Guide to Preparing Your Home for Cockroach Extermination

Cockroach infestations are not only unsettling—they're also a health hazard. These pests can carry bacteria, contaminate food, and trigger allergies and asthma. As such, to ensure that your cockroach removal service is effective, proper home preparation is going to be just as important as the extermination itself.

At Advanced Bed Bug Preparation, we specialize in getting homes ready for pest control services like bed bugs and cockroaches. While we don’t perform exterminations ourselves, we help homeowners take all the necessary steps to make sure their pest control treatment is successful the first time around, and that your extermination company can actually perform the service.

If your home is showing signs of a cockroach infestation, here’s everything you need to know to prepare your home effectively for a cockroach extermination:

1. Clear Out Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers

First, you’ll need to clean out all your kitchen cabinets and drawers.

Cockroaches prefer hiding in dark, moist environments, especially in kitchen cabinets and drawers where food and water are often available. For this step, we suggest that you:

• Empty out all kitchen cabinets, especially under sinks and near appliances.

• Remove dishes, food items, utensils, and anything stored inside drawers or cupboards.

• Store these items in sealed plastic bins or bags, and place them in a room that won’t be treated (if advised by your exterminator).

2. Remove Food and Pet Items

Even a few crumbs or a water bowl can attract cockroaches, so food safety and sanitation are critical during the cockroach preparation process. You should:

• Remove all food from countertops, tables, and open storage.

• Store pantry items in tightly sealed containers or remove them entirely during treatment.

• Clean pet food dishes and water bowls and remove them from the treatment area.

3. Unplug and Pull Appliances Away from the Wall

Cockroaches often hide behind and underneath large appliances, including refrigerators, ovens, and dishwashers. If you can’t safely move an appliance, let your exterminator know so they can work around it.

For this step, we suggest:

• Pulling appliances away from the wall to give the exterminator access to hidden areas.

• Unplugging small countertop appliances and storing them in cabinets or sealed containers.

4. Clean Thoroughly Before the Treatment

While it might seem counterintuitive to clean right before a pest control visit, in actuality, by cleaning any grease, food residue, and clutter you see you will increase the overall effectiveness of the pest control service.

You should:

• Wipe down counters, sweep and mop floors, and wipe down/clean under appliances.

• Take out the trash and make sure garbage cans are cleaned and lined.

• Eliminate any visible cockroach droppings or egg casings.

5. Vacate & Secure Personal Items

While the exterminator will apply safe, regulated products, it’s still important to secure personal items during treatment. We advise that you:

• Remove toothbrushes, medications, children’s toys, and toiletries from treatment zones.

• Cover or remove baby items like bottles, pacifiers, and high chairs.

• Place personal items in sealed plastic bags or move them to a designated untreated area

6. Address Moist & Damp Areas

Cockroaches are attracted to moisture, and damp areas are common nesting sites. You should look into:

• Fixing any leaky faucets or pipes under sinks or behind toilets.

• Wiping down surfaces in bathrooms and kitchens to keep them dry.

• Ventilating areas that collect humidity, like basements or laundry rooms.

7. Plan to Leave the Home Temporarily

Your cockroach exterminator company will advise how long you’ll need to be out of the home after treatment, but in most cases, it’s several hours. Be sure to:

• Make arrangements for pets and family members to stay out of the treated area during and after the extermination.

• Ask your exterminator how long you’ll need to wait before re-entering.

How Our Cockroach Preparation Team Can Help!

Getting your home ready for cockroach extermination can be time-consuming and overwhelming—especially if you're dealing with a heavy infestation or physical limitations. That’s where we come in.

At Advanced Bed Bug Preparation, we offer professional cockroach prep services to get your home 100% ready for extermination!

We perform the emptying and cleaning of your home’s cabinets and drawers, bagging and storing your personal items, moving and prepping kitchen appliances, and providing an overall cleaning and decluttering of your kitchen and dining area.

Schedule a Cockroach Prep Service Today!

Need help preparing your home for a cockroach extermination service? At Advanced Bed Bug Preparation, our licensed and fully-trained team specializes in pest control prep, laundry treatment, and home readiness. We can have your home prepped and ready—often within just one business day—so your pest control provider can do their job without delay.

We proudly serve residents in Oshkosh, Fond Du Lac, Sheboygan, Appleton, Green Bay, and Northeast Wisconsin. Whether you're dealing with bed bugs or cockroaches, we’re here to take the stress out of prep work and help you reclaim your home from cockroaches and other pests!

Contact Nicole and the team on our contact us page, or by phone at (920) 355-1535 here.