HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- One of the most dreaded insects to have in your house is cockroaches. Next to having head lice, these insects are an embarrassment to any home owner.

Talk about hated insects, for many, it has an association with uncleanliness and poor sanitation in the home. Let me say up front, having roaches doesn't mean you have a dirty house because the most well cleaned house can easily be a home to roaches. My house may not be perfectly clean, but yours truly spotted a roach in the kitchen a couple years ago.

They say that if you see one, there are dozens you don't see. I'm not sure of this fact, but when you spot one, you need to head them off at the pass before they get out of control.

Your first step in getting rid of roaches is good old cleanup. Good sanitation first, and bug killers second, is the proper order for your home environment. Keep in mind that roaches basically eat what you do. Therefore, even a crumb or two lying around can give these bugs something to munch on and keep them around the kitchen indefinitely. Keep these things in mind. Dispose of garbage and trash properly. Leftover food should be refrigerated or wrapped tightly to keep any insects out. Once the proper cleaning is complete and if you had roaches, use a ready to use cockroach spray to areas where bugs hide during the day.

Better than a spray, why not opt for the easy to use bait stations. I like bait stations because they reduce the exposure of pesticides to the occupants in the house. Now if you use bait stations, be sure to read the label directions and place them along edges and in corners where you have seen roaches. One last comment: be careful when you bring groceries in the house, especially open bags of potatoes and onions.