That would be the first sign of a possible infestation because you don’t know how many were able to crawl through the drain into your house when you were not watching. They live in your drain because they have easy access to food and water.
The roaches can lead to bacterial infections and asthmatic trigger attacks. Getting rid of them can be a challenge because they can survive the harshest conditions. In this article, we discuss how you can stop cockroaches from coming up your drain. Therefore, if you find roaches in your drain, take the following precautions to control them.
How to Stop Cockroaches from Coming up the Drain?
Identify Where They Come From
Cockroaches are very hardy animals. To prevent roaches up your drain, you first need to know where they come from. Follow the connection of your drain and try to find out their source. It could be the main septic tank or a leak on the drain pipes.
If it is a leak, use cement or duct tape to cover the entry point. If you think the main septic tank is the cause, you need to alert professionals because dealing with septic tanks is dangerous.
Eliminating Water Sources and Entry Points
Water is the essential survival commodity for any living creature. When you eliminate all the water sources in your drain, the cockroaches will find the living conditions a hurdle. Standing water tends to attract these creatures. Therefore you need to cover all the holes or points where stagnant water rests.
Use duct tape to cover cracks around the pipes and silicon or even cement to cover larger cracks. By removing any source of hydration, they will seek to find another place with better conditions.
Maintaining Cleanliness
Giving roaches unbearable conditions is the first thing you need to do. But that would all be in vain if you don’t maintain cleanliness. All appliances, counters, and even utensils near drains should always be clean.
Empty your dustbin as frequently as possible so that the foul smell does not attract the roaches again. After every meal, you should clean the utensils and leave the sink as clean and dry as possible.
Trap and Kill the Roaches
This method is one of the easiest ways you can use to prevent roaches up your drain. Apply gel bait on specific parts of the drain. When a single cockroach comes into contact with the gel bait, it can course detrimental effects on the roach family.
When one is contaminated and goes back to the others, they all will die as long as they contact the affected one. The effect goes on and on, and the contamination spreads to all the roaches. However, this method only creates room for other cockroaches to infest.
Related reading: How to Find a Roach Nest
Consult Professionals
Consulting professionals should be your last resort if you think the infestation is out of control. There are several pest control companies available on the internet. Please do your research by checking their testimonials and ratings from previous clients.
Take your time to ask them questions and determine the cause of your drain infestation. You will get the necessary advice on control practices and preventive measures to take to prevent another infestation.
Related reading: How to get rid of waterbugs or sewer roaches
What do You Pour down the drain to get Rid of Cockroaches?
You must clean your drains regularly with chemicals to kill and provide uninhabitable conditions for the roaches. Use foam cleaner to remove grease and other food traces in your gutters.
Bleach also works perfectly and can even kill the cockroaches. However, you need to be careful when dealing with bleach, especially if you have a septic system. The reaction between bleach and ammonia is not something you want happening in your drains.
Cleaning chemicals such as alcohol-based solutions, acetone, and even vinegar should never contact bleach because the results are harmful to your health. When using bleach, pour half a cup into the drain and let it settle for half an hour then run a lot of water to flush it down the drain.
An alternative to using bleach is the use of hot water. Flush some warm water down the sink for approximately five minutes, followed by five cups of boiling water. Mix equal amounts of vinegar and baking soda and use them to clean the drains.
Related reading: How to Get Rid of Heavy Roach Manifestation
How to Prevent the Roaches from Coming Back
Cockroaches have been around humans for a very long time. They always try to find a way to be around humans mainly because of the readily available food and water. They don’t need much to survive and can go for a month without any meal.
It would be best to block the drain by purchasing covers for any opening that leads to the sewers. For instance, cover the outlets in your showers, sinks, and bathtubs.
Ensure all the cracks on drain pipes are covered with tape or cement to prevent any water leakages. Observe high levels of cleanliness by cleaning your utensils and disposing of garbage regularly.
Related reading: Rentokil
FAQ
Why are cockroaches coming up the drain?
What to pour down the drain to kill roaches?
Do roaches come through drains?
Related reading: Why Do Cockroaches Come Out at Night?
