Regardless of what kind of roaches you have in your home, one thing is certain: you don’t want them there.
In addition to giving you the creepy-crawlies, roaches can trigger allergies, spread disease, and create an unsanitary living environment.
Fortunately, the first step to getting rid of roaches is understanding what’s attracting them to your property in the first place.
Here are some of the most common culprits:
1. Food sources
Roaches are omnivores, meaning they’ll eat anything. They are particularly fond of starches, sweets, greasy food, and meats.
Easy sources of food – like dirty dishes in the sink, pet food on the floor, or crumbs on the counter will draw them in.
Roaches also love garbage, so make sure to take the trash out regularly and keep all household garbage cans tightly sealed.
2. Shelter
Cockroaches enter homes for shelter.
Depending on the species of roach, they may live behind picture frames, in hollowed-out wood, in damp places like beneath the sink or behind the toilet, or in the backs of your electronics.
As the temperature dips outside, roaches will venture indoors.
They love quiet, forgotten areas, and may live underneath large appliances, in the corners of basements, and the attic.
3. Location
If you’re wondering “why do I have roaches in my clean house?” we understand.
Solving a roach problem can be frustrating – especially if you’ve been careful to avoid common attractants.
Unfortunately, some locations are just more appealing to roaches than others.
Species like the American cockroach don’t need unsanitary conditions to thrive – they simply enter through a gap in a window seal or a door left open and start establishing themselves in your house.
4. Water
Like all animals, roaches need water to survive – and they’ll enter even the most sanitary homes to find it.
Leaky pipes and faucets are common attractants, as are open showers and pet water bowls.
5. Landscaping
While roaches love to live inside, they’ll also enter your yard in search of food, shelter, and water.
Standing water in birdbaths, gutters, and flowerpots will all attract roaches, as will food sources like birdseed or fruit plants.
How Roaches Enter Your Home
Shelter, food, and water attract roaches to your home, but how do they get in? The most common way roaches enter your home is through tiny cracks and gaps in windows, doors, and other areas.
Here are some of their favorite access points:
1. Cracks and Gaps in Windows and Doors
Cracks and gaps in your home’s doors and windows are the top way roaches make their way into your home. Doors that aren’t sealed properly and windows that don’t close entirely are perfect access points for roaches.
2. Holes in Pipes and Vents
Another common entrance point for roaches is through holes in pipes and vents. If you live in an older home with vents that have holes or don’t properly seal, it’s an invitation for roaches to come inside.
Check your vents when you replace or service them and keep an eye on pipes and plumbing fixtures for holes or other potential roach access points.
3. Hitching a Ride on Furniture and Other Items
If you’re bringing used furniture or other items into the home, check them for roaches, first. These insects can hole up and hide in used items, only to emerge once they’re safely inside your home.
