Just Disgusting - or Dangerous?
Apparently they spread salmonella and E-coli. It stands to reason that anything running from place to place, from garbage and drains along work surfaces to food and all over your crockery, is bound to be spreading something unwanted and unseen.
Even if they were not downright dangerous, they are disgusting. Am I alone in not liking cockroaches?
Maybe my loathing for them is because when I grew up in the UK, I had never seen a cockroach. Now I know that hospitals in the UK have had cockroaches. If you want to know, you can do a google search. I don't want to know. But I know that global warming is unlikely to make life harder for insects which enjoy hot humid conditions. Also we have so much stuff nowadays that it's harder to move everything about and vacuum clean everywhere, unless you are a minimalist. So you can't escape by going to the UK, in my opinion.
USA
When I travelled to the USA, a cockroach crawled under the cubicle divider in a public toilet. Not much you can do about insects at an airport, in a toilet. It's fight of flight. If you have just got off a flight, your next move is 'flight' out of the airport. You might alert the toilet cleaner. I remember doing that.
She did not look surprised, just resigned. She picked up her broom and bucket and toddled over to my cubicle. Nothing to see.
Singapore's Cockroaches - American Reactions
Afterwards, in Singapore, I met members of the American Women's Association, attached to the American club. I wondered if the American women, in their spotless large apartments, cleaned by maids, would be upset to learn that Singapore had cockroaches.
I asked an American woman, "I have seen Have you seen cockroaches in Singapore? Yes? Were you shocked?"
She was not the least alarmed.
She shrugged, "No. We have bigger ones in Texas."
I thought for a moment that she might be joking. I checked on the internet. She was right.
Yes, there is such as thing as a cockroach officially named the American Cockroach.
What about other countries? Cockroaches do not appear on tourist board sites. Nor even on the tell the truth warnings.
Cockroaches In Residences
In Singapore my husband and I moved into a brand new building. We were waiting for our possessions to be shipped in. We had not yet bought new furniture.
But there was a cockroach. On the kitchen work surface.
Cockroaches In Food Courts
Later, I remember seeing a cockroach on the floor, at a food court, known in Singapore by the old name, hawker centre, a basement food court under a shopping mall. I called a large Indian man who was sweeping nearby. I pointed to the scuttling cockroach.
The big man grinned. He trod on it with his huge size 11 shoe. He walked off.
I was horrified. Wasn't he upset to have bits of dead cockroach on his shoe? I would feel disgusted. I would immediately wipe the soles of my shoe. Then wash the soles. Change into other shoes.
Now I know about sage. I asked my family to buy it in the supermarket. I have planted it in pots. I have labelled the pots with little wooden sticks from ice cream lollies.
I have not seen a cockroach for days. In the morning and late at night I cautiously turn on the light and look and listen.
Prevention - Sage
Prevention is better than cure. I decided to plant sage. The plant has two uses. You can use it in food. It supposedly repels cockroaches.
Sage from wikipedia
Sage - The Saviour
I am watching the sage. If it dies, I shall re-plant.
I put the solution of sage in the title of this blog post. I know I should not reveal all in the title but ask a question and let the reader read the post for the answer. The real reason I put the answer in the title is so that next time I want to remember the cure for cockroaches, I shall scan down my posts and find the answer instantly. I hope this helps you, and entertains you, so that the anecdotes district you from your disgusting memories with a smile and sende of satisfaction.
Cockroaches will always be there. But not near me nor you, if we take care.
Cockroach cures - my research says
1 Wipe surfaces with ammonia.
2 Plant sage.
3 Call somebody else. Let them step on the cockroach, remove bits, wipe and wash soles of shoes.
4 Spray cockroach with hair spray. Wait for it to die or put it out of its misery immediately.
5 Suck up bits in a vacuum cleaner. Empty the vacuum cleaner into a lined bin in the house and empty the secured bin liner into a chute outside your home or office.
6 Inform cleaning services and ask them to eliminate cockroaches.
7 Put on shopping list: insect spray including anti cockroach on label, sage, hairspray.
8 If you are nervous, move somewhere which does not have cockroaches.
9 If you are not nervous, start a cockroach clearing business.
10 If not nervous, and not wanting to work, offer to clear cockroaches in return for other favours such as cooking, or shopping, or simply for goodwill.
11 Fill gaps and holes which allow insects to enter from outside or elsewhere in buildings.
Useful Websites
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockroach
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_officinalis
About the Author
Angela Lansbury
Travel Writer and Photographer, author and speaker. Angela has lived in the UK, the USA and Singapore.
If you want to contact me or link up with me, go to LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter and like my posts and share links to your favourites.
If you want to attend a Toastmasters club, go to Toastmasters International org, find a club.
Please share links to your favourite posts.
