Fight Pests (and Asthma) With a Vacuum

Continuing the Asthma Awareness theme this May, I'm reposting pieces of another Allie Taisey blog post on the value of using a vacuum to control cockroaches. There's even a sample newsletter article to use if you would like to share this information with residents (see below).

Vacuuming is not only effective at reducing insect populations, but has the added benefit of removing asthma triggers: the cockroaches. I had the opportunity recently to work with a pest control company technician who noticed a resident was not able to use a vacuum to clean up the dead insects left behind after treatment. He noted that the next scheduled treatment would include a thorough vacuuming. Hopefully you have a pest control technician who would do the same. If residents can do the vacuuming, that's great. If you have residents who are unable to use a vacuum or don't own one, is there an alternative plan? Ideally, it's part of your pest control company's protocol already but what can you do if it isn't? First, consider requiring it to be part of your next pest control contract or, if possible, assign the responsibility to a staff member.

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The vacuum is an underutilized tool in pest control in public housing and I want to make you all believers. Here are a few important factors to consider when using a vacuum for pest control:

• “Vacuuming should be directed into cracks and wall voids, sides of cabinets, behind baseboards, and potential harborage in appliances and furniture….
• [The stress caused by vacuuming] places cockroaches at greater risk to the effects of insecticides and other biotic and abiotic control tactics (Gold, 1995)…
• Vacuuming treatment significantly reduces cockroach populations to a low level, but does not eliminate them because there is no residual, and the remaining cockroach populations tent to rebound in 3-4 weeks (Frishman, 1995)…
• Gravid (pregnant) females are more important than males and nymphs from the standpoint of long-term population reduction (Moore and Granovsky, 1983)…and
• The use of a flushing agent before vacuuming led to a greater population reduction and removal of hard-to-reach gravid females” (Kaakeh & Bennett, 2004).

A quick note on flushing agents: These are chemicals that should only be used by a PMP. And if the PMP is going to use a flushing agent, make sure the residents that see are well-aware of what is happening. If the residents only see the initial effect and miss the vacuum part, the rumor mill will start. I have been to more than one property where the residents’ strongest argument against the PMP is that he, “sprays stuff that makes it rain roaches. He makes the problem worse.” I can’t stress enough the importance of communication between residents and the PMP.

Flushing agents are for the pros, but anyone can use a vacuum. Backpack vacuums are especially useful because they are easy to carry around. Some ideas of how to incorporate vacuuming for pest control into procedures include:

• During housekeeping inspections can you include a vacuum tutorial with a real vacuum?
• When maintenance staff or contractors are doing renovations or repairs (in many states it’s illegal for them to use a pesticide in units…even vacant ones), can the maintenance teams carry a vacuum to remove insects from the hard to reach places a resident may not have access to? and
• During a one-on-one visit with a resident who is living in an infested unit can you include a vacuum tutorial with a real vacuum?

See the sample newsletter article below or the StopPests video here: Vacuum Up Pests! for a how-to on using a vacuum for pests control. It’ll even work for bed bugs. 

Almost every property has homes with known infestations. I encourage you to focus your pest control time and effort on these locations. Work with the resident and offer any resources you can—some time with a vacuum will impact more than just the pests. I’ve heard from many PMPs and experienced myself, that when you show up with a vacuum and spend some time taking out the bugs, the residents actually believe that you are with them in the battle and then are more willing to do their part. In addition to being an effective pest control tool, a vacuum is a conversation-starter.

And in all honesty, the thrill of the kill is kind of fun—knowing you’re actually taking the bugs OUT.

-------------------sample newsletter article-------------------

Pests: Take Control. Take them Out.

Pests are bad. Doesn’t matter if they’re crawling across the floor or dead on their back—even the dead ones may trigger asthma. How do you get rid of any bug—dead or alive?    A Vacuum.

Vacuuming is one of the most effective ways to get rid of the pregnant female cockroaches that keep the infestation going—these ladies hide away from sticky traps and pesticides. If you see pests, do this monthly:

1. Get a vacuum cleaner. If you can, get a one with a bag and a “HEPA” filter—this will catch the asthma triggers.
2. If it has a bag, make sure the bag is in it.
3. Get one knee-high pantyhose and stuff the toe down the vacuum hose at the sucking end.
4. Keep pushing it down the hose until about 8 inches are sticking out.
5. Fold the open end of the pantyhose over the vacuum nozzle (like you fold a trash bag over the edge of a trash can) and secure it with a rubber band.
6. Put the crevice tool on the vacuum hose over the pantyhose.

You just made a pantyhose bug bag inside your vacuum!

Now go on a bug hunt. Move appliances, open cupboards, and check around your bed. Focus on cracks where bugs like to hide. When you see an insect—dead or alive—suck it up!

When you’re done, remove the crevice tool and rubber band, tie off the end of the pantyhose, get a plastic shopping bag, and pull the pantyhose out of the vacuum carefully. Put it in the plastic bag, tie it off, and throw it away outside.

As long as there are no holes in your pantyhose, this will works on all bugs!

See this StopPests video for a tutorial on making a pantyhose bug trap with your vacuum: https://youtu.be/_XLe91JTOBw

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Works Cited in this Post

Frishman, A. 1995. Vacuum cleaner becomes successful tool. Pest Control 63: 11.

Gold, R. E. 1995. Alternate control strategies, pp. 325-344. In M. K. Rust, M. Owens, and D. A. Reierson [eds.], Understanding and controlling the German cockroach. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Kaakeh, W., and G. W. Bennett. 1997. Evaluation of Trapping and Vacuuming Compared with Low-Impact Insecticide Tactics for Managing German Cockroaches in Residences. J. Econ. Entomol. 90: 976-982.

Mallis, A. & Hedges, S.A. [ed.]. Handbook of Pest Control: 9^th Edition.  Ohio: GIE Media, Inc. 2004.

Moore, W. S., and T. A. Granovsky. 1983. Laboratory comparisons of sticky traps to detect and control five species of cockroaches (Orthoptera: Blattidae and Blatellidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 76: 845-849.

Comments

[Reynolds Pest Management, Inc.]

I have always believed that using vacuums and other mechanical means of controlling pests is a great strategy. So much time, effort, and clean up alone can be achieved this way. Not to mention, the benefits of preventing pesticide resistance. Good article on this often overlooked subject.

Thanks,

Brian Reynolds

[Ella Starr]

How helpful that you talk about how you can use pantyhose and your vacuum to help with pests. My husband and I need help with pests this summer. We will find a good pest control service in our area actually.