How To Remove Cockroach Droppings From Wood?
A telltale sign that you have cockroaches in your home is finding their droppings, well, everywhere.
It’s very important to remove cockroach droppings when you find them and thoroughly clean the area.
Roach poop contains pheromones that signal to other roaches that there is food, water, and shelter nearby.
However, some materials, like wood, may be harder to clean than others.
To remove cockroach droppings from wood, take the item outside. Then scrub all surfaces thoroughly with hot water and soap and rinse with clean water. Use a towel to wipe down the surface. Make sure your item is completely dry before returning it inside.
If the hot water/soap mixture doesn’t work, you can try using a heavy-duty wood cleaner like trisodium phosphate (TSP).
What Do Cockroach Droppings Look Like?
There are close to 4500 different species of cockroaches, and they all have different shapes and sizes of feces.
The most common cockroaches are the German, Oriental, and American varieties.
German roaches discharge feces that look like small dark coffee grounds or black smears. In contrast, larger species such as Oriental and American cockroaches leave behind droppings that can be mistaken for brown or black cylindrical pellets.
Where Should You Look For Cockroach Droppings?
Though cockroaches tend to poop wherever they feel like it, they do have their preferred spots.
More often than not, they leave their droppings where they live and hide.
Some of these places can include your basement area, laundry room, closet, cupboards, and crawl spaces.
You may also find droppings under sinks and behind appliances.
How to Clean Roach Droppings From Surfaces?
Before cleaning roach droppings from surfaces, it’s important to put on protective gear such as masks and gloves.
Cockroach poop can be toxic and contains allergens that trigger respiratory problems.
To clean the droppings from surfaces, vacuum the affected areas to remove loose feces. Target the popular cockroach hotspots, including closets, corners, under sinks, and kitchen cabinets.
After vacuuming, scrub the affected areas with soap and hot water to break up the pheromone trails. You can also use disinfectants to remove foul odors and kill any remaining bacteria.
If you have droppings on your walls, use an environmentally-friendly disinfectant to disinfect the affected areas.
Let the disinfectant sit on the walls for a few minutes before scrubbing the affected areas with soap and water. Then rinse the walls with fresh water to remove any residue.
Why Should You Clean Roach Droppings as Soon as Possible?
You should clean roach droppings as soon as possible because they are hazardous to your health.
Cockroaches live in sewers and rotting garbage and can carry harmful pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella in their digestive systems.
When they poop, these bacteria can make their way onto your food, making you very ill.
Symptoms of E. coli and Salmonella are similar to food poisoning and include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Roach droppings also emit a foul odor and are quite harmful if inhaled. They can cause respiratory problems such as asthma attacks or trouble breathing.
Finally, you’ll want to remove all traces of roach droppings because they contain pheromones that encourage others to gather and invade an area.
Conclusion
If you see roach droppings anywhere in your home, it’s time to get out your cleaning products.
You will have to deep clean your house to remove all traces of the feces and the pheromones it releases.
However, it’s not enough to just get rid of the droppings – they are a symptom of a larger infestation, and you’ll have to take steps to remove the cockroaches from your home.
If you’re unsure how to handle a roach infestation, I strongly recommend contacting a pest control specialist.
Professional exterminators will guide you through the process and help you eliminate the problem.
