The worst possible place for disgusting bugs like cockroaches is the kitchen. It is the place where you and your family prepare and eat food. The thought of bugs crawling around on the same surfaces where you prepare your food can be gag inducing. Unfortunately, the kitchen is one of the areas of the house that is the most susceptible to cockroaches.
Cockroaches are attracted to the food that is in your kitchen. Unwashed dishes sitting beside the sink are a great way to bring these disgusting pests into your kitchen. Spills on the counters and stovetop are also magnets for roaches. A nightly routine of washing off your dishes and wiping down the surfaces in your kitchen can be helpful in keeping cockroaches away. You should also check your microwave and pantry for any type of food residue or spill. These are two areas that are easy to ignore because you can simply close the door. However, cockroaches are attracted by the smell of the food and closing the door of the microwave or pantry may not be enough to keep them away. Cockroaches are also attracted to moisture rich environments like the kitchen. Standing water in your sink or leaking pipes under you sink are appealing to cockroaches. You can also have leaks from your dishwasher and water line connected to the fridge. Check all of these possible moisture areas to make sure you do not have a leak that continues to attract cockroaches.
The bathroom is another area of the house that is susceptible to cockroaches. The main reason this area is susceptible is because of all the moisture. Cockroaches need moisture and bathrooms have plenty of that to go around. Make sure you have a vent fan in your bathroom that is vented to the outside of your house. Then, make sure and use the vent fan anytime you take a bath or a shower so it will pull the excess moisture out of the room. In addition, check for any leaks or areas with standing water. The bathtub, toilet, and sink are all areas that can leak and create an ideal environment for cockroaches.
Your laundry room is another area of the house that has the potential for excess moisture. A leaking pipe or standing water are both very real possibilities near the washing machine. In addition, the laundry room is not a living area of your home. That means leaks and other water problems can go unnoticed because you do not spend as much time in the laundry room as you do in other areas of the house (hopefully). If you are experiencing a cockroach problem be sure and check the laundry room for leaks and standing water.
The first step to dealing with a cockroach problem is to call in professional help to kill off any bugs currently in your home. The second step is to start looking for the source of your cockroach problem. You may need to be more diligent about tidying up the kitchen each night or have some leaky pipes repaired in areas that are susceptible to cockroaches.