Cockroach Poop – What it Looks Like and How to Deal with it.

If you have found yourself with a cockroach infestation you will not only have to deal with cleaning up the massive amount of bugs, but also the huge piles of cockroach poop. While you can sometimes smell cockroaches, their droppings are a more surefire way to identify an infestation.

There are many factors in whether or not you will be affected by the infestation health-wise and besides the molted exoskeletons, cockroach poop is the main factor.

Below you will find everything you need to know about cockroaches and how their feces can affect the animals and people who live in your home.

What are Cockroaches?

The simple answer is cockroaches are beetle-like insects that are almost exclusively nocturnal. They have wings, but only a few species actually fly to get around.

Six species are more common in the United States, but there are several more that are spread across the world. Cockroaches are vile pests.

They are dirty and will virtually eat anything, which is why they thrive so well in homes.

Do Cockroaches Poop?

The very blunt answer is yes they do.

Cockroach poop isn’t always easy to spot, especially if there are only one or two in that spot of your home to begin with. When you finally do spot clusters of cockroach poop, you likely have a full blown infestation on your hands.

An infestation generally refers to at least a hundred cockroaches but usually there are way more than that.

What Does Cockroach Poop Look Like?

Cockroach poop looks like little pellets. Some would describe it as cylindrical even. The color can vary from brown to black.

Depending on the size of the cockroaches in your home, the size of the cockroach poop will also vary greatly. Sometimes when it is first spotted it is mistaken for mouse poop. You will be able to tell the difference upon a closer look.

What Problems Does Cockroach Poop Cause?

Set aside the fact that feces in general are disgusting. Cockroach poop is more than just gross. There are several health issues associated with cockroach poop in homes, many of which affect children and the elderly more than healthier adults.

Below are the conditions that can develop or be aggravated by the presence of cockroach poop in your home.

• Asthma. From full blown attacks to developing this disease, people who live in houses infested with cockroaches are likely to have at the very least asthmatic symptoms. Children and elderly people are hit harder than most, probably because of their weakened immune systems.
• Allergic reactions. Allergens are located in cockroach poop and can give people who are allergic severe reactions. Because the poop is sometimes used for communication between cockroaches, there are plenty of allergens that travel through the air. The scary thing about these allergens is that if the cockroach removal isn’t done properly and your home is not sanitized after the infestation, the allergens can last for up to five years in the air of your home.
• Spread of various diseases. Cockroaches are know to spread at least 33 kinds of bacteria, 7 pathogens and several other disgusting things like parasitic worms. If that isn’t enough to tell you how gross these bugs are, what is?

How do You Deal with Cockroach Poop?

The obvious way to handle the situation is to get rid of the cockroaches. Without the cockroaches, there is no cockroach poop to deal with. We recommend using baits to get rid of your problem for good, followed by a good cleaning.

Make sure you do a thorough job cleaning and sanitizing because if you don’t, there could be cockroach poop left in your home that could continue to cause sickness for a number of years.

Where to Check for Cockroach Poop

You will need to check all of the hiding spots cockroaches might find in your home. Remember they are nocturnal so dark places and places with virtually no movement are ideal.

Below is a list of places you should check for cockroaches and their feces.

• Cabinets. Both indoors and in outdoor buildings. Cockroaches like cabinets because they can climb around in them and it is usually dark. Since food or other materials are generally found in cabinets, this is one of the biggest places these disgusting insects hide and lay eggs.
• Bathrooms. Check around your tub and shower. Medicine cabinets and underneath the sink are also prime candidates for infestations. Many of them may not be in the bathroom because of the light going on and off all day, but chances are you will likely find at least one or two.
• Basements. This is an ideal place for cockroaches to hang out, especially if it is unfinished. Many people don’t go down into a basement that isn’t finished, which means more space for the cockroaches to leave their droppings and lay their eggs to reproduce.
• Crawl spaces. Because of the way these are built, cockroaches infest these spots almost as much as kitchens. Without traffic and ample light cockroaches thrive well. Crawl spaces aren’t used more than a few times a year, so the cockroaches are free to be dirty and reproduce without the bother of humans or pets.
• Attics. Cockroaches can climb high. They often choose attics to lay their eggs in so that when the young hatch, they have a fighting chance to mature without facing too much harm.

How to Get Rid of Cockroaches

Now that you likely know where the cockroaches are hiding, you can attempt to evict them from your home. You will need to be completely thorough in your job and then follow preventative measures for the immediate future and sometimes longer.

Below you will find tips on how to get rid of cockroaches.

• Cockroach bait. This will be the first step in removal. The pests will eat the bait and carry it back to their hiding spots with them. Bait is not a save all, but it is a great place to start.
• Sticky traps. These are used to get a general idea of how big the infestation is and how frequently these insects are crawling across your surfaces. Stick traps won’t kill the cockroaches, but they will allow you to keep them captive until you can dispose of them properly.
• Insecticidal spray. If you are looking for an instant death, this is it. You can spray the cockroaches as you see them, and then sweep them up and carry them away to the trash.
• Sanitation. After you have eliminated all of the pests, you will need to completely sanitize your home from top to bottom. If you don’t, the eggs that may have survived will hatch or new pests will move in almost immediately. Use bleach water for every surface and leave no stone unturned. Some recommend using a cleaning service to ensure it is done right and if you can afford it, it is definitely the way to go.
• Exterminate. If you can’t handle the problem on your own, hire an exterminator. You cannot live in a home that is infested with cockroaches. Call around to every place that services your area and ask for quotes. Sometimes businesses will offer lower rates in order to garner your business. There also might be a satisfaction guarantee. Sometimes companies will return for free if you find cockroaches in your home after they have been there.

Prevention Measures

Now that you have the cockroach problem solved you will have to work on preventative measures. Below you will find suggestions on how to keep the cockroaches away.

• Store all food properly. Because cockroaches are attracted to food, they will go where it is abundant. Keep your kitchen completely clean. Buy storage containers for things like flour and sugar. Make sure nothing in your pantry is accessible to cockroaches. After every meal sweep the floor and clean the counters.
• Keep pet food and water up off of the floor. If you are leaving feed dishes down all day, the cockroaches have immediate access to both food and water. While they would prefer sweet food, they will eat the pet food as well.
• Leave the bait stations up for a few weeks. Cockroaches are rarely all killed all at once. You may have a few stragglers and for those guys you will need to keep the bait readily available. If you have small children or pets make sure you are able to monitor the locations closely to avoid any accidental poisonings.
• Spray around your home. You will be able to purchase something at the hardware store that will allow you to place a barrier around your home to prevent more cockroaches from entering. You will have to spray the perimeter and around any windows and doors.

You will need to take a cockroach infestation seriously. The potential danger from cockroach poop alone is enough to get rid of those pests immediately.

Remember that not only can children and the elderly suffer, otherwise healthy people can get ill as well.

Some of the possible risks aren’t anything to laugh at and in an already compromised state, cockroach poop can lead to very serious complications. Do not allow yourself and your family to be affected by something you can control.