Please Help!!! GQF incubator full of roaches!!!

[Kellysfunnyfarm]

I bought a GQF cabinet incubator (2001 yr?) on CL yesterday. It has the acyrilic door, automatic egg turner, and some other things that I have no idea how to use. SOOOO, my problem is, that when I was looking to see if I could figure out what model it is I saw movement. LOTS of those tiny kitchen roaches!!! Let me just say I am deathly terrified of roaches! So I sprayed bug spray in it and my husband moved it outside. My question is...What is the silver cardboard stuff underneath the incubator (on the outside)? I know there are more roaches hiding in that stuff and I want to replace it. PLEASE HELP!!! Otherwise I don't know that it will ever get used if I can't irradicate the problem.
Thanks!

 

[dbcooper02]

The material on the outside of the bottom is just insulation. After removing it and cleaning up the incubator you can find a suitable replacement at a hardware store. My older models have a foil faced bubble wrap stuff. Unfortunately you will probably have to buy much more than you need.

 

[Kellysfunnyfarm]

Thank you for the advice. I'm ripping it off as soon as I get home. Now we have to get the house exterminated...

 

[Kellysfunnyfarm]

Ok, the house was exterminated today. So my next question is...how do I get clean up the poison in it that I sprayed in my moment of panic? Would a diluted bleach spray work and just let it air out? I have eggs coming Friday I wanted to set. Thanks!

 

[dbcooper02]

I think the diluted bleach is a good plan but I'd want to do more than spray it. I would want to get in there and give it a good scrubbing. I would even go so far as removing the back panel so you can get to everything. I know that's a lot to get done before Friday, but then you'll you have cleaned everywhere and know that there are no more creepy crawlers hiding out in there

If you do decide to remove the back you will find that after removing the screws that hold the back on that the panel is held in place with a double sided tape stuff. Pry it apart carefully and scrape the tape residue from both surfaces. When you reassemble it you can use a self adhesive weatherstrip in place of the tape which will adhere to only one surface to facilitate future major clean outs.
hth, db

 

[Kellysfunnyfarm]

Ok, I will do that too. I can get that done by Saturday since my eggs should arrive on Friday and they need to settle some. Now to figure out how to regulate the temperature and humidity since this is my first cabinet incubator and is an upgrade from my styrofoam one. I'm hoping this is all gonna be worth it! Oh, this is going to be a busy Thanksgiving...

 

[Kellysfunnyfarm]

Oh and thanks for your help!!!