Even the bravest among us cringe at the thought of cockroaches. These nasty little creatures are one of the most reviled insects, and for good reason. They’re dirty, they leave disgusting sticky residue everywhere, and they have the ability to crawl into places that other creepy crawlers can’t reach.
They’re also known as pests because they tend to live in homes and make themselves at home there.
Fortunately, you won’t have to worry about cockroaches at your home if you take measures to prevent them from moving in. Here are some great tips on how you can keep cockroaches away from your home and avoid an invasion if you do see any evidence of them moving in.
Keep your home clean and dry
Another way to keep cockroaches away is to keep your home clean and dry. Cockroaches thrive in dirty, moist environments because they need high levels of moisture to survive. If the levels of moisture in your home are low, they won’t be able to survive there.
This is a problem, though, because they can also thrive in dry environments. Because of this double-edged sword, it’s especially important to keep your home as clean and dry as possible.
To do this, clean your home regularly to get rid of any cockroach food and nesting materials. Be sure to dump out any water collecting in sinks and to empty any buckets collecting rainwater. If you have excess moisture in your home, you can also purchase a dehumidifier to suck it out of the air. Dry homes are healthier for everyone in the family.
Install sealant around windows and doors
Cockroaches can squeeze their bodies through very small spaces, so if you have any areas in your home where these tiny pests can enter, seal them up.
One of the most common entry points for cockroaches is through windows. If you don’t have tight-fitting and clean windows, there’s a good chance that roaches could climb in.
To prevent this, make sure that all of the frames of your windows have tight-fitting weather stripping. You can also purchase screen doors to keep roaches out while still allowing fresh air to enter your home.
You should also make sure that there is sealing around your door frames, especially lower portions. This will keep the roaches out of your home, and keep the pests that live in your home from getting into other nearby homes.
Don’t leave food out where cockroaches can find it
Roaches are scavengers, but they also like to eat our leftovers. If you leave food out and it isn’t in a sealed container, roaches are going to find it and eat it. If you find that roaches are getting into your food, you’ll want to get rid of them fast before they breed and multiply.
You can do this by taking the steps above to kill the ones you see, and then also taking preventative measures to keep them from coming back.
To prevent roaches from getting into your food, make sure that you’re storing it in airtight containers. You can also pay attention to the types of foods you’re keeping in your pantry, especially if it’s warmer out.
Use fragrant sprays to keep roaches away
In addition to keeping roaches out of your home, you can also use sprays to keep roaches away from certain areas of your home. Certain scents have been shown to repel certain pests, including roaches. To keep roaches out of your kitchen, try spraying some vanilla extract.
You can also try apple cider vinegar or mint. Depending on where you live and what pests thrive in your area, certain scents will work better than others. If you want to try a natural method of keeping roaches away, try experimenting with different scents. Some of the best natural pest repellents include peppermint, citrus, cloves, and vanilla.
Conclusion
There are a few steps you can take to keep roaches away from your home. First and foremost, you need to make sure that your home is clean and dry. Next, make sure you’re keeping your food sealed up so that roaches can’t get to it.
Finally, use fragrant sprays to keep roaches away from certain areas in your home. If you do find evidence of roaches at your home, be sure to take action quickly. You can take these steps to get rid of them and prevent them from coming back. If you take care of your home and keep it clean, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about from these disgusting pests. And if you ever do see signs of an infestation, you can prevent it from spreading with these measures.