It is not surprising to find cockroaches infesting your fridge. These bugs will almost invade any space from your fridge, kitchen cabinets, or bathroom cupboards searching for food and shelter. However, the loose or worn-out Fridge’s gasket is the main reason behind the Fridge’s infestation.
To get rid of cockroaches from the fridge, either use a mixture of boric acid, baking soda, and sugar or natural palmetto bug repellents. In addition, deep cleaning your fridge with hot water and a small amount of bleach work wonders. Repair door gaps, cracks, gasket, or rubber seal to prevent reinfestation from cockroaches.
Interestingly, cockroaches, including their eggs, can survive the cold temperature of refrigerators for months. Therefore, if you do not control roaches in time, their population will drastically increase. So not only will it be a bad impression on your guests, but it can also be the cause of diseases spread.
Tired of cockroaches? Invest in only these products and follow the guide to eliminate roaches!
Use these products, and you will be roach free in less than a week.
1. Advion Cockroach Gel Bait (Review)
2. Gentrol IGR Point Source (Review)
Other Products to try:
1. Combat Roach Traps (Easy than gel baits)
2. Hot Shot Foggers (To kill in masses – 95%)
3. Pet Safe Killers (Uses Essential Oils)
4. Ortho Defence Outdoor Roach Killer (Prevent Roaches)
Why are there Cockroaches In my Fridge?
You are not alone if you have found cockroaches in your fridge. The aromatic and sugary smells from food, plenty of hiding places, and the humid environment attract roaches towards the refrigerator. So if you have found plenty of cockroaches in your fridge, this means that.
- Either you have an old worn out fridge with multiple leakages, door gaps and crevices.
- Non functioning water drain from the condenser
- Torn gasket or sealing rubber
- You are lazy enough to close the fridge’s door properly
- Heavy infestation in your house or kitchen
- Dirty fridge with food spills, greasy walls and lose food items
- A fridge sitting inside the kitchen corner.
Once the roaches gain access to the fridge, they hide in the corners, under the compartments, and in the places where they can shelter themselves from the cold. With ample food and water supply, the population of cockroaches explodes.
Learn more on: Where do roaches come from in our houses.
How do Cockroaches Survive inside the Fridge?
Interestingly cockroaches love to live inside a warm and humid environment. They refrain from staying in the cold and usually die at freezing temperatures. But still, we see a lot of cockroaches lurking inside the fridge.
So the question arises How do Cockroaches Survive inside the fridge? the roaches survive inside the fridge by
- Living near the heat source i.e. fan, light bulb, hot placed pots.
- Hiding under the compartments and cabinets.
- Creating there own biosphere with multiple roaches gathering in colonies and covering their eggs.
All these reasons keep roaches thriving inside your fridge, so you should never keep a blind eye on them.
Fridge Cockroach Nest Location (Very Important)
A cockroach nest located in or around a fridge is the hotspot of roaches and must be destroyed to prevent future infestation. Inside the fridge, the cockroach nest appears congested with roach body parts, desquamated cockroach skin, and lots of eggshells.
It is important to know that the fridge cockroach nest is nothing like a birds nest and this must be born in mind when looking for it.
It is mainly located around the electric panel of the fridge and under the vegetable cabinets.
Cleaning a Bug/Roach Infested Fridge
Before you embark on cleaning a roach-infested refrigerator, make sure to free 3 to 4 hours of your schedule. Deep cleaning a heavily infested refrigerator requires effort and dedication. The front compartment and the back machinery compartment may need to be accessed.
Cleaning a bug/roach-infested refrigerator can be done with the following methods.
Method 1: Use Mixture of Boric Acid and Sugar
Boric acid is very efficient at killing cockroaches and their egg. The good thing about using boric acid is its long-term residual effect; it will keep on roaches for a few months. To use boric acid,
- Unplug the refrigirator
- Empty the refrigirator and remove each and every compartment.
- Mix equal parts of boric acid and sugar in a container.
- Add very minute amount of water to help the mixture stay connected.
- Now clean the cabinet with a wet cloath.
- Sprinkle the mixture in the refrigerator, make sure to cover hidden parts i.e fan, light etc.
- You can use the refrigerator straight away but keep an eye on children, not to touch the sprinkled powder.
To know more, read Does boric acid kill palmetto bugs and roaches?.
Method 2: Use Baking Powder and Sugar
Although the mixture of Baking powder and sugar is also effective at killing roaches inside the fridge, it is not as effective as boric acid. The rest of the procedure to use baking soda is the same as mentioned above.
Method 3: Use Natural Roach repellents
The good thing about using natural roach repellents like clove, tea tree, bay leaves, cinnamon, and peppermint oil is easy availability and no adverse effects. However, it is better to use oils extract because they are concentrated and has a strong smell than the actual product.
All the natural roach repellents work by emitting strong smells that ward off roaches. To use them,
- Unplug the fridge.
- Take 10 to 15 drops of the oil and mix it with 30 ml of water in a spray bottle.
- Remove all the items and compartments from the fridge
- Mope the fridge clean with a wet cloath and let it dry.
- Next, Spray the mixture in every compartment and corner of the fridge
- Start using your fridge right away.
I have written a comprehensive article on the efficacy of each natural roach repellent. Please read it here Natural Palmetto Bug Repellents.
Method 4: Use Hot Water and Bleach
This is possibly the best and easiest method of all. The hot water and liquid bleach instantaneously kill the roaches and eradicate the eggs. The only downside of a bleachy smell is that it may not suit everyone. To use,
- Unplug the refrigerator.
- Take safety precautions to avoid burns.
- Heat approximately 3 liters of water to 180 faranhite temprature.
- Mix one cup of liquid bleach into the water.
- Remove all items and compartments from the fridge.
- Flush the fridge compartment with the solution with the help of a cup.
- Let the solution stay there for 1 hour.
- Mope the fridge dry.
Getting Rid of Roaches in Fridge Motor
Cockroaches love the warm and humid environment of the fridge’s back electric panel. As a result, the panel can be a source of re-infestation. Therefore removing bugs from the electric compartment is crucial. Avoid using Insecticide spray and liquid roach killer due to the danger of short-circuiting and components damage.
To Get Rid Of Roaches In the Fridge Motor and electric compartment, you have to carefully remove any metallic covering with the help of a screwdriver. Next, identify roach nests and remove them with the help of a compressed gas duster can.
You can also use cockroach gel baits and traps. Place them in the electric compartment and wait for a few days for the results.
Smells that Keep Roaches Away
Cockroaches hate strong smells. This feature comes in handy at repelling roaches and keeping them at bay. Fortunately, there are several natural plants, oils, and leaves that we use daily at home which contain aromatic compounds to ward roaches away.
Smells that keep roaches away include Peppermint oil, Catnip, Clove oil, Bay leaves, lavender oil, Garlic, and many more. These smelling natural oils are effective and devoid of adverse effects.
| Oils | Herbs & Plants | Natural Baits | . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neem Oil | Mint Plant leaves | Citronella Candles | |
| Clove Oil | Catnip | Borax and Sugar | |
| Tea Tree Oil | Bay Leaves | Vinegar | |
| Eucalyptus Oil | Cinnamon Bark | Diatomaceous Earth | |
| Lavender Oil | Pandan Leaves | Cayenne | |
| Cypress Oil | Garlic | ||
| Peppermint Oil | lemons | ||
| Mint Plants Oil | Coffee Grounds | ||
| Citronella Oil | Bitter Cucumber |
