Keeping Cockroaches Out Of Your Tucson Commercial Facility

If you own or operate a commercial facility in Tucson, we don’t have to tell you that cockroaches are frustrating pests to have around. They chew their way through paper and plastic and get into stored goods. Whether it is a single box of food in a restaurant storage room or several boxes of food on a pallet in a warehouse, this is something no business needs. When these bugs climb out of an air conditioning unit and race up the wall at full speed, it doesn’t matter if it is a hotel room, a conference center, or a museum, it is going to have an impact on anyone who sees it. Cockroaches are disgusting insects. We don’t have to tell you that. But, with all of the costs of owning or operating a commercial facility, it can feel impossible to add pest control to the bottom line, and cockroaches may be a problem you’ve decided to deal with on your own. Here are a few things you should know.

“It’s only a few cockroaches.”

If you’re seeing one or two cockroaches here and there, you may think you have a small infestation and that a few roach traps will get that problem under control. Don’t count on it. Cockroaches are secretive insects by nature. If you’re seeing a cockroach during the day, it is because a limit in food resources or overpopulation is forcing it to be bold. It is likely there are hundreds or even thousands of cockroaches hiding in your walls.

“Cockroaches are nothing a little spray won’t fix.”

If you spray products to kill cockroaches, there are two things you need to know. First, cockroaches are hard to kill. Your sprays aren’t likely to kill most of them instantly. Second, cockroaches are highly mobile. They get into cracks and crannies from the top to the bottom of your business. If they have those chemicals on their bodies, they can spread it to food, food prep surfaces, air ducts, and sensitive areas. If pesticide treatments are needed to control a cockroach infestation, it should be done by an educated professional who knows what products to use and how to apply them to prevent unwanted results.

“Cockroaches don’t affect my business.”

If you own a commercial facility that does not produce, transport, store, prepare, or sell food, you might think that cockroaches are not a threat, but cockroaches do more than taint food. Studies have shown a link between cockroaches and asthma. When roaches infest a structure, their presence leads to an increase in asthma symptoms. They’re also bad for the morale of employees, and that can affect your bottom line.

“Cockroaches aren’t as dirty as people say.”

Have you heard that cockroaches are clean and quite tasty? While it is true that cockroaches are considered a culinary delicacy in some countries, those are roaches that are raised in captivity. Wild cockroaches in urban landscapes are linked to the spread of 33 kinds of bacteria, six parasitic worms, and more than seven other types of human pathogens. This is because cockroaches prefer locations that are filthy and filled with bacteria. When they get into a business, they are always a health concern.

“I can’t deal with these cockroaches right now.”

Cockroaches reproduce quickly. If you don’t deal with them now, it is likely you will regret that decision. Over time, you’re going to see more and more cockroaches appearing, more damage being done, and you may even begin to notice a distinct smell.

“We’ll just have to do a better job of keeping things clean.”

While a good sanitation program can deter cockroaches, it is not a solution on its own. There are many factors and conditions that can lead to infestations, and these change with the season. Your pest control program needs to take into consideration the extra wetness in spring that lures cockroaches near your foundation perimeter, the high temperatures in summer that inspire cockroach populations to explode, the dropping temperatures that drive cockroaches into man-made structures in the fall, and the focus cockroaches have on inside food sources during the winter months.

If you have not yet invested in commercial pest control for your Tucson business, reach out to Schendel Pest Services and establish one today. Commercial pest service is vital protection no business should be without.