Why is stepping on cockroaches not the right way to solve the problem?

There is nothing that is more disgusting than the appearance of a cockroach in our home, whether in the kitchen, bathroom or bedroom. These insects can be quite annoying appearance, but they are also dangerous! There are even some studies that point out some reasons for not stepping on them to kill them. They will surprise you.

Read more: Cockroaches are evolving to become resistant to insecticides, study finds

Stepping on cockroaches is not the solution

For many, the immediate and most practical solution when seeing a cockroach is to step on it, however we must all admit that this task alone is not very easy and still demands a lot of pressure on the foot. After all, cockroaches are very resilient and can support up to 900 times their own weight.

But that's not the big reason why you shouldn't step on cockroaches anymore. In fact, the whole issue points to the danger of coming into contact with the insect and the excrement they expel when they are crushed. That said, we can cite some of the more specific reasons why we shouldn't step on cockroaches to kill them:

• Even when using some footwear, the chances that the cockroach excrements will splash and soil parts of the foot or leg uncovered are great;
• The droppings that come out of the insect can stay on the wall or floor and are resistant to cleaning, so they can become a source of infections;
• Cockroaches are capable of transmitting more than forty different diseases, in addition to causing allergies.

Prevention is better than cure

In any case, it's best to use long-range insecticides to eliminate a cockroach that suddenly appears in your home. However, what must be done is a long-term prevention that is able to prevent this and other insects from accessing or remaining in your home. Check out some tips to prevent cockroaches:

• Maintain hygiene in the house, especially in areas where food is kept;
• Avoid leaving dirty dishes overnight and always clean immediately when a piece of food accidentally falls from the plate to the floor;
• Pest your home properly from time to time to make it as inaccessible to insects as possible.