Tips to Repel Cockroaches from Your Apartment

Here are some easy to follow tips for keeping cockroaches out of your apartment. Cockroaches are generally considered one of the most disgusting of all insects and for good reason. Cockroaches can carry viruses and infect food and food surfaces in the home. While a person living in an apartment can do little about the cleanliness of their neighbors, some simple steps to keep your apartment unfriendly to roaches can help to keep them out of your living space.

Tips to Repel Cockroaches - Work with Landlord

Apartment buildings should be sprayed for roaches and other pests on a regular basis. If you spot cockroaches or other bugs let the landlord know. Of course, many landlords won't care and you may have to contact you local authorities to get the landlord to take action. Having an unpleasant relationship with your landlord is not ideal, but neither is living with bugs.

Tips to Repel Cockroaches - Block Entry Paths

Cockroaches can enter an apartment from a variety of sources. From openings around pipes and electrical wires to holes in window screens, any opening is a potential source of access. Simply coming under the door is probably the most common. Keeping holes plugged, screens repaired and a tight doorsweep in place can reduce the chances of bugs coming in. Again, landlords should be taking care of these issues but they are inexpensive for a renter to take care of as well.

Tips to Repel Cockroaches - Keep Apartment Dry

Cockroaches like wet environments. Dripping faucets, improperly draining tubs, leaks under sinks, and similar sources of moisture can all cause problems. Keeping bathroom floors dry, not leaving sinks sitting in water, and cleaning up spills can all help to make the apartment less attractive to a roach.

Tips to Repel Cockroaches - Keep Apartment Clean

Cockroaches love to dine on leftovers, pet foods, and especially beer. Properly store leftovers and other foods, store pet food in a tightly sealing container, and take out the trash every night. If your apartment has no easy food source, roaches are not likely to stay.

Tips to Repel Cockroaches - Remove Clutter

Stacks of cardboard boxes especially if they have gotten wet and other clutter can make a pleasant home for roaches. Store things that must sit on the floor in tightly sealing plastic containers and keep trash thrown away to avoid providing a habitat for roaches.