Cleaning up The Roach Buffet
Why do roaches hang out in your house? The answer is simple. Your
house has a lot of food. Cockroaches are one of the worse kinds of
insects, as they feed on trash and leftovers, regardless of what kind of
rubbish they can find. Don’t be surprised if you see swarms of roaches
trying to do the dishes for you, or taking out your garbage, as they
love to check out on the possible food they can get from your rubbish.
So, since this is the case, you can get rid of roaches by simply
depriving them of their needs. Starve them.
Roaches have needs-they need food, water and shelter in order to live
the good life. Unfortunately, their good life means pestering yours, so
before they can do so, it’s best to prevent them from getting into your
sweet life-by cutting off their buffet. The regular cockroach diet
consists of garbage, spoiled food and starchy stuff. Thus, here are the
steps you can take:
- Keep your kitchen and dining area clean at all times.
Wiping off food spills is not enough-rub them off with disinfectant
to get rid of the scent of the food. Every after eating, clean all
surfaces where food has been placed, such as tables, kitchen
counters, and floors. Use antibacterial detergent as well as ammonia
and water solutions to ensure that the roaches won’t visit these
areas, and keep off from your territory permanently.
- Secure your food in the refrigerator. If not, place them
in air-lock containers to keep them fresh and at the same time safe
from being infested by roaches and other insects.
- Rinse food containers and wipe them dry before storing them
or throwing them away. Merely putting disposable containers in
the trash can will attract the roaches back to your house.
- Shelf liner paper uses starch-based glue. As much as
possible do not use this kind of paper since the glue is also edible
for cockroaches. Use paint instead. If your walls and other parts of
house are already covered with wallpaper, check out loose spots and
air bubbles and repair them immediately.
It’s Time For Mass Eviction!
Once you have taken care of their food, the next thing you should
work on when getting rid of roaches is to evict them from their home. As
mentioned earlier, roaches live in dark, damp places such as kitchen
sinks and cupboards as well as refrigerator bottoms and other
appliances. So here’s what you can do:
- Keep your house clean and tidy at all times. Fix all the
clutter you see, as roaches love to play hide and seek in scattered
junk and dirty areas of the house.
- If you have old, dirty furniture which have been soiled
through the years, it’s best to throw them away. They can also
be places of roach thriving, so the best option is to have them
burned or dumped in the garbage. Do the same with old clothes and
other items which can serve as good hideouts for roaches.
- Check out for leaks and areas of the house which are in need
of simple repairs. Even the smallest home repairs can save you a
lot of trouble when it comes to roaches. Use caulk to cover the wall
cracks permanently, as well as the grids between the walls, ceilings
and other walls. The moldings, baseboards and cabinets should also
be repaired to prevent roaches from thriving on them. Place screens
on the windows to prevent them from coming inside the house.
After the fixing their shelter, it’s time to get rid of their supply
of water.
- Wash the dishes right after eating. Keeping them on the
sink will attract roaches to come over for a feast. Make sure that
you wipe the dishes dry after washing, and put them to the racks as
soon as possible.
- Wipe all parts of the kitchen area dry, as well as the showers
and tubs after using them.
- Make sure that you dry the floor after mopping it clean.
- Throw all stagnant water away, especially those on potted
plants.
- Dispose wet garbage immediately. Throw them in the trash
receptacle outside right away.
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