ROACHES IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR: HOW TO GET RID OF THEM!

Imagine getting back from work, tired and very thirsty. You open the fridge, and voilà there’s an unwelcome guest! WHAT DO YOU DO? You wouldn’t even grab the bottle water anymore, right? Wondering how the roaches got there? Let’s discuss in detail how the roaches got there and what preventive actions can be taken in order to avoid them.

Can roaches live in the fridge?

Just because there’s an uncovered or exposed food, a roach can survive anywhere. But, the fridge is not the idle place for a roach to survive beacuse of it’s cool temperature. In rainy seasons in Nigeria, you hardly see cockroaches, this shows that they aren’t really comfortable in the cold temperature. So, if you see a roach in your fridge, it has probably entered by mistake (though I doubt Lekki, Lagos Roaches knows that 😉, those ones are gangsters. lol).

What Causes Cockroach Infestation?

Cockroaches are quite resilient and killing them isn’t always a walk in the park. They are a repetitive common problem in every household, especially in every kitchen. They are nowhere to be seen during the day but as soon as you turn the lights off, they start roaming around the house carrying harmful germs and diseases. Since cockroaches proliferate quickly, you need to take fast action to rid your home of these unwanted guests. Cockroaches does more than damage your health with bacteria, they damage even the clothes, electronics, books and other goods and appliances. There are certain things that invite cockroaches into your home and I think it’s worth knowing about the causes behind cockroach infestation.

The first is of course, UNCOVERED/ EXPOSED FOOD – Food for cockroaches can be human food, pet food or even cardboards. This means that all food items should be properly covered and tightly secured and cardboards sealed and stored away properly. If any food is infested with roaches, dispose immediately. Keep your kitchen counters clean and seal the dry foods in a cabinet or the fridge.

The next would be DARK, DAMP SPOTS in your home – Since cockroaches can go without food but love moist surfaces, they tend to stay hidden in the blind spots of our houses. It might be the area near the trash receptacle , or a certain spot in the kitchen where light doesn’t reach or cluttered shelves and what not. Just make sure you clean all the dingy parts of the house regularly to avoid roach infestation.

The third cause is EXPOSED TRASH- hmmm, I am number 1 on this table. We need to know that the wet scraps of food, liquid and cardboard boxes in the trash help the cockroaches to thrive. Always empty the bin before it overflows. Don’t keep trash overnight in the kitchen. Clean the bin and the area around the bin to keep the bugs away and you are good to go.

Removing Roaches from your Fridge

There are so many ways to remove the roaches from the fridge, but do remember that these measures should not include any chemical substance, if it’s to be used inside the fridge.

The repellents which can be used inside the fridge to remove the roaches can be:

Sugar and Borax : Borax is a known remedy for roach infestation that slowly dries the exoskeleton of the insects, messes up their digestive system and finally kills them. Instead of borax, you can also use boric acid or baking soda. Sugar helps attract the cockroaches to your trap. Here’s how to use the ingredients:

Mix borax and sugar in 3:1 ratio.
Spread this mixture around spots where you have noticed the roaches at night. (Make sure to wear gloves during spreading the mixture.)
Be prepared to dispose off some dead cockroaches in the morning.
Repeat the process for a few following days.
(Please note that Borax can be gotten from jumia.com.ng or any other departmental store)

Peppermint Oil: Peppermint oil is a worthy cockroach repellent and cockroach killer. A peppermint oil spray does the job in a non-toxic way and is hence safe to use around children. Here’s how you can use peppermint oil to kill cockroaches:

Mix 15 drops of peppermint oil with 10 ounces of water.
Mix these two thoroughly and spray around cockroach infested areas.
Repeat the process for best results.

Neem: A preventive and safe method which can be used to properly remove roaches and its smell will be a great repellent. Neem has been used traditionally as a bug repellent for years. Neem oil or powder contains volatile components that are detrimental to cockroaches. Here’s how you can use neem to keep those roaches away:

Pour a spoon of neem oil in a regular sized spray bottle and fill it with water. Spray the mixture in the infested areas at night and repeat the process for as long as you need.
Another way is to sprinkle neem powder along places where you have noticed cockroaches. Do this at night and repeat the process for as long as required.

Kaffir Essential Oil: Makrut lime or kaffir lime leaves are steam distilled to obtain oil. This oil is a very active cockroach repellent. Here is how you can use this particular oil to ward off cockroaches.

Pour 10 drops of kaffir lime oil in about 2 cups of water.
Pour the solution in a spray bottle and spray the mix on and around infected areas.
Pour the remaining mix in your sinks and drains.
Repeat the process for as long as required.

Silica aerogel : is a desiccant that speeds up water loss and induces dehydration. As per studies, when cockroaches are exposed to this substance, the outer layer of the roaches dries up, which makes the insects lose moisture and eventually die. It is quite an effective ingredient to get rid of cockroaches. Here is how you can use silica aerogel to kill cockroaches:

Mix silica aerogel and sugar in 3:1 ratio.
Sprinkle this mix around and on cockroach-infested places. Make sure you keep away children and pets from those areas.
Repeat the process for as long as necessary.
(Ps: I always get mine from any new bag I purchase 😉😉)

Detergent and water: Studies say, that the mixture of water and soap suffocates cockroaches and kills them in a while. Here’s how you can use detergent to naturally kill cockroaches:

Mix 4 spoons of powdered or liquid detergent in a litre of water.
Pour it in a spray bottle and spray it along places where you have noticed the roaches.
Repeat the process for as long as required.

Coffee Grounds: The aroma of the grounded coffee attracts the cockroaches into the trap. It is one of the most effective natural ways to kill cockroaches. However, we are not yet sure, that it’s the caffeine in the coffee that does the job. Here’s how you can use grounded coffee to kill cockroaches:

Put coffee grounds in small paper cups.
Place these cups in water-filled jars.
Place the jar against walls or baseboards around places where you have noticed the roaches at night.
The cockroaches will be lured into the trap and will not be able to escape.
Dump the contains of the jar in the morning.
Repeat the process for as long as required.

Baking soda: expands when it comes in contact with water and hence it is efficient to kill cockroaches. When I say baking soda, I mean the edible baking soda that is used in bakeries. Here’s how you can use edible baking soda to get rid of cockroaches naturally:

Mix equal parts of baking soda and sugar.
Sprinkle the mix in the corners, nooks and crannies where you have noticed cockroaches.
The sugar will attract the roaches and consuming the baking soda will kill them.
Repeat the process as many times as required.

Listerine Mouth Wash: this is my all time favorite because it is always available at home. The essential oils present in Listerine spray are what kill the cockroaches. Not only Listerine but any brand of mouthwash will do the job. The menthol in Listerine is found to be most effective in repelling and killing cockroaches among the 86 essential oils tested by researchers. Here’s how you can use Listerine to kill cockroaches naturally:

Mix one cup of Listerine with one cup of water.
You can add 3-4 drops of dish-washing liquid in it as well.
Pour the mixture in a spray bottle and spray it around cockroach-infested spots.
Repeat the process for as long as required.

Garlic, Onion and Pepper : What a combination! I hate the smell of garlic and onions so why won’t it not repel the roaches? The smell of garlic and onion will lure the cockroaches out. The pepper in the mix will repel and kill the cockroaches. This is an overnight method of killing the roaches naturally. Here’s how you can use these three ingredients to kill the cockroaches:

Bring 2 cups of water to boil, add the catnip herb and then boil it for another 2-3 minutes.
Cool down the mix and pour this catnip tea in a spray bottle.
Spray this on and around areas where you have noticed the cockroaches.
Repeat the process until your house is completely cockroach free.

Cucumber peel : this doesn’t look very threatening but it can help you get rid of those disgusting roaches if you follow the following method properly.

Put a cup of fresh cucumber peels in an aluminium can.
Place this can around places where you have noticed cockroaches.
The stench of the cucumber peels, when placed in an aluminium can, can suffocate and kill cockroaches.
Repeat this process daily until your home is cockroach-free.

Lemon juice: this is an easy and pleasant-smelling way to get rid of the cockroaches. Lemons possess anti-pathogenic properties that keep the roaches away. Here’s how you can use lemon juice to naturally kill cockroaches:

Add two to three spoons of lemon juice in a bucket of water.
Mix the two well and dip your mop in it.
Wipe the places where you have noticed cockroaches.
Repeat the process for as long as required.

White Vinegar : There will be no foul odor or mess with this method of killing cockroaches. Here’s how you can use white vinegar to kill these ugly insects:

Mix one cup of water with one cup of white vinegar.
Pour the mix in a spray bottle and shake well until they are well combined.
Spray the solution in places where you have noticed roach infestation.
Repeat the process every night until your home is cockroach-free.

Final Words

Even though, it has been certified that roaches can’t survive the cool temperature, but it doesn’t mean they won’t enter. In other to avoid this, the fridge and the areas around it should properly be cleaned.

Proper cleanliness is the main factor to remove the roaches. Proper lids on the food products should be kept in order to avoid the roaches inside the fridge.

If there’s a serious infestation and nothing is working. You probably should take help from professionals. Pest control is an ongoing process, it has to be done often and hence Broomz and Packerz Integrated Services offers you the best money back guaranteed services you can get. Get a free quote or call them on (234)8037763006.

After their help, you should keep all the preventive measures in mind in order to avoid the roaches in your surroundings.

an automated janitorial service company in Lagos, Nigeria

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