Once even a single pregnant cockroach infiltrates your home, you're going to have a hard time getting rid of it. A big part of the problem in this regard is that by the time you realize they have taken up residence, the cockroaches have already bred. In the case of German cockroaches, one pregnant cockroach could spell weeks or months of infestation. One pregnant German cockroach can produce 30 to 40 baby cockroaches at a time. If you haven't found and eradicated that cockroach and its brood within 60 days, you could be in for a long and drawn-out battle.

But before you blame your neighbours or a recent visitor from out of town, you should know that cockroaches can hitch a ride into your home in a myriad of ways.

1. In Sacks or Crates of Vegetables

Have you brought back a sack or crate of onions or potatoes from your local supermarket recently? Cockroaches eat almost anything, but they especially love starchy foods like potatoes. They are also attracted to strong smells, such as the aroma of fresh onions.

2. Inside Secondhand Appliances

If you have purchased a secondhand appliance that utilizes water in some way, such as a coffee machine, washing machine or dishwasher, you may have purchased a cockroach brood as well. Cockroaches routinely infest these appliances because they provide them with a steady supply of water.

3. Inside Second Hand Electronics

Electronic items, such as laptops, provide cockroaches with warmth, something they need to survive. Have you purchased or borrowed one recently?

4. In the Spines of Borrowed Books

Did you know that cockroaches will also feast on paper, and on the glue that holds books together? If you borrowed a book from a cockroach-infested library recently, then you could have gotten a free cockroach brood as part of the deal.

5. Within the Soil of Potted Plants

Cockroaches' natural habitat is outdoors, so if you have brought in some potted plants from your garden, there may have been some cockroaches living in the moist soil. However, once in your home, they may have spread to other areas quite quickly.

6. Inside Your Child's School Bag

Schools can also become infested if their pest control is lacking. This means that a cockroach could have hitched a ride in your child's bag all the way from the school canteen to your welcoming home.

Have you brought home a cockroach or two by accident? Are you struggling to turf them out? You should call in local pest control company to eradicate the cockroaches before they multiply again in sixty days' time!