How to Keep Cockroaches Out of Cupboards

They eat whatever their nasty mouths come in contact with. No wonder, with this multifaceted diet, cockroaches are transmitters of food-borne pathogens, including gastroenteritis and salmonella.

To supplement, when in abundance, they may stimulate an allergic reaction in some individuals.

These aren’t insects you want to entertain at home, especially in your cupboards and cabinets.

Hence, in this article, I share with you how to keep cockroaches out of cupboards.

How to Keep Cockroaches Out of Cupboards

While this article is about how to keep cockroaches out of cupboards, you don’t have to limit how and where the principles are applied.

Where practicable, use the tips to keep cockroaches from crawling into other areas of your home. With that said, let’s jump head-on into the first tip on how to keep cockroaches out of cupboards.

Seal Cracks in Cupboards

If there are no entries to your cupboards and cabinets, cockroaches won’t be able to access them. One of the not-so-obvious routes through which cockroaches gain access to your cupboards is through cracks and crevices.

As wood expands because of humidity and temperature, seams are often created. Cockroaches love to travel these paths, as they are undisturbed, and you can’t get to them.

Try to locate these cracks, as tiny as they might be, and seal them. Wood filler is a great product for the job, as it seals holes and cracks in wooden surfaces.

Clean Cupboards and Cabinets Regularly

Spices and seasonings are common commodities of a typical cupboard. When you use these items, spillage is inevitable.

This could serve as a haven for cockroaches. When you clean up immediately after a spillage, you lessen the risk of having cockroaches invade your cupboards.

To add, cockroaches are avid poopers. Once they start pooping in your cupboards, this attracts more cockroaches, as they’re stimulated by their own poops.

Hence, if you noted cockroaches crawling from your cupboards, clean it out.

Keep the Doors Shut

When you use your cupboards, shut the doors. Don’t leave them open for cockroaches to crawl in.

If you find that cupboards are coming loose (as this happens with time and use), you may want to reattach them to ensure they shut.

This is one of the best tips on how to keep cockroaches out of your cupboards, as often times they enter because the doors aren’t fully shut.

Use Camphor as a Deterrent

Camphor ball can be used as a deterrent or repellent to discourage cockroaches from entering your cupboards.

You may not want your cupboards smelling like camphor, but I’d choose the lesser evil if I was in your moccasin.

For more information about camphor and the handful of research that exists, you may consult this article.

To use, you may choose to place a few camphor balls in the cupboard.

Use Essential Oils        

Essential oils are derivatives of different plant parts. These are mainly extracted through the process of steam distillation.

These oils are highly concentrated, and some studies show that their aroma may be off-putting (even lethal) to some species of cockroaches.

For roaches, you may find success using essential oils like mint, yarrow, eucalyptus, oregano, and rosemary.

To use essential oils in your cupboards, simply add a few drops of a selected oil to cotton balls. Place these balls in a mini drawstring bag.

Any small cloth bag will do, as these will merely house cotton pads or balls on which you’ll pour essential oils. The aroma from the essential oil will emit from the bag and repel cockroaches.

Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth

According to one study, diatomaceous earth is a viable agent against cockroaches, namely the German cockroach.

This desiccant dust can be used in your cupboards. It doesn’t repel cockroaches or prevent them from entering your cupboards. Rather, it’s used as an insecticide.

You may choose to line the corners of your cupboard with DE. Once cockroaches crawl in it, it kills them by damaging the exterior, which causes them to become dehydrated.

Note, while DE is a great option to explore, nothing is without risks. Please weigh the risk before using it in your cupboard. If you choose to use DE, follow the instructions on the labelling.

A little of this dust goes a long way. Don’t splatter it in your cupboard, simply lay it in the corners and along the sides. You also should ensure that your storage containers are closed properly and flushed away from the sides where the dust will be placed.

How to Keep Cockroaches Out of Cupboards, Conclusion

There’s no single way to tackle cockroaches at home. This is because they are quick breeders and can crawl into tight, small spaces.

For best results, you may need to implement several of the suggestions mentioned on how to keep cockroaches out of cupboards.

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