If you’ve ever had a cockroach problem in your house, you know just how revolting they can be. These ugly little critters are persistent and seem to thrive even when you treat them with the best roach killer spray. If you live in a humid area, you may find them lurking in your home on a regular basis. However, there are some simple things that you can do to keep the cockroaches away from your home. These tips will help you prevent an infestation before it happens. If you want to avoid having cockroaches in your home, it’s best not to leave food lying around or let any areas go uncleaned for too long. Cockroaches need moisture and darkness to thrive, so if you take steps to eliminate both of those factors, then you’ll be much less likely to have problems with these pests. Here are some helpful tips for preventing cockroaches without using chemicals:
Regularly clean your kitchen and bathrooms
Cockroaches are attracted to filth and dirt, so keeping your kitchen and bathrooms clean will help to deter them. Make sure to clean up any crumbs on your countertop after every meal. Wash dishes as soon as you’re done using them. Use a cleaning solution that has been proven to kill cockroaches, such as boric acid. Also, make sure your bathroom is clean. If your washing machine empties into a dirty bathroom, then cockroaches can easily enter your home through the drain. When you’re cleaning, also take the time to look for any areas where water can leak in. Check your pipes for any damage, and make sure that your roof is in good condition. If you find any leaks in or around your home, then you should repair them as soon as possible.
Don’t leave food out overnight
Many people are under the false impression that leaving food out overnight will keep it fresher for longer. This isn’t true, and it’s actually a great way to attract cockroaches. If you leave food on your counter overnight, then the roaches will smell it and come running. Keeping a clean kitchen, as well as a strict meal schedule, will also help to keep your food fresh longer. If you want to be even more thorough, then you might want to consider investing in a roach trap. These traps are inexpensive and work well for indoor use. When you make sure there are no crumbs on your counter, and you don’t leave food out overnight, then it will be much more difficult for the roaches to survive. They’ll have no reason to stick around when there’s nothing for them to eat.
Seal up any potential entry points
Roaches can enter your home through a wide variety of different places. Look for any cracks in your exterior walls, around pipes, as well as in your roof. Seal these areas off with steel wool, or a steel-based sealant, to keep the roaches out of your home. If you have an attic or basement, then you may also want to seal off the vents. Cockroaches can squeeze through very small gaps, so you’ll need to make sure the vents are completely sealed off. You can do this by using steel wool or steel mesh. If you live close to a creek or river, then you may also want to check your exterior walls for signs of water damage. Water can get inside your walls and is a common way for roaches to get inside your home. If you see a small crack in your wall, then you should seal it off as soon as possible to prevent water damage and roaches from entering your home.
Ventilate your home
Not all cockroaches need a lot of moisture, but the common species that lives in houses needs a good deal of it. If you have a humid house, then you can reduce the amount of moisture by increasing the amount of ventilation in your home. Open windows whenever it’s nice outside. Take advantage of the cooler nights by opening the windows when you go to bed so that your house can cool off. If you have a humidifier in your home, then you may want to shut it off during the night. Humidifiers can increase the amount of moisture in the air, and this can make it easier for roaches to survive. You can also install a small fan in your bathroom. This will be helpful for drying out the area and keeping it from getting too humid.
Seal off dark areas where roaches like to hide
Cockroaches like to stay out of sight and are very good at hiding. However, they’ll often prefer to stay in dark areas when they can. In order to keep them out of sight, you’ll want to seal off any dark corners or areas where they might be hiding. Make sure that the corners of your cabinets are clear of any clutter. The same goes for your attic or basement. You can also use any leftover steel wool to seal off any small gaps in your home. A dark and cluttered area is a great place for cockroaches to thrive, so make sure you keep these areas tidy.
Find and fix any water leaks
Roaches need water to survive, and if there are any leaks from your pipes or sprinkler system, then they’ll drink from it. This is a quick way for a small roach infestation to quickly become a much larger problem. If you have a leak in your pipes, then you should have it repaired as soon as possible. If you have a sprinkler system, then you should make sure that it’s in good working order. If you know that you have a water leak, then you can plug it up temporarily with any steel wool. Make sure to replace the steel wool regularly to prevent it from getting clogged up. Alternatively, you can use a steel mesh to plug up the leak.
Damp areas should be dry
If you have areas in your home that are regularly damp, then you can reduce the amount of roaches by drying them out. This can be particularly helpful for areas next to a creek, river, or lake. You can do this by installing small, low-cost dehumidifiers in these areas. You can also pour sand into any leaky spots from your roof. Sand will help to absorb the water instead of letting it pool up and get inside your home. If you have a damp basement, attic, or walls, then you’ll want to make sure that they’re dried out as soon as possible. You don’t want water damage to get inside your home, and you don’t want roaches to be able to live there either.
Conclusion
Cockroaches can be a real nuisance, but they don’t have to be. These pests are attracted to areas with a lot of moisture and darkness, so you can reduce the chance of an infestation by keeping your home well-ventilated, dry, and free of clutter. Make sure to regularly clean your kitchen and bathrooms and keep an eye on any leaks in your pipes or water that is pooling up inside your walls. When you take these steps, you’ll be much less likely to have a cockroach problem in your house.
