Today, professionals most often use gel bait insecticides to control and eliminate cockroaches. This requires the placement of small beads of gel bait in the areas where cockroaches are known or expected to harbor, travel or feed. The professional pest control operators (PCOs) will generally provide you with a specific list of the preparation activities, "prep," to be completed prior to their visit.
However, the following lists some of the most common requests or recommendations made by PCOs - and should also be followed prior to using any over-the-counter pest control products yourself. (When using any pesticide, read and follow all label directions and safe-use guidelines prior to purchase and use.) Because a lack of preparation could make a treatment unsafe or cause reinvestation of the entire home or building, many PCOs will not treat areas that are not prepared to specification.
