If cockroaches appear in the refrigerator, try to remove them immediately. Otherwise, you may be left without a refrigerator. If cockroaches appear, fight with all available means. The article contains tips and a step-by-step plan for removing cockroaches.
The refrigerator contains all your favorite foods and drinks, but it may contain something you never want to see anywhere in your home - cockroaches!
Opened the refrigerator and saw an uninvited guest?
Want to know how he got there?
Let's discuss in detail how cockroaches got there, how to get rid of mustachioed pests in the refrigerator, and what preventive measures can be taken to avoid them in the future.
Can cockroaches live in a refrigerator?
Winter can be called the best example of the fact that cockroaches do not live very comfortably in cold temperatures. With enough food, a cockroach can survive anywhere. But the refrigerator is no place for Prussians, because they simply cannot survive in cool temperatures. Where does the cockroach come from?
So, if you see a whiskered insect in your refrigerator, it probably wandered in there by mistake to forage for food. No cockroach would want to “live” in the inside of a refrigerator due to the climate. Adult cockroaches take cover when the lights are turned on. Nymphs do not respond to such distractions and move slowly. This is why nymphs may appear to be living inside the refrigerator when in fact they are located elsewhere in the appliance.
Effective remedies for Prussians
There are many different means for exterminating Prussians. We bring to your attention the most effective ones.
- Boric acid. This substance is the most powerful poison for Prussians. When acid enters the intestines, the nervous system is damaged, as a result of which the cockroach is paralyzed and dies. For pest control, it is recommended to use boric acid in powder form. It should be scattered along the baseboards, near the toilet, sink, shower, stove and sink. You can also make special baits by mixing chopped boiled potatoes with flour and boric acid. Roll small balls from the resulting mass and place them in the habitats of harmful longhorned beetles.
- Ammonia. Ammonia has a strong smell that the Prussians do not like. For this reason, they strive to get out of the room treated by it as quickly as possible. To drive away cockroaches, just add alcohol to the water you are going to use to wash floors, walls and shelves.
- Freezing. Cockroaches are cold-blooded creatures. When the temperature drops below +7°C, their body weakens and they stop reproducing. Despite the fact that freezing can be used exclusively in winter, this method is effective in combating mustachioed pests. Try leaving the windows open for 1-2 days. The room should freeze to -10°C.
- A trap made from improvised means. You can make a homemade trap from a wide-necked jar or plastic bottle or a deep metal or glass bowl. Lubricate the inside of the container with grease or Vaseline, and crumble bait - cookies, bread or sugar - onto the bottom. Once cockroaches get inside the container, they will not be able to get out. Trapped pests can be destroyed by pouring boiling water over the container or spraying it with an insecticide. The trap will be effective only if there are not too many Prussians in the house.
What to do if cockroaches appear in the refrigerator
What to do if cockroaches appear and how to get rid of these annoying pests? Below we have outlined a step-by-step action plan for you.
Visual inspection and preparation of the refrigerator to fight cockroaches
Perform a visual inspection of your refrigerator and surrounding areas. Extend the refrigerator against the wall, as the bottom is the most common hiding spot. If you find cockroaches during your inspection, take note of any characteristics to try to identify the species so you know exactly what you're dealing with.
Empty and disinfect the refrigerator
As you begin to wash everything inside and outside the refrigerator, look for signs of egg laying. Their presence suggests that you have a fairly serious cockroach infestation. Sweep under the refrigerator, clean the motor, and empty the condensed water tray underneath. Place all trash in a sealed bag and throw it away immediately.
The best way to clean the inside of your refrigerator is to use a microfiber cloth and warm water with a little detergent or pH-neutral cleaner. After cleaning, rinse with clean water and dry the walls and shelves with a cloth.
You've probably come across some home advice about cleaning with vinegar: we don't recommend doing this, as vinegar can damage the plastic. This also applies to rough sponges and other aggressive products and cleaning agents. It is much more important to regularly clean your refrigerator every four to six weeks.
To be safe, follow these rules that you should avoid when cleaning your refrigerator:
- Do not use steam cleaning equipment.
- Do not use concentrated detergents.
- Do not use scrubbing or scratching sponges.
- Do not use abrasive sand, chloride or acidic cleaners.
- Do not damage or remove the information plate on the inside.
- Keep water away from gutters, vents and electrical parts.
Cleaning the outside depends on the material the refrigerator is made of.
Stainless steel door surfaces or side panels are usually equipped with a surface coating which should be handled with extreme care and should be wiped clean with a soft, clean cloth. For heavy soiling, use a little water or neutral detergent.
It is also preferable to wipe painted side walls with a soft, clean cloth.
After cleaning and after all parts are dry, reconnect the device and turn it on. Using appropriate devices, you activate the SuperFrost function to prevent frozen food from cracking during storage. Once the appliance is cool enough, reinsert the food.
Seal all cracks
Inspect the area around your refrigerator (and ideally the entire house) and seal any cracks larger than 5mm with caulk. If there are any holes or gaps around electrical outlets, apply sealant to those areas as well.
Prepare your traps
After cleaning, start placing traps in all areas where cockroaches are found most often. These sticky traps are great for sticking pests. Place several traps in the area around the refrigerator and also where you previously found feces.
Consider calling in specialists
Any homeowner can kill or eradicate a few cockroaches from their home. However, without the help of a professional pest control company, the entire infestation will never be eradicated. The most effective way to get rid of all pest infestations is to hire a professional to help you in no time!
What tools to use
Conventional mechanical traps, as well as ultrasonic repellers, help in the fight against cockroaches. You can make your own trap using a narrow-necked container and sweet syrup or beer. It is enough to pour a little pleasant-smelling liquid into the bottom of the container, and the cockroaches will try to climb into it; they will hardly be able to crawl out back. But to be sure, the edges of the bottle or jar are greased with sunflower oil on the inside.
Ultrasonic repellers are considered not only effective, but also safe for children and animals. They can work around the clock, providing protection not only from those insects that already live in the apartment, but also from cockroaches and bedbugs trying to move into the room from neighbors, from the basement or corridor.
If there are more cockroaches than usual and the traps cannot cope with them, then they use smoke bombs, freeze them out, or, on the contrary, warm up the room. The main thing in the means used is safety; it is for this reason that traps, checkers and repellers are allowed to be used in premises where small children and animals live. When using a smoke bomb, you will naturally have to leave the apartment, but apart from the unpleasant smell of smoke left after using this product, no other troubles are observed.
How can you get rid of cockroaches in the refrigerator?
Cleanliness can be the main way to fight. At a minimum, you should provide lids on food items. We said earlier that cockroaches cannot withstand cool temperatures. But that doesn't mean they won't come in. To avoid this, the refrigerator and areas around the refrigerator must be properly cleaned.
If there is a serious infestation in your apartment and the measures mentioned do not help, you may need to seek professional help. After their help, you should remember all the preventive measures and use them to avoid cockroaches in your environment.
Is it possible to use insecticides, which ones, how to use them safely
There are various ways to remove cockroaches from the refrigerator. Remember that these measures should not include any chemicals if they will be used inside the refrigerator.
Insecticides are artificial substances. The active ingredients that kill cockroaches can become poisons to humans. Some toxins break down very slowly. If poison comes into contact with your food in the refrigerator, the food may contain toxic residues that can cause cancer, or the immune system may be weakened. Insecticides can also seriously disrupt embryo development. The toxic effects of individual substances can not only accumulate, but also reinforce each other.
What folk remedies will help against cockroaches in the refrigerator
Repellents that can be used inside the refrigerator to remove cockroaches can be:
- Neem: A preventive and safe method that can be used for proper removal and its scent will be an excellent repellent.
- Bay Leaf: Since it is used in cooking, it will be safe enough for baiting and repelling, so can be used as a repellent.
- Peppermint oil: This can also be sprayed on cockroaches to remove them from the refrigerator.
What home appliances do cockroaches live in?
Cockroaches feel “at home” in technology. They can live in any household units. They make nests in the dishwasher, live in the microwave, and even the noise and operation of the washing machine does not bother them. They live in a gas stove and a coffee machine. Thus, it is quite possible to drink a cup of aromatic coffee with cockroaches in the morning.
There are many different crevices and recesses in household appliances, from which it is not easy to “smoke out” insects, and processing the insides of the units can be a difficult and even dangerous task for the equipment. Prussians climb to the most remote and warm corners, where they create nests.
Cockroaches are able to crawl into a laptop, computer or printer, creating a family in the system unit or TV. They really like modern technology.
But more often they settle in equipment located in the kitchen, where it is not only warm, but there is food and water available, and from where it is quite difficult to drive them out later. Let's look at how to get cockroaches out of the microwave and refrigerator.
Preventative measures against the appearance of cockroaches in the refrigerator
You can always take precautions to keep cockroaches out of your refrigerator.
Here are some of the precautions you can take to prevent cockroaches from getting into your refrigerator:
- Cleanliness must be present both inside and outside the refrigerator.
- The refrigerator door should not be opened unless necessary.
- Boric acid can be placed around the refrigerator to keep cockroaches away.
- You can also use bay leaves and neem to repel insects.
- Food should always be covered.
Thus, all these preventive methods can be used. But it should be borne in mind that cleanliness is the main prevention to avoid cockroaches.
