on the floor, so I like a clean house. I just want these things out. They get into everything, which grosses me out more!

bdazzld · September 2014

I would Lysol and spray all of his stuff. Wiping it down very well. Then take the trash out immediately. Roach eggs can be anywhere even IN furniture. Also in computers and electronics. If caught early bought you might be able to stop it from getting worse. Where are you seeing them most often? Concentrate there. Do the lights off test. Check cupboards. If he still has boxes dake everything out. Wash it. Dump the containers.

MeganPobega · September 2014

We did all of that. I have only seen them on my coffee table and trying to hide in my couch. I have a couch bed in my living room, so they can't really burrow without me finding them. Once in my bathroom garbage can. I've only seen about 6-8 of them in the last almost three weeks. But I know they are here. They are not welcome either lol.

rm2013 · September 2014

To add to the other advice - make sure you throw out ALL cardboard boxes. Roaches love to lay eggs in the grooves inside the walls of cardboard boxes. That could be where the babies are coming from.

I feel your pain - I hate bugs. I remember I moved into a new apartment and used movers. Everything was nice and clean and I opened a box in my kitchen and a horde of ANTS came streaming out. Apparently one of the dumb ass movers set the box on top of an ant hill. I was so pissed that they brought this crap into my brand new place!

MeganPobega · September 2014

I will be totally neurotic and bleach everything and throw a lot out. I'm not dealing with this again!!

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