Your bedroom should be the most comfortable part of your home. It’s the last place you want to see pests such as cockroaches. But how do you prevent cockroaches in your bedroom?
There are 3 general things you can do – make your bedroom unattractive to cockroaches, close all possible entry points and use repellents.
Make your bedroom unattractive to cockroaches
Your bedroom can be a safe haven not just to you, but also to cockroaches. There are things that make your bedroom more attractive for cockroaches compared to other parts of your home. Here are just some of those things:
- Clutter. All those old junks you refuse to throw away can provide shelter for cockroaches, especially if these junks are compiled into a heap.
- Food and water. You probably eat snacks and water in your bedroom, but unfortunately, these are some of the biggest attractors of cockroaches.
- Grime. Soda spills and wall stains can attract cockroaches too because of their water content.
Here are some things you can do with these cockroach attractors:
- Throw away the clutter or store them properly. Dispose of the things you don’t need or at least store them in a container that it isn’t easily infiltrated, like a glass or metal case.
- Clean up after eating and drinking. It will probably be hard to convince you not to eat in the place where you sleep. But there should be some compromises. If you do decide to eat and drink in your bedroom, make sure to clean up afterwards. And no, don’t just throw them away in your bedroom trash bin. They are still going to attract cockroaches that way.
- Keep your bedroom tidy. Wipe all the surfaces – your bedside table, shelves, study table, and everything else. Mop your floor too and wipe the walls if necessary. You don’t want grime to build up in your bedroom. Nothing is more attractive to a cockroach than an unkempt space.
Close all possible entry points
Even if your bedroom is the cleanest one in the world, it can still be at risk of a cockroach infestation. You have to close all possible entry points, so cockroaches have no way of getting into your bedroom. Here are their most common entry points:
- Cracks and holes. Infrastructural damage like cracks in the walls and holes that lead outside are great passageways for cockroaches.
- Doors and windows. Doors and windows that lead to the outside of your home are more likely to put you at risk than the ones that lead to other parts of your home.
- Vents. There are gaps between your air vents and there may be holes in the screens inside them.
Here are some things you can do with these cockroach entry points:
- Use caulk on cracks and holes. Use a caulking gun to seal the cracks and holes in your bedroom. If caulks are not appropriate for the material of your bedroom, make sure to do your research so you can use the right sealants.
- Keep the doors and windows closed. This may be an obvious tip, but many people don’t close them. Some are more innocent and just forget to close them. But closing doors and windows are not enough. You have to put weather strips on their edges too. Your doors and windows may have small gaps on the edges. These gaps are still likely big enough for cockroaches to fit.
- Vents. Check the screens inside your vents. There may be holes in there. If you do see holes, use duct tape as a temporary solution. You can replace it later.
Use repellents
Prevent cockroaches in your bedroom by using repellents. Take note that repellents only “repel” cockroaches. They don’t kill the pests. If you want to kill cockroaches, you are better off with government-controlled pesticides.
Repellents are at their most useful when used only to prevent infestations, not when there is already an infestation going on in the home.
Here are some interesting repellents and how to use them around your bedroom.
Essential oils
Most repellents don’t have research to back up their claims. Their claims are mostly from anecdotal evidence from other homeowners. Many homeowners say that essential oils make cockroaches turn around and leave. The most potent among these essential oils are:
- Cypress
- Eucalyptus
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Tea tree
Choose one of these essential oils and mix a few drops with water or vinegar. Put the resulting mixture in a spray bottle and spray on possible entry points. Also spray on the parts of your bedroom where you think cockroaches can nest, like your cabinet or pile of clutter you don’t want to throw away.
Herbs and spices
Many homeowners also say that some herbs and spices are good cockroach repellents. Cockroaches don’t like their strong scents. The most effective among these herbs and spices are:
- Bay leaves
- Garlic
- Mint
There are other less potent alternatives like cinnamon and pandan leaves, but many homeowners say that their scents are not strong enough to repel cockroaches. The pests may not like their scents, but they are not going away just because of them.
Choose one of these herbs and spices and place them in a bowl. Put the bowl on possible entry points to deter cockroaches. You can also put them near areas near the parts of your bedroom where you think cockroaches can nest.
Lemon
Read any home remedy article for any kind of pest across the internet. You will notice that lemon is a recurring recommendation of many professional pest controllers and amateur enthusiasts. It is true that lemon has great properties that kill bacteria, germs, and mold. But this doesn’t mean that you should rely on these properties to solve your pest problem.
Lemon is best used only as a complement to your chosen pest control method. It also helps that it has deodorizer and disinfectant properties that can deeply clean your home.
If you want to use lemon as a repellent. Combine lemon juice with some water and spray on the entry points and possible nesting areas.