The Right Way: Vacuuming
So, what should Mark have done? Dave, the exterminator, gave him the golden rule. “Never crush. Always contain.” The best method? A vacuum cleaner. Sucking them up captures the bug AND any eggs it might be carrying. It removes the threat without spreading the problem.
The dust in the vacuum bag creates a dry environment that usually desiccates (dries out) the insect and the eggs. However, you have to empty the vacuum immediately into an outside trash can. If you leave them in the bag, they can crawl back out. But it’s infinitely better than spreading their DNA across your kitchen floor like butter on toast.