Finding a roach in the dishwasher is not uncommon because from fridge to microwave oven, the electric appliances in the kitchen are no less than heaven for roaches. These appliances provide roaches with all three basic amenities food, water, and shelter for their survival and breeding.
To prevent and get rid of roach in dishwasher follow these steps,
- Fix all the damaged seals and gaskets.
- Set up gel baits, traps, or diatomesous earth around the dishwasher to kill roaches.
- Regularly clean the built-up grease and stuck food inside the dishwasher.
- Keep the dishwasher door closed when not in use.
- Use Natural roach repellents to keep them away.
- Remove the source of infestation inside the house.
An infestation with cockroaches should never be taken lightly. After getting inside your house, these fearless creatures will try to invade every space and establish their nest. Once they access your kitchen, roaches will start infesting every corner, including electric appliances. These appliances then serve as hotspots for roach infestation, and exterminating them becomes very difficult.
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 do Cockroaches get in the dishwasher?
Cockroaches prefer to live in warm and humid space that has a good supply of food and water. Small roaches prefer to infest homes whereas, the palmetto bug is an accidental intruder. Therefore, an infestation with small roaches should never be taken for granted.
The dishwasher does a difficult job by cleaning the greasy and dirty dishes. Over time the dishwasher accumulates grease. The grease works as glue at sticking food particles to the walls. Once a considerable amount of grease and food build-up, it emits smells that attract roaches.
To make it simple, cockroaches get in the dishwasher because it provides cockroaches with,
- Lot of food in form of grease and stuck food
- Excellent hiding place
- Plenty of moisture and water
- Warmth from the electric circuit board
Read this article to know if your house is infested with roaches: Top 9 Signs of a Cockroach Infestation
How do roaches get in the dishwasher?
When we wash our dishes inside a dishwasher infested with roach, we unknowingly expose dishes to cockroaches and their products that can transmit disease and trigger allergies.
Once a dishwasher gets old, the gasket or the seal around the door becomes fragile and torn out at different points. This allows roaches to get inside the dishwasher easily.
Moreover, a dishwasher is usually kept inside a closed space that allows water to seep between the gaps and helps build heat. All these factors help roaches get in the dishwasher.
A dishwasher with easy entry points, a lot of food, and moisture prove no less than heaven for roaches. Therefore, a new dishwasher is less likely to be infested with roaches than a new one.
Preventing and Getting rid of Roach in dishwasher
Cockroaches trigger allergies and transmit several diseases, including enteric fever. Unfortunately, the dishwasher serves as a bridge between transmitting these diseases to humans by transferring roach products to our cutlery.
Therefore, getting rid of roach in dishwashers should be your top priority. You can do that by following these steps,
Step 1: Fix the damaged seals or gaskets
The first step to effectively control infestation inside a dishwasher is to fix the damaged seal and gasket. If you fail to fix them, do not expect the results.
I recommend you to buy the gasket that complies with the dishwasher model. Someone claiming for a universal gasket is lying. Also, do not use mismatched gaskets because they will fail to fit perfectly.
Step 2: Exterminate roaches inside the dishwasher and the kitchen
Never use insecticide spray to exterminate roaches inside the dishwasher because of the associated risk of poisoning. You should use any of the following methods to kill roaches inside the dishwasher,
Method 1: Gel Baits
Gel baits are very effective at killing roaches inside the dishwasher and kitchen. I recommend Advion Gel Bait over others because of its high potency and long-term effectiveness.
All you need to do is apply a few centimeters of gel baits across the dishwasher and kitchen at multiple locations, preferably around hinges and wait for a few days for the results.
Method 2: Sticky Traps
You can also set up sticky traps to catch roaches. It is also convenient and easy to use. Moreover, it doesn’t have the mess associated with bait use.
I recommend Hot Shot liquid Cockroach Trapper over others because it emits an odor that attracts roaches very well.
Method 3: Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth powder will also help you kill roaches. It is natural and risk-free. All you need to do is sprinkle it around the dishwasher and crevices and wait for the results.
I recommend Harris diatomaceous earth because it comes with a pre-packed duster that helps you reach the powder deep inside.
Step 3: Regularly Clean the dishwasher and area around it
Roaches are attracted to a smelly dishwasher. Therefore you must keep removing the grease on the sidewalls of the dishwasher. For this, scrub the dishwasher with soapy water after using it at least weekly.
Moreover, the area around the dishwasher also needs to be cleaned and kept dry. This is because sometimes, the only reason you fail to get rid of a roach in the dishwasher is failing to kill a thriving roach colony around the dishwasher.
Step 5: Use Roach Repellents to keep roaches at bay
Natural roach repellents such as lavender, clove, and peppermint oil are very effective and safe to use inside the kitchen. All you need to do is mix a few drops of oil in water and spray around the dishwasher and other appliances.
Step 6: Use IGR sparys to prevent roaches from maturing
IGR spray effectively eliminates a whole population of roaches by preventing baby roaches from developing into adults. Therefore once you have successfully killed roaches, use IGR spray to prevent the leftover eggs from turning into adults.
Step 7: Removing the source of infestation
Once you have successfully eliminated roaches, you must remove the source of the infestation, including uncovered door gaps, uncovered garbage bins, and drains.
You may also be getting an infestation from your neighbor. If this is the case, try to talk to them and help them eradicate an infestation.
Additional Read!
Cockroach Smear Marks: How to Identify?
