Many kitchens suffer from a cockroach infestation that is difficult to eliminate. Some basic hygiene and a good cockroach repellent spray should do the trick.
They’re disgusting and tenacious, and they ruin everything they touch! Cockroaches are one of the dirtiest banes of our lives. They enter our homes and create their own mini kingdoms in our houses, stubbornly refusing to die or leave. Most cockroaches do not react even to a well-aimed slipper, and many don’t even die when squished! Many pest control methods can keep them at bay for only a couple of months. Thus, how to get rid of cockroaches is an area of research in itself!
Cockroaches are attracted to unclean environments, or places that are damp and warm. That is why they thrive in garbage dumps, trash cans where rotting food is present, drainage and sewage pipes, the dark space under the kitchen sink, old cupboards, and also the hidden spaces under loose footboards and skirting boards. And since they mostly come from dirty areas, they carry a host of infectious and harmful germs and bacteria on their legs and bodies. Thus, if they come in contact with our food items, they end up contaminating those, too.
Cockroaches are responsible for spreading a host of illnesses that cause digestive and blood disorders via contaminated food. Hence, the first line of attack against cockroaches is to keep the wet areas of the house clean and germ free. The kitchen is of particular interest to cockroaches, since food and water are readily available there. Besides, there are many places where they can seek shelter after feeding, or dark hidden corners where they can nest and breed.
Don’t let your kitchen be overrun by cockroaches – here’s how to get rid of cockroaches in the kitchen:
- Clean up any spilled food at once, and mop up juice, milk, or splashes of purees, oil and spices on the kitchen counter and floors. Roaches are attracted to food spills, so these sources of nourishment must be removed before they dry up.
- Disinfect the cooking top and counters every night before going to bed. Spritz some strong disinfectant and wipe down the surfaces with antibacterial wipes. Allow the area to air dry. Cockroaches are repelled by disinfected areas, so they will not come near those surfaces.
- Spray the best cockroach repellent spray in the corners of the kitchen, under the sink, around the drain and also inside it. Use the spray bottle’s nozzle to reach deep inside the drain to eliminate cockroaches lurking inside. Doing this for a few weeks will eliminate any cockroach colonies inside the drain pipe.
- If you see a cockroach scurrying away on the kitchen floor, follow it with a can of the best cockroach repellent spray. It will most likely lead you to its hiding place, where there will certainly be other cockroaches. Even better, it may run straight to its nest, where there will be roach eggs and also babies. Spray the entire site liberally and try to cut their retreat from the area if you can. The spray should kill the eggs, the roach babies and also the adult cockroaches.
- Cockroaches abound when the weather becomes warm and humid, and also during the monsoons. Invest in a dehumidifier to keep the air crisp and dry to discourage cockroaches from entering. Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathroom areas, which remain damp for a long time.