If you live in an apartment building in a big city, you might be sharing your living space with some free-loading roommates. I'm not talking about your couch-surfing friends, but rather roomies of the creepy-crawly variety. However, there are ways to keep roaches out of your apartment. While roaches are a fact of life in urban areas, your chances of having them invade your humble abode increase significantly if you have a neighbor who shuns cleaning. Because once roaches take up residence in one apartment, they can quickly spread to nearby units.
According to the website Pests Off, cockroaches can multiply quickly, and one egg can result in 50 new roaches. This is why it's important to get rid of the roaches you see and the ones you don't. If you've tried everything to keep roaches out of your pad, and you've resigned yourself to sleeping with the lights on (because roaches tend to come out in the dark), there are actually some surprisingly effective ways to keep them out of your apartment.
The most important thing to do is to make sure your living space in Monica-Gellar-level clean. But, if your neighbors don't do the same, those little buggers can still get in through shared walls and vents. If you find yourself in this situation, a good offense is the best defense when it comes to roaches. Consider trying these hacks to keep roaches out of your apartment so you can enjoy a pest-free life.
1Keep It Clean
Roaches thrive on filth, which is why it's important to keeps lids on trashcans and empty them regularly, store all food in sealed containers, and put pet food away at night. You'll also want to wash your dishes every day before going to bed and rinse out any containers you put in your recycling bin. Additionally, make sure to clean under the stove and refrigerator on the regular. Unfortunately, it's not just food items that attract roaches. "They eat almost anything, even wallpaper paste," Den Garden noted on its website "Don't give them access to anything that will help them extend their stay! You will need to keep your house as clean as possible, as much as possible."
2Treat Your Baseboards
Because roaches can enter your dwelling by shimmying through small cracks and spaces, it's important to seal up and treat baseboards, outlets, and cracks. One easy way to do this is by dusting food grade diatomaceous earth along your baseboards, outlets, and any cracks in the floor or ceiling. DE is a magical white powder that dehydrates bugs when they walk through it. A little goes a long way, and while you might be tempted to leave big mounds of it out, bugs actually won't walk through large piles. A light dusting is really all you need, according to the Diatomaceous Earth blog.
3Make Your Own Traps
You can also make roach traps with items you probably already have in your kitchen. According to Wiki How, a mixture of white flour, cocoa, oatmeal, boric acid and Plaster of Paris, or a mixture of citrus pulp, brown sugar, corn meal, and boric acid can help you eliminate your roach problem. Put your homemade roach potion into small jars or cans and place them in areas where roaches enter your apartment. Alternatively, you can buy roach-bait traps and use them the same way.
4Vacuum Regularly
It's time to become besties with your vacuum cleaner. Even if you just see one roach, chances are it has a little roach family hiding somewhere. Get out your vacuum cleaner and start sweeping. Don't just clean the surface areas. Take out the attachments and clean every corner, nook, and cranny to make sure you destroy eggs that aren't visible to the naked eye. Once you're finished, make sure to empty the vacuum bag or canister and throw the contents away outside of your apartment. If you have a bagless vacuum cleaner, you'll also want to clean the inside of the canister so the roaches don't make a new home inside.
5Cover Your Drains
Roaches love wet and damp spaces, and they've been known to emerge from shower and sink drains to get inside of houses and apartments. To prevent this from happening, invest in some drain covers, make sure all water is drained from sinks and tubs, and cover your drains at night and when you're not at home. What's more, "If your apartment is particularly damp, consider investing in a dehumidifier or ask your landlord if anything can be done about the moisture," the website Apartment Ratings recommended. "Since plumbing systems are damp, be sure your faucets and pipes don’t have leaks, and spray or put traps under your sinks on a regular basis."
6Seal The Bottom Of Your Door
OK, you've done everything on this list and you still have roaches. Remember, if there's a way in, roaches will find it, including crawling under your front door. This is one of the most obvious, and most overlooked, points of entry. If you live in an apartment building, the website Fight Bugs suggested getting a door seal set. This is something that you can stick on the bottom of your door to eliminate any space between the door and floor. It's also a good idea to dust your door frame and your entryway with DE in addition to using the seal set.
7Catnip
If you cat is willing to share its catnip, this is a surprisingly effective way to deter roaches. CBS News reported that scientists have been studying roach repellents because — if you don't get them in the first place — your life will be a whole lot easier. Apparently roaches are sensitive to catnip, and are less likely to enter a dwelling where the nip is present. Obviously, you don't want to sprinkle catnip all over your apartment. However, you can put it into little breathable bags and tuck it into corners, behind appliances, and in cupboards.
8Osage Oranges
Osage oranges, also known as ugli fruit, are proven to be effective in repelling a variety of bugs. The best part is that they're super easy to use — you just place the bumpy little oranges around the house and the bugs won't come inside, according to CBS News.
If you already have roaches, you'll want to employ as many methods as possible to get rid of them. You can even leave out double-sided tape to catch them at night. If you don't have roaches, and you don't want to get them, it's a good idea to try some (or all) of these preventative measures to make sure these uninvited guests stay out of your apartment. Because, when it comes to roaches, the best way to not have roaches is to not get them in the first place. #TheMoreYouKnow
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