Cockroaches
Why Basement Kitchens Attract Cockroaches
A kitchen below ground has solid floors laid over damp earth, pipes and gullies leading to old drains, and walls that rarely dry out completely. Those conditions suit cockroaches that like cool, moist places. They shelter under the floor covering, behind skirtings and in the space around the waste pipe, then come out at night to feed. Why cockroaches appear at night explains the pattern.
Oriental or German?
The two you are most likely to meet behave differently. The Oriental cockroach is large, dark brown to black and slow, and it favours damp, cooler spots such as basements, drains and ground floors. The German cockroach is smaller and lighter brown, with two dark stripes behind the head, and it lives in warm places such as behind a fridge, a cooker or a boiler. Knowing which you have helps show where they are coming from, and German vs Oriental cockroaches has pictures and detail.
The rest of the building
In a mansion block, German cockroaches can follow warm heating pipes between flats, while Oriental cockroaches tend to stay low in the building. If the flat above has them too, or you see them in the basement corridor or bin store, let the managing agent know. Can cockroaches spread between flats? covers how they move.
In a Terraced House, Honestly
Cockroaches are not a common problem in a whole terraced house. When they do turn up, it is usually in a basement kitchen, or they have come in with second-hand appliances, deliveries or luggage. A single large dark insect in a ground-floor room after heavy rain may simply have come up from outside. If you find one, check what it is before worrying, and remember that small dark beetles are often mistaken for cockroaches.
Signs to Look For Below Street Level
- Cockroaches on the floor when you switch the light on at night
- Droppings like ground pepper, or small dark smears, along the edge of the floor
- Egg cases, brown and purse-shaped, in the gap behind the cooker or under the sink
- A musty, oily smell in the cupboard around the waste pipe
- Insects near a floor gully or the drain in the lightwell outside
The signs of a cockroach infestation goes through each one.
What to Do Before the Visit
- Keep food in sealed containers and do not leave dishes or pet food out overnight
- Fix dripping taps and wipe up standing water, since cockroaches need moisture
- Do not spray them with shop products, which can scatter them further
- Keep the plug in the sink and the cover on any floor gully overnight
When you book cockroach control, say whether it is a flat or a house, whether the kitchen is below street level, and whether other flats have seen them. Clear the cupboard under the sink and the area around the cooker before the visit. You will be told what was found and what to expect; the timescale depends on the property and how settled the cockroaches are. If they are still active after a while, get back in touch.
Keeping a Lower-Ground Kitchen Clear
Damp is the thing to tackle. Repair leaks, ventilate the kitchen, and seal gaps around pipes where they go through the floor or wall. The same gaps let mice in, so mouse control in Childs Hill and rodent proofing are worth knowing about if you have seen droppings as well. Preventing cockroaches returning has more, and Cockroach Control Barnet covers the newer blocks elsewhere in the borough.
