Cockroaches are omnivores. Although they can survive several months without food, roaches will eat anything that has nutritional value. They are especially attracted to starch, sugar, grease, meat and cheese. Decaying food items are particularly delicious for a hungry roach in search of his next meal.
What their presence makes go through.
Source : nrn
Sanitation and Preparation :
1. Eliminate Food Sources :
- Clean Kitchen Appliances. Cockroaches in your kitchen can live off grease and food spills under and behind your appliances. Clean under and behind the stove, refrigerator, microwave, toaster, dishwasher, and around and underneath the sink.
- Empty and Clean Cabinets. Crumbs and food spills from stored food products provide a buffet for cockroaches. Clean to eliminate this food source.
- Keep Food in Sealed Containers. Cockroaches are small enough to get into the cardboard packaging or loosely closed boxes and bags. Store food in metal, glass, or hard plastic sealable containers.
- Limit food consumption to one room of the house. Keeping all food and eating in one area of the home will eliminate crumbs and food spills and limits your infestation to one area of the house.
- Clean the kitchen thoroughly each night before bed. Cockroaches come out to feed at night, so cleaning the kitchen each night will leave nothing for foraging roaches to eat. Wipe down kitchen countertops, wash all dishes, clean floors well, and put away all food.
- Vacuum or sweep all other non-food areas of the home every few days. Picking up stray crumbs and cockroach feces, skins, body parts, and egg sacs, which contain pheromones that attract other roaches to the same areas, will help keep your home clean.
- Empty pet food containers overnight, or cover them tightly.
- Keep garbage cans clean and covered.
2. Eliminate Water Sources :
- Fix leaky plumbing and sweating pipes.
- Before bed, dry all sinks, tubs, and showers completely and plug the drains.
- Place wet dishrags and sponges in an airtight plastic storage bag overnight, place them directly in the washing machine, or hang outdoors to dry.
- Pet water dishes should be placed outside overnight or be dried and refilled in the morning.
- Wet toothbrushes should be dried as best they can and placed in sealed bags or containers.
- Empty drip tray from under the refrigerator.
3. Harborage Elimination :
- Seal cracks and crevices with a caulking gun.
- Close holes surrounding pipes or other light and wall fixtures with a material such as Stuff It Copper Mesh.
- Make sure window and doorframes are tight and gap-free to prevent entry from outside.
- Place tape over holes and crevices in appliances and other household items in areas that have heavy roach traffic. Computers, small appliances, etc., can all serve as harborage for cockroaches.