Cockroaches

My digital keyboard (piano not computer) broke and i took it to a repairman’s house to fix it. When I got to his house, it was like TLC Hoarder’s. I am terrified about bringing home pests—especially cockroaches. He was located in Scarborough. What steps can I take when I pick up my keyboard to make sure I don’t bring anything home? I didn’t realize when I left it there that cockroaches could get inside electronics like that and I am absolutely terrified about bringing something home. Please help me. Whitby

If you have a sturdy clear plastic bag big enough to enclose the keyboard, place the keyboard in it and tightly seal it while at the repairman’s residence. Once home, observe the bag periodically for the presence of any critters (this is why you want a clear bag). If you don’t see any after three days or so, it should be safe to remove and use the keyboard. If any roaches are seen, keep the bag in a cold (below freezing) environment for at least a couple of days. If winter weather does not cooperate, you may have to locate a freezer large enough to accommodate the bag. Alternatively, if the electronic components will tolerate heat, you could place the bag in the direct sunlight until the internal temperature is ~120F (~50C). A couple of hours at that temperature should kill any unwanted inhabitants.