Cockroaches are one of the most hated pests in the world. They’re also one of the most common, and they don’t discriminate based on where you live or how clean your house is.
Cockroaches are attracted to food but will also eat anything else they find lying around including book bindings and cardboard boxes that haven’t been opened in awhile (yuck).
If you want to keep cockroaches out of your home, there are plenty of ways to do so without resorting to chemicals or traps:
| Key Takeaways from “How to Keep Cockroaches Away at Night” |
|---|
| Prevention is crucial in deterring cockroaches from entering your home. |
| Ensure that your sleeping area is free of potential entry points such as cracks, gaps, or holes. |
| Invest in airtight food containers and dispose of garbage regularly. |
| Maintain good hygiene practices and keep your sleeping space clean and clutter-free. |
| Use natural deterrents like essential oils or cucumber slices to repel cockroaches. |
| Set up sticky traps or use a bug spray to capture and eliminate any cockroaches present. |
1. Keep Your House Clean
The first thing you can do to keep roaches away is keep your house clean. When you are living in a clean environment, it’s less likely that cockroaches will be attracted to your home.
- Keep the kitchen and bathroom clean.
- Clean up food crumbs and spills immediately.
- Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink for days on end; wash them as soon as possible so they’re not sitting out and attracting pests (or making you feel like a slob).
- Don’t leave food out: during dinner, when having snacks at night, or whenever else food is left out for any length of time in an area where cockroaches can access it.
- Do not leave food in the refrigerator or pantry; if there isn’t any reason why something needs to stay cold or dry (like fruit), get it out of there ASAP!
When it comes to cockroach infestations, prevention should always be the first line of defense. Take a look at our article on 15 Effective Ways to Get Rid of Cockroaches in your home to learn more about how to proactively avoid a problem before it starts
2. Put Some Boric Acid on a Jar Lid
Boric acid is a safe, natural insecticide. It’s often used to kill cockroaches by creating an uncomfortable environment for them to live in.
By mixing boric acid with water, you create a solution that looks like honey and makes it easy for you to apply it around the house. You can buy boric acid at your local grocery store or hardware store—it’s available in powder form and comes in both large containers and small containers (useful for travel).
For added effectiveness, try putting some boric acid on a jar lid as bait. The cockroaches will eat it while they’re out looking for food at night, which will kill them before they have time to reproduce or spread disease through your home!
3. Seal Off Cracks and Openings
The best way to keep cockroaches away at night is by sealing off cracks and openings. Cockroaches can squeeze through some openings that are just about the width of their bodies, so it’s important to seal off all small spaces where they may be able to get into your home.
If you have a crack or opening in your wall or ceiling, you can use weather stripping around the edges to make sure that there aren’t any gaps that would allow roaches through into your house.
If there’s already weather stripping on the edges of a door frame, check that it hasn’t become worn down over time, as this could be allowing insects inside. If there are gaps around electrical outlets and switches, cover them with tape; even if they’re not large enough for crawly critters to fit through, they still provide access points for bugs like ants and silverfish!
You should also check under appliances such as refrigerators and stoves as these areas often contain things like food crumbs that attract pests like flies or cockroaches who enjoy feasting on human leftovers (ew).
Likewise, if there are holes beneath sinks then fill them up with silicone caulk – this will prevent insects from being able to get into those places too!
4. Sweep and Mop Regularly
It’s important to keep the floors of your home clean, especially if there are pets in the house. As you know, cockroaches love food and will go anywhere they can find it.
Regular sweeping and mopping will help prevent dead cockroaches from lying around on the ground where they might attract more roaches to your home.
If you see that there are already dead cockroaches on the floor (or if you just want to be proactive), vacuum them up immediately so as not to attract any more of their kind into your home!
5. Sprinkle Baby Powder In a Circle of Protection
- Sprinkle baby powder in a circle of protection.
- Sprinkle baby powder where you don’t want cockroaches.
- For example, sprinkle baby powder around your bed or couch to keep those nasty bugs away.
- You could even sprinkle it around the perimeter of your kitchen if you’re really feeling bold!
Are you tired of seeing cockroaches crawling around your house? Fear not, there are ways to keep them out for good. Read our article on How to Keep Cockroaches Out of Your House to uncover some easy and effective methods to keep those pesky critters away.
6. Use a Bay Leaf to Repel Cockroaches
There are many natural ways to repel cockroaches. One of them is using bay leaves, an ingredient that has been used for centuries to repel pests from homes and gardens.
Bay leaves act as insect repellent, so placing them around your house will discourage roaches from coming near you or your belongings.
To use bay leaves for cockroach control:
- Place the fresh or dried leaves in areas where you’re seeing roaches (such as on your countertops).
- Keep a small bowl of dry bay leaves in each room where they are most common (kitchen cabinets and pantries).
- Make a tea with boiling water and add one tablespoon of dried crushed bay leaf per cup of boiling water; allow steeped mixture to cool before pouring over the topside of fruit trees outdoors at dusk each day until all signs disappear.
7. Get Rid of Food Around Your Bed
One of the most common ways to attract cockroaches is by leaving food out overnight or throughout the day.
They love to feast on pet food, garbage, and leftover scraps from your kitchen counter. If you have a pet, keep their food in a sealed container at all times so that roaches don’t get into it.
Make sure to do the same thing with other foods around your home as well such as cereal boxes or granola bars!
Also keep in mind that no matter how hard you try not to leave any crumbs behind on your kitchen counters or table tops during dinner parties (which are always fun), cockroaches will still come for those treats anyway because they are just too curious about what humans eat (or at least what we throw away).
Therefore if there’s anything left over after dinner parties then simply clean up all remnants of food from these surfaces before going back into bed so that roaches aren’t tempted into coming out again once everyone goes to sleep later in the evening hours.”
Spotting a cockroach in your room can be alarming and unpleasant, but identifying the problem quickly is crucial to preventing a larger infestation. Learn how to find these pests in our informative guide, How To Find A Cockroach In Your Room, and take action against these unwelcome visitors
8. Use Ammonia to Repel Them
You can also use ammonia to repel cockroaches. Mix 1 part of ammonia with 3 parts water, then spray it around your home.
Ammonia is a good option because it’s a strong, pungent smell that many insects find unpleasant.
However, you should be careful not to use too much as this could cause an overpowering scent that is too strong for people as well as roaches!
9. Diatomaceous Earth Works Against Roaches
Another option is to use diatomaceous earth, which is a powder made from fossilized diatoms. It works similarly to boric acid the small size of the particles allows them to get under the insect’s shell and dehydrate it. In addition to killing cockroaches, it also has many other uses around your home:
- Use it as a natural pesticide for both indoor and outdoor plants
- Apply it in your garden soil (it helps prevent grubs)
- Use it as an exfoliant on your face or body
10. Get Them With a Coffee Trap
If you’ve tried everything else and the cockroaches are still coming back, it’s time for some old-fashioned traps.
You can make one by placing coffee grounds in a container with water and leaving it near where you saw the roaches last night.
The caffeine in the coffee will attract them and when they come to investigate, they fall into the trap.
You can also use this trap at night if you want to keep roaches away from your bedroom before bedtime because it won’t scare off family members who might get upset by seeing cockroaches running around during the day (especially if they’re kids).
Getting rid of cockroaches can be daunting, especially if you’re not sure where to start. Fortunately, our article on How to Remove Cockroaches from House provides simple yet effective steps to rid your home of these pests for good.
11. Place Lemon Peels Near Your Bed
If you have a problem with cockroaches in the bedroom, try placing lemon peels near your bed. Lemon is a natural insect repellent and can be placed under furniture, in drawers and cupboards, on shelves, and in closets to help keep the roaches away.
If you don’t like the smell of the lemon peels (they are very strong!), you can use vanilla extract instead.
12. Peppermint Oil Repels Roaches
Peppermint oil is a natural insect repellent that can be used to repel cockroaches and other unwanted pests.
Peppermint oil works by confusing the antennae of these insects, causing them to avoid areas where it’s present. To use this method, simply add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water and shake well before applying it around places where you want cockroaches to stay away from.
You can also put some in an oil diffuser for added effectiveness – just remember not to use too much!
13. Citronella Oil Repellent Keeps Cockroaches Away From Your Bed
Citronella oil is a natural insect repellent that’s used to keep mosquitoes and other bugs away. You can spray around your home to repel cockroaches.
14. Put Out Some Catnip Around the House to Keep Roaches Away From Your Bedding
If you want to keep roaches away from your bed, catnip is the answer.
Catnip is a member of the mint family and shares many characteristics with mint and other herbs.
Cats love it because it smells like garlic and mint, but unlike those two herbs catnip will not make you smell bad. It’s also an insect repellant so it will help keep cockroaches away from your bedding at night.
You can grow catnip in your garden or buy it at your local store (it’s also good for cats).
If you’re searching for natural ways to keep cockroaches away, look no further. Our article on How to Keep Cockroaches Away Naturally has some easy and eco-friendly methods you can use to deter and prevent these pesky insects from invading your space.
Conclusion
You now know how to keep cockroaches away at night. You can start by keeping your home clean. If you have any cracks or holes in the wall, make sure they are sealed off.
Sprinkle some baby powder around your bed frame and put down some diatomaceous earth on a jar lid to repel roaches from coming into your room at night.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources you may find useful for keeping cockroaches away at night:
How to Keep Roaches Away While You Sleep – This blog provides practical tips for deterring cockroaches from entering your sleeping area.
How to Keep Cockroaches Away at Night – Discover some simple yet effective methods to prevent cockroach activity in your bedroom.
How to Keep Cockroaches Away at Night – Learn how to eliminate potential entry points and create an inhospitable environment for these nighttime crawlers.
FAQs
How do I prevent cockroaches from entering my bedroom at night?
Ensure that all windows and doors are securely closed and sealed. Keep your bedroom free of clutter and food debris, and wipe down surfaces regularly. Consider using sticky traps or bug spray to deter them from entering.
What are some natural ways to keep cockroaches away at night?
Using essential oils such as peppermint or lavender is a natural way to repel cockroaches. Placing cucumber slices, bay leaves, or coffee grounds around the bedroom can also be effective.
Can cockroaches crawl into my bed at night?
While it is unlikely that cockroaches will crawl into your bed, they can still harbor on your sheets, pillows, or upholstery. It is essential to keep your sleeping area clean and free of debris.
How do I know if I have a cockroach infestation in my bedroom?
If you notice small black or brown droppings in your sheets or around your bed, this could be a sign of a cockroach infestation. Additionally, if you see any live insects crawling around your sleeping area, it is best to call a pest control professional right away.
How often should I clean my bedroom to prevent cockroach activity?
It is advisable to clean your bedroom daily or at least twice a week to prevent cockroach activity. Keeping surfaces clean and free of clutter will deter these insects from visiting your sleeping space.
Hello! I’m Hellen James, and I write about how to keep pests from invading your home. For the last 10 years, I’ve been working in pest control and am excited to share my expertise with you!
