Cockroaches are nocturnal pests that prefer darkness to light. Since most homes are not equipped with constant artificial light, it makes sense for homeowners to take measures to keep cockroaches out of their homes during the night. If left untreated, a cockroach infestation can spread very quickly throughout your home and cause serious stress and anxiety. These nasty creatures tend to appear in places where they can hide during the daytime — in cabinets, behind appliances, under sinks, in laundry baskets, etc. However, by taking simple steps you can reduce the risk of being overrun by cockroaches at night and keep them from making your home their home. Here are some helpful tips on how you can do so.
How To Keep Cockroaches Away At Night
1. Keep the house clean
One of the best ways to keep cockroaches away at night is to keep your home clean. A clean home attracts fewer cockroaches than a dirty one. Cockroaches are attracted to dirt, grime, and other signs of filth, so if you can reduce the amount of these things present in your home, you’ll be on your way to keeping them away. Be sure to regularly clean all areas of your home, including floors, walls, and even behind appliances. One of the best ways to do this is by using a vacuum cleaner with a long hose attachment that will allow you to get into hard-to-reach places that are often overlooked. Regularly cleaning these areas will remove food sources for cockroaches and also remove their hiding places as well.
2. Seal off all entry points
Another way that you can keep roaches out of your house is by sealing off all entry points where they might be able to sneak inside at night. This includes cracks in doorways or windows, holes around pipes and wires that may be leading inside from outside, etc. Sealing off entry points will make it more difficult for roaches to get inside your home and make it easier for you to monitor their activity if any should occur in the future. If there are small holes or gaps around pipes or wires leading into your home from outside, apply caulk around them using roach-proof caulk — this will prevent them from getting in.
3. Keep your yard clean
Cockroaches are attracted to all sorts of things, including filth and garbage. One of the best ways to keep them away at night is by keeping your yard clean. Make sure that there are no piles of garbage sitting outside and that your yard is free from any other signs of filth such as leaves, dirt, or other debris. If you have a garden or compost bin, be sure to keep it cleaned out on a regular basis as well. This will remove food sources for cockroaches and make it less likely for them to want to live in your yard. Cockroaches will also avoid areas where there is plenty of light, so if you can install motion-sensor lighting around the outside of your home at night this will also help keep them away — they prefer the dark!
4. Repair leaky pipes and faucets
Cockroaches are attracted to water, so if you have a leaky pipe or faucet in your home they may be able to smell it and come inside looking for water sources during the night! To prevent this from happening you should make sure that all plumbing fixtures are properly sealed off with caulk or other appropriate materials — using roach-proof caulk is recommended since cockroaches can chew through most other types of caulk fairly quickly. Also, make sure that all faucets are tightly closed at night — cockroaches can climb up and enter faucets if they are left open.
5. Use a bait station
If you want to keep cockroaches away from your home but still want to catch any that may be in your yard, you can use an insect-repelling trap. This is a device that will attract roaches when they walk by and then release a chemical that will kill them on contact. This type of trap is typically used for catching insects around the home, but some are designed specifically for catching roaches as well — these are called roach traps. You can purchase one of these types of traps from your local hardware store and place it outside near potential entry points in the yard or near other places where cockroaches may be living or hiding. The catch is that these traps generally only work for up to one week before needing to be replaced — so keep an eye on them and replace them when the time comes!
6. Keep all food sealed up at night
Cockroaches are attracted to signs of food, so if you have any leftovers or other food sources around your home make sure they are completely sealed up at night (e.g., put them in plastic bags). You should also clean up spills as quickly as possible so cockroaches don’t have anywhere to hide after eating something tasty! There are also special bags designed just for this purpose — these contain odorless antimycotics which will kill any roaches that come in contact with them.
7. Seal up cracks and holes
Cockroaches are also attracted to cracks and crevices — if you have any of these in your home make sure they are sealed up at night! This is important not only to prevent roaches from entering your home but also for keeping them outside where they can’t get into your yard or other areas where you may be able to find them.
Keep Your Kitchen Clean And Organized
Keep a clean, organized kitchen
Cockroaches are attracted to and thrive in a dirty environment. If your kitchen is messy and dirty, it is more likely that cockroaches will find their way into your home. By keeping your kitchen clean and clutter-free, you can significantly reduce the risk of cockroaches entering your home at night. Make sure to throw away all trash regularly and keep the floor washed with soap and water on a regular basis.
Keep food sealed in containers or covered with plastic wrap
Cockroaches have an extremely powerful sense of smell that allows them to locate food from miles away! If you have leftovers in your refrigerator, make sure to seal them in airtight containers or cover them with plastic wrap before putting them away. This will help prevent cockroaches from finding their way into your refrigerator and taking over the place!
Remove all sources of food for cockroaches
Make sure that you do not leave any food lying around on the countertops or on the floor where cockroaches can easily reach it; this includes crumbs under the table, scraps of paper on the floor, etc. Cockroaches love sugar (you might have noticed some of them hanging out near the sugar bowl), so if you leave crumbs lying around they will be more than happy to come over for dinner! Also, make sure to clean up any spills as soon as they happen — this will prevent mold from growing under sinks and in other hard-to-reach places; mold is another favorite food of cockroaches.
Vacuum your house regularly
Cockroaches are very good at hiding in small crevices and cracks, so vacuuming your house regularly will help keep them from coming out of their hiding spots and entering your home. It will also help to remove any dead cockroaches that you might have missed!
Use special sprays to kill cockroaches in hard-to-reach areas
If you have a problem with cockroaches in hard-to-reach areas such as behind the refrigerator, under the sink, etc., then you can use special sprays to get rid of them. Cockroach sprays come in different forms some are aerosol sprays, some are gel form or sticky strips, etc; make sure to consult the instructions on the label carefully before using them! Also, do not spray these products near electrical outlets or on live wires! If you follow these simple steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of being overrun by cockroaches at night and keep them from making your home their home!
Install A Good Quality Roach Trap
- An effective roach trap is the best way to keep cockroaches out of your home in the evening. In addition to killing any live cockroaches that are around, a roach trap will also prevent them from emerging from hiding spots at night and entering your home. For best results, make sure that the trap is placed in an area where you know cockroaches tend to hide during the day.
- If you have cabinets or drawers that can be closed for short periods of time, install small sticky traps inside them. Place these traps along with a few granules of boric acid in the cabinet or drawer and check them every few days.
- Roaches love darkness and they often seek shelter in dark areas such as under furniture, behind appliances, behind cabinets, etc. To prevent this, place some yellow sticky tape around furniture legs or baseboards near cracks or crevices where they tend to hide during daylight hours. This will also help keep them out of cabinets and drawers since it will be difficult for them to find their way through these areas after dark when light is no longer available for them.
- Don’t leave any food items in your cabinets unsupervised! Cockroaches love nothing more than finding a warm place to hide during the day and then coming back at night to feast on your leftovers! Always remember to wash all dishes before putting them away in a cabinet or drawer — even if you’re not planning to use the food right away.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, most people only think about keeping cockroaches away during the day, but roaches are most active at night. To effectively keep cockroaches away from your home, you must take measures to keep them from entering during the night. If you follow these tips, you can significantly reduce the risk of a cockroach infestation in your home. Even if you do notice a few cockroaches, you can quickly and easily take action to remove the pests.
