I just bought a 32 year old home and it seems that the interior walls contain an infestation of roaches. What is the best way to get rid of them.

It also seems that a rat or mice lived in the home while it was vacant. What can I do to make sure they don't return, without using harmful chimicals due to pets?

They make poison pellets or blocks for the mice. They go inside small plastic trays. Put these underneath bookcases and behind the microwave and in other blocked corners where people and pets can't reach them (but mice can). Your local pest control place can sell them to you, if you can't find them elsewhere. These poisons tend to make mice thirsty, so don't forget to do a monthly check your drip tray underneath your fridge, as often mice will go there and die.

Once you get rid of the mice, then you need to block their entrance holes. I found that the only thing that really worked was steel wool stuffed in the cracks. Mice can get through any crack that is 1/4" wide. Without sealing up the cracks, then mice can gain re-entry into your home (especially if you live in a wooded area).

As for roaches, I'd suggest doing an initial spraying. You can ask the pest control company to spray in specific places. For example, you can pull out your couch and spray behind there. By doing spot spraying, you can avoid spraying places where small children and pets will touch. If you have a suspended ceiling, then lift some of the tiles and spray in that space too.

When spraying (assuming that you didn't do so before moving in), remove pets from the room for a few hours to let the area vent.

After you get rid of the initial infestation, then you can be more moderate in your follow-up treatments.

Our home was abandoned for 9 months before we purchased, and these are the methods we used to get rid of unwanted visitors. (Now the bats and squirrel that found the inside of the home while we were moving in were a different problem... )

Toolbeltgril - He gave you some good answersbut left out a few things. Cock roachs bread all the time a multiply fast , the eggs hatch out every21 days, it takes spraying 3 to 4 tiomes ,every 21 days to get rid of those little kritters. They get up inside your cook stove walls and also the same in your refrig. the walls of your hot water tank, where ever it is really warm all the time , these are the place to spray good . I used to take care of a lot of rental houses & apts. And this is the way I had to take of this, :: Good Luck & GOD BLESS ;;;;F.B.E.

Spraying and more spraying only kills the bugs that are not hatched yet. You need a residual treatment. Try Boric Acid. Works on the toughest roaches I've ever had... even those critters in Florida that are so big you can put a saddle and ride them. You put the boric acid in the cracks and crevices where you know they run. Put along baseboards, under sinks, behind refrig, etc. It's a lot less toxic to those in the home, i.e. kids and pets. And much cheaper and much more effective.

I have used Borax for roaches -- usually put honey in old jar lid -- jelly jar lids work good

Then sprinkle Borax on top of HONEY -- yummy -- gone... Some one else had suggested

Moth balls for getting rid of mice -- some people don't like the smell... I usually use traps

-- bait with peanut butter -- yummy -- dead... But one time I lost a mouse trap so I put

A string on them and tie it to something... But there is an alternative that I think you should

Consider -- Riddex -- they sell them on TV -- ultrasonic repellers -- supposed to get rid of

Bugs and spiders too... Plug in and chase them out of your house