How to Get Roaches Out of Appliances With 5 Simple Tricks

Watching a cockroach crawl out of or enter a beloved appliance is enough to make any homeowner flinch. These dreaded pests are attracted to warm locations like appliances, but the last thing you want to deal with is a cockroach infestation. With these simple tricks for how to get roaches out of appliances, you can outsmart them and send them packing.

Why Do I Have Cockroaches in My Appliances?

Cockroaches are commonly found in kitchens and often enter the home through the sink. Once they're in your kitchen, they'll look for a place to call home and appliances such as the stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher make attractive locations. Aside from kitchen appliances, roaches can make a home in any household appliance such as the washer and dryer, TV, internet router, and other electronic devices. It's even possible for them to take residence in electrical outlets. 

Common causes of finding cockroaches in appliances include:

• Shelter: Roaches can squeeze their bodies through tiny cracks. Appliances typically have small openings around seals, which makes a perfect entry point for all types of cockroaches. 

• Food: Kitchen appliances are frequent sources of food crumbs and residue, making them an attractive spot for roaches.

• Moisture: Many appliances create a humid environment, which provides a cozy spot for cockroaches to breed and camp out.

How Much Does It Cost to Remove Roaches From Appliances?

Removing cockroaches from appliances is a relatively low-cost DIY solution. The price of bait traps ranges between $10 to $20. To use compressed air, you would spend less than $15. If you need to purchase a silicone sealant to fill in cracks in appliances, you could spend less than $20. Overall, the cost to remove roaches from appliances should be no more than $50 if you DIY.

How to Get Roaches Out of Appliances

Removing cockroaches from appliances takes special care and attention. You want to avoid damaging the appliances or risking the health of your family. 

1. Place Cockroach Baits Throughout the Home

Bait traps are one of the most effective solutions to coaxing roaches from your appliances. Cockroaches have a keen sense of smell and will be attracted to the scent the baits give off. Once they eat the gel bait, they pass the poison to other roaches, which effectively kills any that are within your home. Place the baits close to the appliance they've inhabited and other areas within the room.

After about a week, you'll need to go through and clean the appliances. Depending on which one it is, you may need to open it up and clean out any leftover residue, feces, and dead bugs. 

2. Freeze Out the Roaches

An effective method that works with smaller appliances is freezing out the roaches. Wrap the appliance with plastic and place it in the freezer for 3 to 5 days. Roaches thrive in warm climates and the cold temperature will cause them to die. 

It's best to enable this method if you have an extra freezer in your home rather than utilize your family's only icebox. You don't want any food living with the infested appliance, even if it is protected in plastic wrap. Clean and sanitize your freezer thoroughly following this step. 

3. Blow Cockroaches Away

Appliances typically have plenty of nooks and crannies cockroaches can slip into, making it difficult for you to access to clean them. Use pressured or compressed air to blow roaches out of appliances such as computers, gaming consoles, and other small electronic devices. Roaches dislike pressured environments and will vacate their home. 

When completing this step, it's best to perform it outside, if possible. The air won't kill the cockroaches, just coax them out, so they could end up finding another place to make camp inside your home. If you do have to perform this step indoors, set out bait traps nearby. 

4. Perform a Thorough Deep Clean

Both a solution and preventative measure, deep cleaning the appliance and surrounding area is effective at ridding roaches. One of the main reasons a roach has infiltrated an appliance is because it can access a food source, so eliminating any crumbs that it could feed on will create an unwelcome environment. 

For smaller appliances, use items around your house such as Q-tips or a soft washcloth to clean up finer areas to rid them of residue. Some kitchen appliances such as microwaves or toasters can be cleaned outdoors to prevent any little crumbs from falling where they shouldn't. 

5. Seal Cracks in Appliances

Another step that also works as a preventative measure, sealing off cracks in appliances that could be entry points for cockroaches preventing them from accessing the area. Use a silicone caulk on appliances to seal any open areas. In addition to appliances, it's also a good idea to seal any cracks in the walls, floors, or drains where roaches could be entering your home.

How to Prevent Cockroaches from Getting Into Appliances

Ward off a future cockroach invasion by practicing these roach-proofing techniques.

• Ensure there aren’t any food sources available for cockroaches to prevent them from getting into your appliances. 

• Before you go to bed each night, wipe up any residue left on the countertops. 

• Rinse off and clean any dirty pans to avoid leaving them overnight. 

• Avoid leaving caked-up dishes in the sink and put away leftovers in the refrigerator. 

• Remove standing water sources, such as buckets and pet water bowls.

• Eliminate clutter that roaches can hide inside.

• Seal cracks and crevices in walls and doors.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

If you catch cockroaches early, you're at an advantage of removing them from appliances on your own. It's a simple task most homeowners can handle. However, if you have stubborn cockroaches that aren't vacating your appliances or you think you're dealing with an infestation, it's best to hire a local exterminator to effectively rid your home of these pests. Cockroach exterminator cost ranges from $100 to $600 and can offer peace of mind that your home is roach-free.