Landlords and tenants

Cockroaches

A fully-grown cockroach has a flattened brown oval body with long spiny legs and measures 15mm (3/4") in length. Roaches can be brought into the home in the form of egg cases that have been laid in groceries, rugs, used appliances, etc. They are not always a sign of poor housekeeping.

Cockroaches thrive in areas where food, water, and shelter are readily available. They tend to live in darkened or damp areas such as around sinks, behind stoves and refrigerators, in drains, and cracks. They are often only seen at night. Control of cockroaches can be difficult due to their long-life cycle.

Every 20 to 28 days, a female drops one to four egg cases (ootheca); each contains 35 to 50 nymphs. Over a period of 100 days, the nymphs reach the adult stage. Consequently, any place infested with cockroaches will also be infested with their eggs. You cannot expect instant results.

Remove their sources of food and water

• Store food in sealed, washable containers.
• Clean any food spills up as soon as they occur.
• Don't leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight; empty garbage containers daily and rinse out all recyclable items before putting them in the recycling bin.
• Thoroughly wet-mop floors and baseboards, especially under rugs, furniture, and behind appliances.
• Wash inside food storage cabinets and keep them clean.
• Vacuum regularly wherever crumbs or dry pet foods might fall.
• Repair any leaking taps or plumbing and empty pet water dishes nightly (refill in morning).

Block their points of entry and remove areas of shelter

• Use a foam or silicone caulk to seal all holes in ceilings, floors and walls, particularly around water and drainpipes (a 2mm crack is all they need).
• Remove as much clutter as possible from your home. Don't keep cardboard boxes and paper bags as these are ideal breeding areas.

Physical control

• Use as many traps as possible to monitor the location of roaches in your home so you know where to concentrate your efforts. Place them under sinks and in the corners of rooms where roaches have been seen at night.
• To prepare your own traps, darken the inside of a quart-sized mason jar by wrapping it in paper or painting the inside black. Coat the inside of the jar with petroleum jelly to prevent the roaches from escaping. In the morning kill the roaches by drowning them in hot, soapy water and then place the dead insects in the garbage.
• You can vacuum roaches. To ensure all roaches are destroyed, the vacuum bag should be immediately immersed in hot, soapy water or placed in a sealed plastic bag or container (with no holes in it) for disposal.

Kill those that remain

• Place small piles (1/4 teaspoon each) of household borax powder in places where they will stay dry but are out of the reach of children and pets, (e.g., under the refrigerator).
• Borax, diatomaceous earth or silica aerogel with an attractant added are commercially available - they are effective and non-toxic. (Note: Ultrasonic or "electronic" devices neither kill nor repel cockroaches).
• Freeze bags of pet food or birdseed to eliminate any cockroaches in them.
• When the external temperature is minus 18oC (0oF), infested appliances or furniture should be left in the garage for several days, as the cold temperature will kill the roaches and their eggs.
• Alternatively, you can use the services of a pest control contractor to control a cockroach infestation.

In an apartment building or other multi-unit dwelling, community effort is essential to ensure an effective cockroach management program.

Mould

Mould spores are found everywhere in the environment, and mould will grow indoors when moisture is present. 

Common sources of moisture are:

• Routine activities like showering, bathing, and cooking – particularly if exhaust fans from kitchens and bathrooms do not vent outside, are not used appropriately, or are not working properly.
• Condensation including water coming indoors from outside through leaks or cracks in a building’s foundation, roof, windows, and walls.
• Plumbing leaks.
• Flooding.
• Large-scale indoor cultivation

Health concerns suspected to be caused by mould exposure should be discussed with a healthcare professional. 

For more information on mould prevention, removing mould, and health effects, please visit Health Canada.

Bed bugs

Bed bugs are small, wingless, biting insects. They have flat, brown bodies and are shaped similar to an apple seed. The eggs are whitish and about 1mm in size.

Bed bugs feed on human blood but will also bite other mammals. They feed at night, usually every two to three days. 

Bed bugs are not known carriers of disease. When they bite, they inject fluid into the host, and this can cause an allergic skin reaction such as itchy welts. 

Bed bugs can crawl quite quickly and are very good hitchhikers, travelling from place to place in items such as luggage, used furniture, and clothing. They can also travel through small openings, along electrical wires, and along plumbing into other rooms or apartments.

How do you know if they have an infestation?

Bed bug bites look similar to the bites of other insects, such as fleas and mosquitoes. Therefore, bites alone do not confirm the presence of bed bugs; the bugs themselves need to be identified.

If you believe bed bugs are present in your home, look for the bugs in these common places:

• Seams, creases, and tufts of mattresses.
• Cracks and crevices in bed frames, headboards, floors, and walls.
• Between cushions of couches or chairs.
• Under the edges of rugs and between folds of curtains.
• Behind loose wallpaper, baseboards, electrical outlets, picture frames.

Bed bugs can be difficult to eliminate. It is recommended that a licensed pest control company be contacted if you have an infestation, as improper use of pesticides may be harmful to you, your family, and your pets. Incorrect treatment can also result in bed bugs spreading to other area of the home.

Follow these tips on how to prevent bed bugs from entering your home. 

When travelling, it’s important to take the following precautions to avoid bringing bedbugs home as a souvenir.

Rodents

Rodents can contaminate food and spread disease through their droppings or bites.

How to know if you have a rodent infestation

Droppings are the most obvious sign, as rodents tend to hide during the day. Other signs include chew marks on woodwork, hearing scratching noises in the walls, finding burrow holes, and damaged food packaging. 

How to prevent rodent infestations

• Store foods in rodent-proof, food-safe containers.

• Do not leave pet food outside.

• Store garbage in rodent-proof containers, and remove garbage from your property in a timely manner.

• Repair leaky taps, remove bird baths or other sources of standing water.

• Store compost in rodent-proof bins.

• Remove nesting or hiding places.

• Remove debris and clutter from your property.

• Store firewood 30 cm off the ground and away from building walls.

• Keep grasses trimmed.

• Prevent entry into your home.

• Seal any holes or cracks in the exterior of your building. Mice can fit through gaps as small as a dime, and rats through quarter-sized spaces.

• Keep windows and doors closed or install screens to prevent pest entry.

• Keep covers on floor drains.

• Use mesh or metal screening to cover dryer vents and attic vents.

How to clean up droppings and nesting materials safely

• Wear rubber gloves and a dust mask while cleaning
• Do not vacuum, sweep, or dust these areas while cleaning – this will disturb the rodent urine and feces that may contain harmful bacteria or viruses, causing particles to become airborne which you could then inhale.
• Mix a solution of bleach and water or use a household disinfectant. If using bleach and water, the mixture should be one part bleach to nine parts water.
• Spray down all droppings and nesting materials with the bleach and water solution or disinfectant before cleaning. Let this sit for about 10 minutes.
• Use paper towels or disposable cloths to wipe up and dispose of items in a plastic bag that can be sealed.
• Dispose in your garbage outside.
• Wash the gloves in disinfectant and soapy water before removing. Ensure you wash your hands after removing your gloves.

For more information on how to prevent or get rid of a rodent infestation, follow the Government of Canada guidance.