Cockroaches are probably the last thing you want to see when you think about keeping your home clean and hygienic. These tiny creatures can wreak havoc in your house, especially if you live in an urban area prone to these critters. Cockroaches love humid conditions, dark areas, and a steady food source. If these conditions are met, they can multiply quickly and invade your home. Keeping them out of your house is extremely difficult because they can fit into very small cracks and crevices. The best way to keep cockroaches out of your house is by keeping their nesting sites to a minimum. With that said, let’s dive into the details on how to keep cockroaches out of your home!
Make your home unappealing to cockroaches
The first step in keeping cockroaches out of your home is to make your house repulsive to them. Cockroaches are known to be extremely picky when it comes to food, water, and shelter. Therefore, you can use these preferences to your advantage to make the house less appealing to them. Food sources – If you have food crumbs on your counters, in your kitchen cabinets, or on the floor, cockroaches will be attracted to your home. Make sure to clean up after every meal and put away any food items to cut down on food sources for cockroaches. Water sources – Cockroaches need water to survive. They usually get it from plants, but moisture in other sources, like your sink or shower, can also be a problem. Make sure your pipes and faucets aren’t leaking! Additionally, make sure any plants you have in your home have enough water. If a plant is getting too dry, it can attract cockroaches. Shelter – Cockroaches need to live somewhere safe. They prefer dark, humid places where they can’t be seen. This includes under furniture and in cabinets where they can easily be overlooked. You can prevent this by keeping your house as clean as possible. Vacuum at least once a week, especially in rooms where food is usually consumed.
Keep your kitchen clean and dry
One of the best ways to keep cockroaches out of your house is to keep your kitchen spotless. Keeping your kitchen dry is critical to keeping this area cockroach free. If a kitchen has even a small amount of moisture, it can be a perfect environment for cockroaches to thrive. To keep your kitchen dry, you should also keep it clean. This goes without saying, but a kitchen covered in crumbs, grease, and dirt is a prime place for roaches to live. You should also keep your kitchen cabinets clean. If cabinets are full of old food, spices, and other items, they can be a perfect hiding place for cockroaches. This can easily be prevented by cleaning out your cabinets on a regular basis.
Combat food sources for cockroaches
Keeping your kitchen clean and dry is important, but it alone won’t keep these pests away. There are many other food sources for cockroaches in a home. You can combat these by keeping the following items clean and dry. Coffee filters – If you regularly store coffee filters in a coffee maker, you should clean them regularly. Coffee filters are a prime food source for roaches, but they can be easily cleaned with water! Grocery bags – If you don’t already, start storing your groceries in airtight bags. This will cut down on food sources for roaches. Sewage systems – If you live in an older home, your sewage system might be an easy food source for roaches. Check your toilet for leaks in this system regularly. Also, make sure to check your pipes for cracks and leaks.
Install sealant around entryways
When you’re keeping pests out of your house, it’s important to look at every entryway. Roaches can enter your home through a number of different ways. Therefore, you need to seal up these entryways to keep them out. The most important entryways to seal up are your doors and windows. If your door is old and has cracks in it, roaches can easily sneak inside. Same goes for your windows, especially if they are old. Other entryways include your attic and roof. Make sure your roof is sealed up and that your attic has a good seal around the doors. If any of these areas are loose, roaches can easily sneak into your house.
Use chemical repellents
Sometimes keeping your house clean and dry isn’t enough to keep roaches out. In these situations, you can use chemical repellents to keep these pests at bay. These repellents can be applied to cracks in your house and on the inside of your cabinets. They usually contain pesticides that will kill roaches when they come in contact with the repellents. Be careful when using chemical repellents, though. It’s important to make sure that the repellents you choose are safe for children and pets. Additionally, you should make sure that the repellents don’t have any negative effects on your home’s structure.
Conclusion
Keeping cockroaches out of your house can be a challenge. These creatures are excellent at finding their way into small spaces. The best way to keep roaches out of your house is to keep your home clean and dry. You should also make sure to seal up any entryways that roaches can sneak through. This includes your doors and windows. You can also use chemical repellents to keep roaches out of your house. However, you should be careful when using these repellents.