How to get rid of cockroaches in the refrigerator

The most common pests living near humans are cockroaches. These are cold-blooded insects, whose life activity is largely influenced by climatic conditions. They are thermophilic and feel most comfortable at temperatures from +20 to +28 °C. But they are able to survive at lower temperatures:

• at -5 °C they die after 30 minutes;
• at -10 °C – after 2 minutes.

They also need food and water to live comfortably. Therefore, it is not surprising that insects often choose the refrigerator as their habitat in apartments. Although it is cool in the refrigerator compartment, the temperature is still positive - approximately from +3 to +5 °C. And cockroaches do not always settle directly inside the device. What are their main locations, what insecticides and folk methods are the most effective in controlling pests? How to prevent cockroaches from appearing in the refrigerator?

Where can cockroaches hide inside the refrigerator?

Most often, insects choose a place under the casing behind the back wall of the refrigerator:

• behind the compressor, compressing the refrigerant into a gaseous state;
• behind the capacitor, in which the refrigerant coming from the compressor is converted into liquid, while releasing heat to the surrounding environment.

This creates a dry and warm environment favorable for pests. In addition, this place is hidden from human eyes, has many different cracks and recesses that make it safe, and is located next to food and water. Sometimes cockroaches get inside the device. This usually happens in older devices, in which the rubber seals on the inside of the door wear out over time, fit worse, and form gaps between the chamber and the door. Insects crawl through them.

What to do if cockroaches appear in the refrigerator

If “uninvited guests” appear in the refrigerator, you need to try to get rid of them as soon as possible, because:

1. Upholstered behind the back wall, they can cause various breakdowns. The presence of cockroaches in refrigerator units can even lead to a short circuit.
2. Penetrating inside, cockroaches crawl on the products, soiling them with waste products. This is not only unpleasant, but can also be hazardous to your health.

Before you begin the disinfestation procedure, you need to properly prepare for it.

Preparing the refrigerator to fight cockroaches

After identifying the location of the pests, it is necessary to prepare the refrigerator for disinfection.

Important! Before treating your refrigerator with cockroach repellents, be sure to unplug it!

Necessary actions:

• remove all food;
• throw away those that are contaminated with insect feces;
• if there are loose seals, replace them with new ones;
• remove the shelves, bottom drawers, side liners on the door;
• thoroughly wash all removable parts using detergents;
• also thoroughly wash the refrigerator and freezer compartments, the outer side and top surfaces, paying special attention to the areas of joints and abutments;
• move the device away from the wall;
• if present, remove the back cover;
• clean the lid using the above method;
• Use a brush to sweep away any existing dust from the condenser, compressor, other parts, and from the entire rear surface.

After completing all these steps, you can begin disinfestation.

Reference! When cleaning the refrigerator before treating it for cockroaches, in addition to detergents, you can use aqueous solutions of vinegar or ammonia hydrate (ammonia).

How can you get rid of cockroaches in the refrigerator?

Pesky arthropods are destroyed indoors using chemicals (insecticides), special traps and electronic devices, as well as using various folk remedies. Can they all be used in the refrigerator?

Is it possible to use insecticides, which ones, how to use them safely

Insecticides are available in various forms:

• aerosol, spray;
• gel;
• pencil, chalk;
• powder.

Many manufacturers claim that their drugs are safe for humans. But there is no 100% guarantee that the substance will not subsequently end up on products and will not affect health after some time. Therefore, it is better to treat the outside of the refrigerator with insecticidal preparations, and to treat the inside, use folk remedies that are poisonous to insects, but completely harmless to humans.

Fast-acting and effective chemicals are various aerosols and sprays, for example, dichlorvos. This is a toxic substance, so be sure to take all precautions before use:

• remove flowers;
• remove children and animals from the home;
• Carefully package or remove food to another room.

The person spraying the drug must wear protective equipment: a mask, goggles, gloves, long sleeves to prevent the aerosol from getting into the respiratory tract, eyes, or skin.

You need to spray the product throughout the apartment, otherwise cockroaches may hide in kitchen cabinets and other hard-to-reach places. After 2-3 hours, you need to thoroughly wash the refrigerator and the room, return food, flowers, and pets to their place.

Gels are easy to use. They:

• easy to apply to the surface to be treated, the back panel of the refrigerator and hard-to-reach places;
• do not require compliance with the above security measures;
• are valid for about a month.

Insects eat bait containing a toxic substance and die.

Pencils and crayons are also easy to use - just draw a line with them on the surface to be treated. The principle of operation is that the toxic substance gets on the pest, from which the poisonous powder can be transferred to other individuals and poison them.

Attention! Insecticidal pencils and crayons should be used with caution if cockroaches are found not in the lining of the refrigerator, behind the back wall, but inside the chamber, since the toxic substance can get from their bodies onto the food.

One of the most effective drugs that helps completely get rid of cockroaches for several years is Thiuram.It is a white, grayish-yellow powder or granules. Can be purchased in online stores. Mode of application:

1. Take sheets of paper and plastic lids for jars. Pour powder (granules) on them in pure form or mix with raw yolk.
2. Lay out the sheets and place the lids behind the refrigerator. Leave for 3 weeks.
3. After the specified time, change to a new portion of the product. This must be done to destroy the new generation of pests.

Like aerosols, Thiuram is a toxic substance (hazard class 2), the handling of which requires extreme caution, the use of protective measures, and the absence of children and animals in the room at the time of processing.

What folk remedies will help against cockroaches in the refrigerator

The most popular and safe folk remedy for cockroaches is boric acid. Acid powder is tasteless and odorless, so in its pure form it does not attract insects. It needs to be mixed with something tasty. This could be vanillin, egg yolk, mashed potatoes, etc.

One of the recipes for acid balls:

• boil 1 chicken egg;
• take out the yolk;
• add a little flour, powdered sugar, boric acid;
• to stir thoroughly;
• form balls from the resulting mass.

Place the balls in and around the refrigerator.

An effective remedy is ammonia. Insects do not tolerate it well. But not all people can stand its smell. If ammonia is well tolerated, then you can prepare a simple remedy: take half a teaspoon (10–15 drops) of alcohol per 1 liter of water. When cleaning, treat the external and internal surfaces of the refrigerator, including shelves, doors, and walls.

In winter, freezing can be an excellent method.It will completely get rid of pests for a long time. To do this, you need to take the refrigerator out into the cold and leave it open for at least 3-4 hours. The freezer door also needs to be opened.

Further actions:

• bring the device into the house;
• remove the back wall;
• use a vacuum cleaner to remove dead cockroaches;
• Wash all surfaces thoroughly.

It is advisable to apply a gel, chalk or pencil insecticide.

Advice! After the freezing procedure, do not immediately plug in the refrigerator. Let it stand in a warm room for about 2 hours and only then connect it.

Preventative measures against the appearance of cockroaches in the refrigerator

To prevent cockroaches from appearing in the refrigerator, it is necessary to take a number of preventive measures:

1. Keep the device clean. You need to get into the habit of regularly washing cameras, wiping shelves, removing crumbs and stains.
2. Try not to keep food open or without packaging. Throw away stale or spoiled food supplies promptly.
3. Rub the walls with a clove of garlic and lemon juice. Place mint leaves on the shelves. Cockroaches do not like sharp, strong aromas.

Even if you managed to get rid of unpleasant insects, there is a risk of their reappearance if your neighbors have cockroaches. In this case, you must definitely pay attention to the ventilation duct. There should be a grate or fine mesh in it. If it is not there, you can close the hole with a piece of gauze. Gauze must be changed or washed frequently.

The appearance of cockroaches in the refrigerator is a very unpleasant phenomenon. You can get rid of them in different ways, choosing the most optimal option for yourself. Equally important are preventive measures aimed at preventing their occurrence.