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mmb0p

found two cockroaches in apartment i just moved into-now they are getting pest control to do a "roach clean out"

Advice Needed

i (24f) just moved into a new one bedroom apartment on the third floor and have been staying here for two weeks now. before i started actually moving in, i got my keys and was looking around the place to complete my move-in condition report. i found a single, small roach on the kitchen floor that did not seem super lively. i crushed it then flushed it down the toilet. i figured one wouldn't be a big deal, but i was trying to be diligent and keep an eye out for more. i did not see any more until last night, my cat found one in the corner of my living room, and it ran under a tiny gap between the floor and baseboards before i could take a pic/kill it but i am pretty sure it was also a cockroach of sorts (probably german but it was small and hard to see clearly). i put in a maintenance request for pest control and then called the leasing office first thing when i woke up in the morning. pest control came out this morning and sprayed a few areas and gave me glue traps to put down. now, they are wanting to do a "clean out". i have never had to deal with roaches before in my life (besides the one or two random ones here or there at work or outside). this is the checklist i have been given to prep for when the pest control person comes on july 21:

-make all areas of the premises accessible -sweep all noncarpeted areas (i have laminate floors) -put all pet bedding, dishes, food, etc away in a safe place -remove pets from treatment area -remove all items from your cabinets including liners -remove all newspapers, paper bags, and cardboard from treatment area -pull refrigerator and stove away from the wall -every person must leave the treatment site before treatment begins and cannot return to the area for a minimum of 4 hours

as i mentioned, i do have a cat. i also have asthma. basically i'm asking for advice: has anyone ever had to deal with this before, and if so, what is the best way for me to go about prepping for the treatment and making it safe for me and my cat once i return?

i have a lot of stuff and a lot of it is still in boxes due to moving in only a couple weeks ago. i would like to minimize the amount of stuff i have to take back up and down the two flights of stairs because it was a biiitch taking everything up the first time. unfortunately, i am a crafter so i also have a lot of.... things (crafting supplies, yarn). should i put as much as i can in trash bags to keep it from being contaminated? do i need to take all my cat's stuff (like his cat tree and beds) with me when i leave for the treatment? should i take all my food/dishes with me when i leave? do i need to do anything to cover my bed area so it doesnt get contaminated? is there anything else i should worry about/be aware of that isn't listed on their checklist?

thanks for reading, any advice is greatly appreciated. my anxiety with moving and everything has already been bad, and with this it is even worse right now and i would just like to feel at least a little prepared or have some peace of mind before the treatment.

Posted Jul 9, 2025, 11:26 PM UTC

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