How to get rid of cockroaches in cabinets requires you to first empty your kitchen cabinet and locate their possible nesting spots. Clean the surface and ensure no food or water is left on the surface. You can use professional cockroach control products that contain both insecticides and baits. You can also get rid of the cockroaches naturally with home remedies. But be patient, eliminating an infestation of cockroaches may take up to weeks but it begins a day after application of the treatment.
Having cockroaches in your home and in the kitchen is not a pleasant sight to watch. These insects can cause health problems such as allergies, asthma etc. They carry bacteria and can contaminate your food causing a number of stomach and intestinal issues. So, how do you get rid of cockroaches in kitchen cabinets?
This article will give you a comprehensive information on roaches, signs of infestation and how to eliminate the cockroaches in your kitchen cabinets.
Cockroaches In Kitchen At Night
Cockroaches like many other pests such as bed bugs are active at night. They are nocturnal and tend to infest your kitchen when it is dark. Their hunt for food is usually more at night than during the day. This happens a few minutes after you switch off the lights.
They will feed on any food that is inside your kitchen including the crumbs on the floor, garbage, rooting food or even the sludge stuck in the sink. In the kitchen cabinets, they will move around looking for food and sometimes hiding in between cracks, spaces and walls.
The fact that cockroaches are active in the dark or at night, doesn’t mean they are dormant during the day. You must have noticed a few roaches during the day. This is clear sign of huge infestation. As the number of cockroaches grow, so does their search for food increase. Obviously, some will be forced to hunt during the day.
Signs of Cockroaches Infestation in Kitchen Cabinets
There are quite a number of signs of cockroaches in the kitchen. There are obvious signs. You can tell from the unusual smell that comes from the dirt they carry around or the contaminated items they get in touch with.
It is obvious to notice cockroaches droppings especially if there is some water available. Check for brown or black stains.
Cockroach skin is another clear sign of an infestation. They shed their skin 5-8 times in their lifetime as they grow.
Another accurate sign is finding cockroach egg cases. These pests lay a multiple eggs that stick together in a form of an oblong, brown case. As soon as the egg matures, the case is left behind. This should be one of the obvious sign to tell you of an infestation in your kitchen.
Why are Cockroaches in your Kitchen?
Why do I have cockroaches in my kitchen? This is a common question you will hear from online readers. You must be wondering why your kitchen cabinet is infested with roaches. Your home could be providing an ideal living environment for the roaches. It begins with food, moisture and shelter. This could be as a result of poor hygiene that provide the perfect condition for the roaches to thrive.
Some of the areas where the infestation could be include pantries, kitchen area especially with dirty dishes, crumbs on the floor, leaky pipes, sludge stuck in the sink etc.
Having a clean home or surface is one of the requirement to successfully get rid of the roaches. Although roaches infestation could happen any time of the year, but it is during summer they are most common. Heat and humidity are the perfect condition for roaches to survive and infest your kitchen.
How Do Cockroaches Enter from in Kitchen Cabinets?
There are number of possible entry points for the roaches to access your kitchen. Leaking water pipes, cracks, vents and the items we buy such as boxes, shoes, grocery bags.
Your kitchen has many perfect areas for the cockroach to infest. A dirty kitchen, dirty dishes, food leftovers, water pipes, dirty storage units an sludge in the sink are all the possible attractions for the roaches.
Is it Possible for Cockroaches to Climb up Through the Kitchen Sink?
Absolutely Yes! This is sad news but the truth is roaches can easily climb up the sink. They are able to survive around water which implies that they can also climb up shower drain, crawl through pipes.
A cockroach coming out from your kitchen sink can be irritation to watch. Flushing it down is not a solution to your problem. It may be temporarily but the roaches can survive underwater for an hour and still come out fine.
Can Cockroaches Lay Eggs on Kitchen Cabinets and Appliances?
Cockroaches tend to move all over your home. They are mostly active during the night when it is dark thus can move freely in your kitchen cabinets, appliances and anywhere else. This implies that, you can meat egg cases anywhere.
You can imagine the kind of risk to your health this pests poses. While preparing food, chances are that some kitchen appliances are likely to be contaminated by this roaches. This can easily transmit dirt and bacteria to food.
What are the Health Risk of Cockroaches in Kitchen Cabinets?
According to the World Health Organization, WHO, cockroaches are unhygienic scavengers in human settlements. There are numerous health issues associated with roaches. They can carry bacteria and other microorganisms on their bodies which can contaminate food and surfaces especially in the kitchen where food is prepared.
If you eat contaminated food you may suffer stomach issues such as diarrhea, staphylococcus, and salmonella. Some people can develop allergic reaction to their fecal matter, saliva or shedding from their body parts. The allergens in some cases can even trigger asthma.
How To Get Rid Of Cockroaches In Kitchen Cabinets Naturally – Home Remedies
You can get rid of cockroaches in your kitchen cabinets naturally with the following home remedies.
Vinegar and Hot Water
This is simple but natural way to get rid of cockroaches from your kitchen. Take 1 portion of vinegar and add to hot water. Stir well. Soak cotton swabs and use it clean the kitchen surfaces. You can also put the mixture in a spray bottle and spray around the kitchen tops, counters and surfaces to get rid of the roaches.
Baking Soda and Lemon
This is another simple natural method to get rid of cockroaches in kitchen cabinets. It also helps to repel the roaches away. Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda and equal amount of lemon. Add considerable amount of water. Use the mixture to clean the sinks, slabs, counters and floors. Alternatively, put the mixture in a spray bottle. Spray directly on the cockroaches and in their hiding places such as cracks, crevices etc.
Boric acid and Sugar
A mixture of boric acid and sugar is another perfect natural home remedy to get rid of cockroaches in the kitchen. Mix boric acid and sugar and scatter it on the infested area and the cockroach nesting point. Sugar acts a bait to lure the roaches while boric acid is the poison that will kill the cockroaches.
Essential Oils
Essential oils can also help in getting rid of cockroaches naturally at home. Essential oils are natural repellent. The smell from the oils is strong enough to repel the roaches and disrupt their hunting paths.
Use any of the essential oils listed below to get rid of the roaches in your kitchen:
- Lavender essential oil
- Eucalyptus essential oil
- Peppermint essential oil
Soak cotton swab in the essential oil. Wipe all the kitchen surfaces and inside the cabinets. Alternatively, mix the essential oil with water and put it in a spray bottle. Spray the kitchen cabinets and the roaches nesting spots.
You can purchase essential oils such as peppermint oil online – Buy on Amazon
Before using any of the natural home remedies to get rid of the roaches, make sure you empty and clean the kitchen cabinets.
Diatomaceous Earth Powder
Use diatomaceous earth powder to get rid of cockroaches naturally at home. It has insecticidal properties to eliminate the roaches fast. Sprinkle enough powder in the kitchen cabinets and watch them die-Buy on Amazon
How To Get Rid Of Cockroaches Overnight
There are a number of products that can get rid of the cockroaches overnight. Here are some of the solutions to choose from:
Hot Shot
Use this product to kill cockroaches in the kitchen cabinets. It kills the cockroaches on contact. It also creates a fine penetrating mist that reaches inaccessible areas such as cracks, crevices etc. it is odorless leaving no stain –Buy on Amazon
Harris Roach Killer
Harris roach killer is a liquid spray that is effective in killing roaches instantly. Apply the spray all over the kitchen cabinets, inside and out. Leave it for a couple of hours – Buy on Amazon
Cockroach Toxic Bait
To get rid of cockroaches overnight, use toxic bait. The bait is used to lure the cockroaches before killing them. This method is effective since the cockroaches will be feeding on food laced with poison before they eventually die – Buy on Amazon
Bleach
You can use bleach to get rid of cockroaches overnight from your kitchen cabinet. Bleach kills the roaches by suffocating them. Use diluted bleach. Put it in a spray bottle and spray in the infested area and in the kitchen cabinet. Use bleach sparingly, it can harm you or pests. Always wear Personal protective equipment.
Natural Cockroach Repellent
Natural cockroach repellent helps to keep cockroach away from the kitchen cabinet. Here are some of the natural repellent to eliminate cockroach infestation from your kitchen.
Neem Extracts
Neem extracts are effective in keeping roaches and bugs from your kitchen. Put a few leaves of neem plants in the kitchen. The smell of neem is too strong for the roaches to tolerate. It deters them from infesting the areas where the neem leaves have been placed. You can also make neem oil spray and apply in the kitchen cabinets and other affected places.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is another effective natural repellent for cockroaches. Ground cinnamon powder scattered all over the kitchen cabinets will repel the cockroaches keeping them away. Just sprinkle freshly ground cinnamon powder around your kitchen to prevent the roaches from infesting your kitchen and reducing breeding.
How To Get Rid Of Cockroaches In Modular Kitchen
To get rid of cockroaches in a modular kitchen requires you to identify the nesting points. Find all the possible places where the cockroaches could be hiding. The spots include cracks and leaks. Such places can be difficult to clean and food get stuck easily there.
A good approach would to increase kitchen hygiene. Keep the floors wiped several times a day, trash should be removed immediately otherwise it would hard dealing with a huge infestation of cockroaches.
Keep the storage units as clean as possible. Make sure food droplets or on the surfaces are wiped immediately.
You can deal with the infestation in different approaches. You may opt of the chemical approach as discussed above which kill the roaches on contact. Alternatively, go the natural way. Still, you can combine both the chemical and natural approach. The natural way reduces the risk of health issues since they are not harmful to your health and environmental friendly.
How to Remove Cockroach Smell from the Kitchen Cabinet
The smell of cockroach may still be there after eliminating them. But how do you deal with the smell once the pests have been killed. You can use mild detergents to wipe all the treated surfaces usually after using pesticides.
Pesticides are harmful and can irritate your skin if you touch them with bare hands. Use gloves and face masks. Rinse your hands thoroughly with running water.
You may use diluted essential oils to keep the smell away and get a natural refreshing smell. Place neem leaves in your kitchen cabinets. You can use ground cinnamon powder to achieve this.
What to Use to Kill Cockroaches in Kitchen Cabinets
There are chemical products to use to kill cockroaches in the kitchen cabinets. Most are not safe to your health. In the post, we have included natural home remedies as another option in getting rid of cockroaches.
Here is another option to get rid of cockroach in your kitchen. Advion Roach Bait Bet is safe to use inside your kitchen. In fact, you don’t have to empty your cabinets- Buy on Amazon
Place it in the corners of the cabinets or somewhere close to their nesting spots like cracks and crevices. Avoid using it near where you serve your food. Apply one to three drops in the mentioned suspected areas of your kitchen.
How to Prevent Cockroach Infestation in the Cabinets
Cockroach will enter your kitchen though holes, cracks, crevice and at times leaking water pipes. But the general poor kitchen hygiene is the main reason why the cockroaches will get into your kitchen.
To prevent an infestation of cockroaches,
- Establishing a great cleaning habit.
- Avoid keeping dirty dishes for long in the sink.
- The kitchen surfaces should always be clean and dry.
- Fix leaking water pipes in the kitchen sink and drains.
- All the cracks and holes should be sealed
- Trash should be kept out every day and the area around the trash be kept as clean as possible
