How to Get Rid of Cockroaches in Microwave

Have you ever seen roaches crawling in your microwave? Well, as ghastly as it sounds, they do exist and despite maintaining the best of hygiene, these creatures make their way to microwaves making it crucial to find some solutions to keep them at bay.

How Do Cockroaches Reach Your Microwaves?

Cockroaches are notorious for infesting nooks and corners of the house giving it a ghastly appearance. And creating unwanted encounters when you reach for food in the middle of the night when hunger pangs call.

Roaches usually look for dark, damp corners to hide. This type of setting provided a perfect opportunity for roaches to survive and thrive and multiply. A microwave, therefore, becomes the perfect environment for roaches to reside.

In most homes, microwaves are a part of the kitchen. This means a steady supply of food and water and other stuff that makes it easier for roaches to multiply. You will find cockroaches thriving in microwaves that are cleaned rarely and have crumbs of food stuck to them or are too greasy and unclean.

This type of microwave surrounding is ideal for cockroaches to multiply and have a feast in. A tip that may be helpful is if you see roaches in microwaves, it is highly likely that it has laid eggs in your electronic appliance and you need to give it a thorough clean.

How Long Can a Cockroach Survive in a Microwave?

It is a myth that all parts of the microwave are functional at all times and they emit heat that must be sufficient to kill roaches crawling around. There are parts of the equipment that are not hot at all times and remain cold even if you are using the microwave to warm a dish.

The cockroaches are smart creatures and they seek out these parts to hide while you get done with your business.

Cockroaches are also incredibly low on water molecules in their body which is why heat does not have a profound impact on them and they come out unscathed during the heating process.

If you are not cautious or take steps to eradicate them from your microwave, cockroaches can survive in a microwave for a really long time. In fact, they can survive indefinitely in a microwave.

Why Is It Important to Get Rid of Cockroaches from the Microwave?

Cockroaches produce secretions from their body glands and their mouth, as per the World Health Organization. This, of course, makes them carriers of viral and bacterial diseases that can reach you through food.

Besides, the presence of cockroaches is also harmful to the microwave itself and roaches can corrode the wiring and parts of the microwave. In addition, the egg and feces buildup of cockroaches can interfere with the day-to-day functioning of the microwave.

Cockroaches are hungry creatures and in the absence of a steady supply of food may munch on the wires of your microwave, making it susceptible to fires and sparking. This may lead to serious damage to the microwave and your kitchen.

In case you spot a cockroach in your microwave, do not make the mistake of letting them be. Instead, jump to action and take steps to deal with the situation and chide them away!

How to Get Rid of Cockroaches from the Microwave?

As overwhelming as the situation may be, there are steps that can be taken to chide cockroaches away from the microwave. Here are a few interventions that you can make to keep your microwave cockroach-free!

Keep Your Microwave Clean

This may seem obvious but this is hardly the case, especially with people who live alone, work erratic hours, and are not regular with cooking. But unfortunately, this is non-negotiable. Not only would regular cleaning keep roaches away but also a host of other organisms that thrive in unkempt kitchens.

No food crumbs, oil spillage, or grease should be allowed to accumulate in the microwave for long. Make sure to clean the microwave as soon as you are done warming the food. It is not only easier to clean after every use but also faster and requires less effort when done regularly.

Citrus cleaning agents can be your best bet as you navigate cleaning a microwave. Cockroaches are allergic to the smell of lemon and other such cleansing agents. Bleach should be avoided as it could lead to damage to the microwave and shorten its shelf-life.

Follow these steps to clean your microwave:

• Mix white vinegar with water and add lemon slices to increase its potency.
• Now place this bowl inside the microwave and turn it on at the highest power setting. Slowly, you will see steam accumulation in the microwave.
• You can turn the microwave off and wipe the steam using a clean cloth. Your microwave is good to use now and you can be assured that roaches will stay away.

The glass tray needs special attention. You may clean it using the following steps:

• Take a big bowl and fill it with water. Add a potent dish cleaner to the water and mix it thoroughly.
• Soak the tray in the bowl of water and let it stay for a while.
• Once you are satisfied that the tray has been soaked sufficiently, take it out and scrub it well.
• Clean the tray using a brush and wipe it dry. Once this is done, put it back in the microwave.

The last part of the microwave that needs attention and where you will see cockroaches crawling includes the door. Yes, do not leave the door unattended. Here are the steps you can follow to clean the door:

• A mixture of water and baking soda works well to clean the microwave door.
• Do not leave any part unattended. Sponge clean the entire door properly.
• Once that is done, spray the microwave door with a grease-cutting cleaner.

Make sure your hard work does not go to waste at any time. Hence, do not allow debris and food accumulation in the microwave at any time.

Try Dust Traps

Dust traps are one of the most feasible methods to get rid of cockroaches. Once you have cleaned your microwave using the above steps, you will see roaches migrating out of the cockroach in search of a safer haven.

Use this opportunity to trap them using dust traps. These are readily available in the market or you can even browse online. Try applying them to the surrounding area for better results. Apply it around the microwave to trap the cockroach as soon as it makes its way out.

Bait Traps

Bait traps work well to contain the spread of cockroaches. Place them around the microwave so that their smell attracts them to the trap and they get poisoned. These are also easy to use. All you need to do is replace these traps and throw them once they have trapped their target.

Once you stop seeing cockroaches on this bait trap, you can take a sigh of relief because you are nearing the end of the program.

Use Peppermint

You can spray the indoors and outdoors of the microwave with peppermint oil because that is a natural deterrent to cockroaches.

Seek the Services of an Expert

Though DIY methods can be used as the first step of intervention in tracking and trapping roaches, sometimes these may not be enough.

If there are a lot of cockroaches, you may need to take the services of an expert to get rid of them in the form of detailed pest control.

Precautions to Take While Getting Rid of Roaches in Microwave

If you are taking the services of an expert to get rid of roaches, you don’t have to worry about precautions as they know what they are doing. You just need to contract the work to someone good and trust them to weave their magic.

If you are using DIY methods, you need to take the following precautions while cleaning the microwave:

• Make sure to wear all necessary safety gear while cleaning. These include gloves while dealing with chemicals to clean or scrub the microwave.
• Wear a mask so that you don’t end up inhaling any fumes that are emitted while cleaning.
• Never clean the microwave when it is switched on. The power should be off till you finish the cleaning.
• Be sure of the chemicals you are using to clean the microwave because they may indirectly impact the food that you eat.

The Final Word

Cockroaches can be a real nuisance to microwaves and can spread infections and look unpalatable. Unfortunately, even the cleanest of kitchens can sometimes have a cockroach infestation. The good news is that they can be dealt with if you intervene at the right time.

Use the above DIY steps to chide those roaches away and you shall see a major improvement in your kitchen cleanliness. Above all, keep your microwave clean at all times so that you can reduce the presence of cockroaches!