Cockroaches are unwanted guests that many homeowners have, but is there a way to manage the infestation, and what tools are proven to be the best against this persistent pest? If you are wondering the same thing you are not alone, and we have all the information you need in one place.
One of the best and most efficient ways to combat roaches in your home is with carefully placed roach motels or glue traps. So, if you want to learn more about this tool and a few additional tips and tricks to manage an infestation keep on reading.
What Is a Cockroach Motel?
A roach motel trap is a commonly used name for various glue traps that attract and capture roaches.
Cockroaches are notoriously persistent and resilient pests that many people encounter in their homes. Considering they are very good at hiding in damp and warm places, our houses with nooks and crannies are the perfect location with food sources included.
This is one of the reasons why cockroaches live in the most pristine homes and find a way to bother the residents. They are not only unpleasant to see but also emit a specific odor that can ruin your day.
Many people notice the infestation after a few bugs appear during the night or smears and residue is on the walls and floors. And while you might think a few bugs in your home are not problematic keep in mind they multiply fast and you are likely going to have a huge infestation soon.
If you want to prevent this from happening invest in high-quality glue traps for roaches also known as roach motels. The clever design will lure out the pests and leave your home bug-free.
How Does the Roach Motel Work?
Indoor roach traps or motels work by luring the cockroaches into the trap and capturing it there with a strong adhesive.
Roaches might be resilient and hide in various places, but they are attracted to certain smells that these traps have. Once you set up your roach motel the bugs from your home will sense the lure and come into the trap thinking it’s food.
The strong and high-quality adhesive used in the glue traps will then capture all the roaches and keep them there.
Keep in mind that the glue traps you use should be safe for your family and pets, and should not contain any pesticides or toxins. This way you can be sure the attractant is meant to lure and catch the nasty bugs but you are keeping your family secure.
How Effective Are Roach Motel Traps?
Roach glue traps are considered one of the best ways to evaluate and manage an infestation.
Many people choose these types of traps when they are not sure about the pest's presence in the first place because the roach motels will lure and catch all the bugs in the home.
Once you are sure you have an infestation the glue traps can help you catch more bugs, assess the severity, and even evaluate the efficiency of other methods you are using to stop the pests. Considering how resourceful cockroaches are it’s a good idea to combine multiple glue traps with other fighting agents such as Diatomaceous Earth to ensure the most efficiency.
Depending on the size of your home and the severity of the infestation you can use several glue traps in different locations and spray the DE powder as prevention to all the holes you notice in your walls.
How to Use a Roach Motel Trap?
Using any kind of glue or roach motel trap is easy, all you have to do is follow the instructions below.
- Open up the trap box along the perforated edges
- Remove the protective liner to reveal the glue
- Set the trap in the best location
One of the best things about these kinds of traps is that they are very easy to assemble, monitor, and throw away when they get full. Considering the glue is covered by the box and only small bugs and roaches can come into contact with the sticky surface you don’t have to worry about dust collecting and your pets getting dirty.
Once the roach trap is full you can simply throw it away and place a new one in the same location.
Keep in mind that roaches travel all around your home, but most of the time prefer damp and warm spaces. This includes cabinets under the sink, bathroom, and even your basement. So, when you choose the best locations to place the trap, consider these places first.
Where to Buy Roach Motel Traps?
There are various options you can use as roach motel traps on the market, but you should consider a few things before making the decision. The roach trap should be effective on the pests, but safe for your family, so purchase a glue trap for roaches that is:
- Durable and long-lasting
- Pesticide and toxin-free
- Easy to set up
- With a strong glue surface
- Safe for pets and family
- Fast-acting and with natural lures
While many people resort to DIY solutions to attract and kill the roaches, it’s a good idea to invest in tried and tested solutions. This way you will save the money and time needed to manage the infestation.
How to Get Rid of Cockroaches for Good?
Now that we are familiar with the roach motels and pest management you can start using today, you might be wondering how to stop the infestation completely and have that bug-free home you want.
Pests such as cockroaches are resilient and multiply fast, so you need to be persistent and smart with your fighting strategies. Setting up multiple glue traps all around your home will have many benefits because you will:
- Catch a lot of bugs in that area
- Lower the severity of the infestation
- Monitor the movement of the bugs and discover the nests
- Assess the effectiveness of other tools you are using
Once you notice the roach motels are getting fuller in some places you most likely have a roach nest near. This can be any crevice or hole in the wall, floor, or space under the cabinets. So, if you really want to destroy the roach population in your home you should dust some diatomaceous earth in those locations.
DE or diatomaceous earth is a natural powder that dries out the exoskeletons of the cockroaches, killing them in the process. For the easier application of the diatomaceous earth, you can use the cleverly designed powder duster with the nozzle that will help you with those hard-to-reach locations.
In addition, keeping your home clutter-free and removing all sources of food, including your garbage will make the cockroaches leave in search of better locations.
So, even though these pests are tedious and resilient there is always a way to eliminate them from your home fast and efficiently.
FAQs
How do you find a cockroach nest?
Cockroaches can use any space to nest because they are very resourceful. However, most of the time they will hang out in dark, damp, and warm places such as your basement, bathroom, and kitchen sink.
Locating the nest of roaches is not hard, all you have to do is follow the specimens you notice crawling around and see where they are going. In addition, you can trace the droppings and dark marks on the floor to find the nest.
Once you think you might have the right location, place a few glue traps for roaches there and see how many of them are captured. If you want to be even more efficient you can dust some DE into the crevices and holes in the wall with the powder duster.
Can roach traps bring more roaches?
It might look like the roach traps are luring out more bugs than you thought you have, and some people worry the lure is strong enough to attract the bugs from other apartments. While it’s true that a lot of bugs will be captured in the glue, they were all present in your home just hiding away from you.
Cockroaches multiply fast in the right conditions, and they are scavengers that will eat almost anything to survive, including other roaches. So, even though you might notice a few bugs when you turn on the lights the infestation is much bigger in reality.
The lures in the glue traps are designed to attract as many bugs as possible, but they will not cause an even bigger problem and infestation from your neighbors.
How do you know roaches are gone?
If you are using all the right tools to fight against roach infestation such as glue traps and DE powder you will soon notice improvement. This is one of the reasons why roach motels are so versatile and a good option when you want to assess the severity of the infestation.
If you notice that the traps are not as full, there are fewer droppings and skeletons all around you are on the right path to a pest-free home.
At the end of the day when the roaches are eliminated the traps will remain empty for a long time. But, even if you managed to kill all the bugs you should leave a few roach box traps out and check on them from time to time to ensure no bugs are coming back.
Final Thoughts
The roach house trap or motel is one of the best ways to ensure you are managing the infestation and efficiently fighting against cockroaches in your home. While there are many options on the market that use similar names, these traps are mainly based on attractants and strong adhesive to lure the bugs and keep them captured.
But, when you choose the best glue trap for your home make sure you consider the eco-friendly and non-toxic solutions first. This way you can be sure all the roaches are eliminated and your family and pets are safe from harsh chemicals.
