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Vulcan under kitchen sink, usually warm, cockroaches reside in large numbers. They die of bait but happily come back a few weeks after. Any tips how to make this place uninteresting to them?
Thought of sealing the cupboard where the vulcan sits - would it be a fire hazard - like eliminate all holes & put something pest proof on the door
Photos:
Hi @st22
I believe that Cockroach 30g Pestxpert 2 In 1 Cockroach Bait has active biocide agents included in its mix. One attacks the nervous system of the insect and the other one disrupts the growth of the larva.
In addition to the suggestion made, I recommend using Hovex 350g Ant Spider Cockroach Barrier Spray. This forms an effective barrier that prevents any other insect from approaching from the outside. I propose spraying the entire area where the hot water cylinder is and any possible entrance where cockroaches may enter.
Due to the warm conditions inside the cabinet, you will have to spray again earlier than the recommended six months as the heat will tend to evaporate the barrier inside.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
Hi @st22,
It's great to see you've already received some excellent advice.
Ideally, your cabinetry should already be free from holes. However, the likely point where the cockroaches get inside is through cracks or around pipework. You can fill these with expanding foam.
Before you go about trying to fill any holes, I'd recommend the following:
- Remove everything from the cabinet that is not essential and find a new home for it. Dispose of anything that you don't 100% need as it is likely infested with cockroaches eggs, and you'll spread them elsewhere.
- Pick up some Simple Green All-Purpose, Glitz Pine Disinfectant, bags of rags, expanding foam and a pack of Cockroach Bombs.
- Clean every surface you can get to in the cabinet with the all-purpose cleaner. Remember to pay attention to the base, walls and the heater itself. Try to get around the back of the heater as far as possible, as the rear likely has more roach activity than the front. Once you've used a rag, place it in a bag you'll later throw away. Ideally, you'll want to clean the surfaces so well that it looks like you could eat off them.
- Liberally disinfect all surfaces thoroughly.
- Assuming this is an electric heater, turn off the power to the heater and all electrical devices nearby. If this is a gas heater, do not use a cockroach bomb. You likely need to turn the heater off at the switchboard. Place a Cockroach bomb inside the cabinet leaving the doors open. They can't be used in a confined space with the doors closed. This might be an excellent opportunity to add a second bomb in the same room and fumigate the whole area. This will help in preventing an outbreak in the room and house. Read all safety directions and instructions before setting off the bomb.
- Fill any holes in the cabinetry with the expanding foam. Spray the majority of it into the cavity behind the gap, and it will fill up into the cabinet. Excess can be trimmed away after it has cured.
- Lay your preferred baits in the area and apply barrier spray to the entrance of the cabinet. Also, spray it liberally down behind the heater.
- After a few days, inspect the cabinet. Remove any dead cockroaches and clean any newly soiled areas. Disinfect the whole cabinet once again.
Anything less than what I've mentioned above, and I feel you'll be fighting a losing battle. The cockroaches are not only attracted to the heat but also by the other cockroach activity in the cabinet. You need to remove all of them at the same time. I believe the cockroach bomb is an essential step as you have no way of killing the cockroaches behind the heater without it. Cleaning is also imperative as the soiled areas need to be removed, which will include a large number of eggs.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
There's no reason why you couldn't use silicone sealant on the more minor gaps/cracks @st22. It's not suitable for more significant gaps as it won't set if you pack in too much. It's just for laying a single bead of around 5mm.
The foam is used for filling large voids, similar to what you'd likely find behind your cabinetry.
Taking the heater out would be a fairly drastic step, though it would provide excellent access to clean behind it. Perhaps try what I've suggested above before going to those extremes.
Mitchell
Thanks a lot, I will check.
Two questions, naturally,
1. How to remove the old foam that is already there, just scrub it with a knife or there is a better way?
2. When putting new foam, does it need to sit inside the gap or a bit above it? The old foam is an about 5cm thick roll that sticks a lot above the surface.
