Most homeowners, at some point, will have a roach control problem. For those who keep tidy kitchens, never leave dirty dishes in the sink, clean their floors regularly, and always wipe down their counters, the appearance of roaches is baffling. If you keep a clean home, why do you still have roach control problems?

The first thing to consider is that roaches have easy access. All it takes is a loose screen door, small crevices in your home's foundation, or -- somewhat less alarming -- an open drain. These are all access points that make it easy for roaches to enter your home and set up residence. Your home need not be dirty to attract roaches. It need only provide access.

The second thing to consider is that roaches don't need you to make a mess in order for them to feed themselves. Roaches like to live in warm, dark, out-of-the-way places. Although they must eat and drink to survive, they can go a month without food and two weeks without water. If you have a drippy faucet and if you drop the occasional crumb, that could be enough to keep the roaches going.

These facts explode the commonly-held myth that only slovenly people with dirty homes have cockroach problems. The truth is that every home is susceptible to a cockroach infiltration. Clean homes may lessen the dangers, but it can't eliminate them entirely. If you suspect that you may be harboring roaches in your home, or if you are interested in taking preventative measures, the best step to take is to contact pest control professionals.