Cockroaches in a Microwave Oven: All you need to know

The loathing and disgust associated with finding a cockroach hiding in a microwave can get you on your nerves. It is the least exciting area where you can find a cockroach living happily with its family and reproducing offspring. Let me make it clear that radiations from your microwave oven offer no protection from roach infestation.

The grease, food particles, the warm and humid temperature and the metallic cover with multiple holes all are that is required for roaches to thrive and live inside your microwave oven. Moreover, Female Roaches have plenty of space to lay eggs and reproduce offspring inside the oven.

Getting roaches out of a microwave oven can sometimes be tricky and challenging. The electronic components inside the microwave oven can catch fire if inflammable insecticide sprays or liquid roach killers are used to kill roaches inside the oven. I have compiled some pretty clever hacks that will not only help you get out these roaches effectively but also save your electronic components from short-circuiting.

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)

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Microwave Oven is an excellent place for Roaches to live

Microwave oven is usually placed inside kitchen typically resting in the corner spot. Roaches are notorious for hiding and forming their colonies in crevices and corners. Moreover, the kitchen provides an ample supply of water and food.

On the other hand, a Microwave oven provides an excellent hiding place and shelter with abundant spilled food, grease, warm and humid temperature for the roaches to survive. In addition, the metallic cover has multiple holes for the cockroaches to squeeze inside.

Interestingly why don’t roaches die inside a microwave oven? This is because the panel that house the wiring, electronic parts and roaches are shielded from the radiation chamber (the compartment where we place our food). The panel stays cool despite high radiation in the food compartment. Another reason is that roaches are notoriously dry with little to no water molecules, which are necessary for radiations to extract heat.

All these factors cumulatively increase the chances of microwave ovens being infested with roaches. I have written an interesting article Can Cockroach Survive a Nuke? Get your answers!

Cockroach Can Damage the Microwave Oven

Cockroaches can aggravate allergies and asthma in atopic individuals. Besides this, cockroaches are known to transmit enteric fever, including typhoid and paratyphoid fever.

Because roaches are omnivorous, they will scavenge on anything, including electric wires, in case of food scarcity. Damaged cables, the waste buildup, and dead bodies of roaches all can ignite a fire instantaneously. Moreover, a roach shelter or a colony will hamper microwave functionality.

Therefore keeping a blind eye on roaches infesting your microwave oven is not a good option. Instead, they should be gotten rid of your microwave oven as soon as possible.

How to Get Rid of Roaches from Microwave Oven?

If your microwave is infested for a long time with roaches, it is most likely not only to start smelling awful but will also stop functioning correctly and act as a source of disease spread. Therefore it is essential to have a check on the bugs.

To get rid of roaches from the microwave oven select one of the methods below which suits your needs.

Method 1: Use Vinegar

Vinegar acts wonders at killing roaches inside the microwave; the cockroaches will themself get out of the oven and die in front of your eyes. All you have to do is,

Place a bowl filled with pure vinegar inside the oven and set the timer for 5 minutes.
Once the vinegar starts to vaporize, it will completely fill the oven compartment.

Turn off the oven and wait for another 5 minutes.
Now place water inside and turn on the oven for another 5 minutes
At last mope the oven with a dry cloth.

Repeat the method two to three times for best results.

Method 2: Use Cockroach Gel Baits and Traps

This method is probably the easiest and safest of all. The results are also satisfactory and are preferred to use when there is a low infestation. The technique is simple,

Plug off the oven for at least 2 days.

Next, place gel around the corners of the microwave oven at night and turn off the kitchen lights.
The smell from gel will attract roaches and soon they will feed the gel and share it with their peers, killing almost whole colony.
For traps, similary place traps around the oven and one inside the chamber. Don’t close the oven door and wait for the results.

The more you wait the better you will see the results.

Method 3: Use Boric Acid

Boric acid is an excellent roach killer. It not only kills the bugs but also destroys the eggs. In addition, the boric acid stays on the surface for a long, so it retains the ability to kill the roach.

Unplug the microwave oven.

Take approx 250 grams of powderd boric acid.
Next sprinkle it around, inside the compartment, and between the metalic cover and electric wiring.
Do not use oven for next 3 to 4 days.

Next use air blower to dust off the boric acid and dead roaches.

Method 4: Disassmeble the Microwave Oven

It is probably the most effective and faster method to get rid of roaches from the oven. The technique may require expertise; the only downside. It is better to go through the user manual before attempting to dismantle your oven.

Unplug the oven.

Select appropriate screwdriver for the job.
Disasssemble the oven by removing the metal cover.
Use the best insectisde spray to kill the roaches and destroy their colony.

Do not turn on the oven until and unless the electric panel is completely dry.
You can also use Compressed Gas Duster Can, because it is a dry air so is devoid of any electric short-circuiting.
Reassmeble the oven back.

Some of us might consider Killing cockroaches a sin. Please read this article “Should I kill a cockroach?” to know why killing them is important.