People who have suffered from roach infestations can attest to seeing this insect in almost every nook and cranny of their homes. But can roaches live in your fridge? This is one of the many questions people often ask.
We all know that places with low temperatures generally provide discomfort for this pest, but you may have spotted one or two in your fridge and wondered if it actually is a cockroach. Hmmm.
In this article, we will provide answers to this question by starting with how they even enter the fridge in the first place. Are you ready? let’s go!
How Do Cockroaches Get Into Your Fridge?
In our previous article, we mentioned how a breed of roaches cannot lay eggs at temperatures below 58 degrees Celsius. Do you remember? Let us know in the comments section, and if you do not remember, do well to check the previous post.
Cockroaches are very unique insects, as we discovered in our previous post, but how do they get inside your fridge? Well, you will come to find out that two factors may cause cockroaches to get into your fridge:
- Accessibility to the inside of the fridge
- An unclean and messed-up fridge
If you have a fridge that grants these insects easy access to its inside, probably the fridge doors are faulty, then you are liable to spot an infestation in your fridge very soon.
As they say, cleanliness is next to godliness. Most insects love uncleanliness, and if your fridge looks inviting, they will infest it.
Read also: Why Do I Find Dead Cockroaches In My House?
Can Cockroaches Live in Your Fridge?
Generally, cockroaches prefer to inhabit places with warm, humid temperatures. You will rarely find a cockroach infesting a place with a temperature way below their standard, and the fridge is definitely one of those places.
Can cockroaches live in your fridge? the answer is a solid yes. Although they may not live inside the fridge since its temperature is too low for them to survive, they may live in the motor of the fridge or other parts of the fridge that will not be easily affected by this temperature.
You may spot a roach in your fridge and begin to wonder if these insects actually do live in it. Well, yes, but not inside the fridge. You only spotted that one roach because it probably came to feed and go back to its hiding spot.
Although these insects enter your fridge not on purpose but accidentally, an unclean and easily accessible fridge will cause an increase in their population and increase the probability of disease spread.
How To Get Cockroaches Out of Your Fridge?
- Inspection is an important step in getting cockroaches out of your fridge. In this step, you get to check the inside and outside of your fridge to determine possible breeding spots for this insect.
- Now that you have identified the possible breeding spots of the roaches, you can carry out thorough cleaning on the inside and outside of the fridge.
- Note that these insects may be coming from somewhere into the fridge. They may possibly have other breeding spots close to the fridge, so you should clean the surrounding areas of the fridge as well.
- You should also check for cockroach eggs and ootheca, as you may end up having a re-infestation even after cleaning. This is why we are very specific about the ‘thorough’ cleaning.
- Placing baits and traps in and around your fridge can help curb an infestation and get cockroaches out of your fridge.
- Natural repellents will help you reduce an infestation in your fridge. Natural repellents (bay leaves, peppermint oil, neem, etc.) are much more preferable as they will not affect your food.
- Cockroaches detest boric acid, as it can be very brutal. Do well to place this bait around your fridge (and not inside), as it can be very effective against them.
Read also:Â How To Clean A Bug Infested Refrigerator
How To Prevent Cockroaches From Living In Your Fridge
It is one thing to get roaches out of your fridge, but preventing them from returning is another thing. Below are ways to prevent roaches from infesting or re-infesting your fridge:
- Placing boric acid around the surrounding areas of your fridge is one way to prevent roaches from coming close to your fridge.
- Leaving foodstuffs scattered and untidy in your fridge can invite roaches. Do well to always place your food items in containers with lids before placing them in your fridge.
- Ensuring that your fridge is always closed will reduce the chances of roaches gaining access to it. If you have a faulty fridge door, fixing it will go a long way toward preventing roaches from infesting your fridge.
- Like we mentioned earlier, placing natural repellants in your fridge will go a long way toward making the fridge an uncomfortable place for roaches. These natural repellants include:
- Bay leaves
- Peppermint oil
- Neem
- Sealing access or entry points to your fridge will also prevent roaches from entering it. This is why inspection is an important step.
Read also:Â How To Kill Cockroaches In Drains: 4 Easy Methods
Conclusion
After reading this article, you are asked the question: Can cockroaches live in your fridge? It is very certain what your answer will be.
Yes, cockroaches do live in the fridge, and it is very important that you carry out regular inspections of your fridge to prevent further infestations.
While carrying out our preventional processes and following our control tips, it is important that you follow the below tips:
- Do not place unnatural baits inside your fridge, if you get what we mean. Not all baits should be placed inside your fridge, as we are dealing with food (things that we eat).
Chemicals can never go well with food; hence, they should probably be placed in the surrounding areas of the fridge. - Once you spot an infestation, it is advisable to trash every infested food item. As hard as this one sounds, it is definitely for your own good.
- We mentioned earlier that roaches prefer to inhabit places with warm, humid temperatures. It is therefore advisable that, if you suspect an infestation, your fridge not be turned off for long.
Creating an uncomfortable environment for them will further prevent breeding. - Cockroaches are disease-carrying vectors, and hence it is advised that you put on gloves while cleaning to prevent direct contact with them or things they may have infested.
These are a few useful tips to get rid of roaches in your fridge. Have you spotted roaches living in your fridge before? Tell us about your experience in the comments section below. Who knows, someone may learn something new from your experience.
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