There are four conditions necessary for cockroaches to survive:

• Food. Food for cockroaches includes crumbs, paints, wallpaper paste, boxes and book bindings.
  
  
• Water. Sources of water include sweating pipes, standing water, moist objects or moist areas.
  
  
• Warmth. Optimal temperature ranges for cockroaches are between 45 degrees and 115 degrees Fahrenheit (7.2 degrees and 46.1 degrees Celsius). Temperatures above and below this range may kill cockroaches.
  
  
• Hiding places. Places to hide include cracks, crevices, cardboard boxes, newspapers and grocery bags.

Eliminating cockroach debris means eliminating the three sources of cockroach allergens:

• Cockroaches and their food sources
  
  
• Favorable environments (warmth, moisture, hiding places)
  
  
• Dust (which contains cockroach debris)

Cockroaches can live in almost any nook that is near to food and water. Tips for keeping cockroaches out of the home include:

• Store food and garbage in closed, tight-lidded containers.
  
  
• Avoid leaving food and dirty dishes out on kitchen counters or in the sink. Dirty dishes and utensils should be cleaned immediately after eating.
  
  
• Clean crumbs and spills immediately.
  
  
• Avoid leaving pet food and dirty food bowls out over night. Food bowls should be washed immediately after the pet has finished eating and the remaining food should be stored away.
  
  
• Wash kitchen floors and countertops at least once a week. Grease should also be removed from stove tops, ovens, counters and walls when necessary.
  
  
• Avoid spreading food around the house. Eating should be limited to the kitchen and dining room as much as possible.
  
  
• Plug crevices around the house. Cracks and holes in walls, floors and screens can provide cockroaches with an entryway to the home.
  
  
• Repair leaky faucets and drain pipes.
  
  
• Store recyclables (e.g., grocery bags, cardboard boxes, newspapers, bottles) outside of the home.

Individuals with mild cockroach infestation problems can use pest–control products to eliminate the insects. These include:

• Desiccants. Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring type of clay made from fossilized microscopic sea animals that works as a desiccant to dry out the body of the cockroach, thus killing them. Another desiccant is silica aerogel.
  
  
• Biochemicals. A variety of synthetic chemicals that either kill pests outright or interfere with the insects’ growth and reproduction. They include insect growth regulators.

Products in cans should be sprayed in kitchen cabinets and drawers (after they are emptied) every few months, or according to the product’s instructions. These products should also be sprayed behind appliances (e.g., stoves, washing machines) and in moist areas such as bathrooms and basements. Traps can be placed in these areas as well.

For severe cockroach infestations professional pest removal is the best option. Professional pest removal can usually kill all cockroaches within two days. However, pest removal does not get rid of the cockroach debris, which is the allergen. Cockroach debris is remarkably difficult to remove from indoor environments. The only way to eliminate cockroach debris indoors is with extensive and repeated cleaning using common cleansers and tools.

Cleaning tips that will help to eliminate cockroach debris include:

• Steam clean carpets, rugs and furniture
  
  
• Vacuum with a HEPA filter (empty vacuum immediately after vacuuming to prevent any live cockroaches from escaping)
  
  

  
  

• Clean under sinks
  
  
• Clean appliances
  
  
• Remove newspapers, bottles and other household clutter cockroaches inhabit
  
  
• Pull books off the bookshelves and thoroughly clean shelving
  
  
• Clean corners and walls
  
  
• Repeat this thorough cleaning every few months

During the 1990s the U.S. Agricultural Research Service studied the presence and amount of cockroach debris in a building after professional pest removal had killed the cockroach population. These researchers sealed the building after pest removal for six years and then returned and tested for cockroach debris. The cockroach debris remained even after six years.

The researchers found that the first extensive cleaning removed about 90 percent of the cockroach debris. A repeat cleaning removed the rest of the debris. However, these researchers developed a spatial analysis tool to locate the specific areas of cockroach debris and it was with this mechanism that they were able to identify the areas that the first cleaning missed. For the average household, extermination followed by repeated and thorough cleaning may be the only route for complete removal of cockroach debris.