What foods attract roaches the most?

Author: Manuela Howe  |  Last update: Thursday, May 1, 2025

6 Foods That Attract Cockroaches
  1. Sugar. Sugar is the most powerful lure for a roach. ...
  2. Starch. Cockroaches love starches - such as bread, pasta, and rice - so much that they will even eat book bindings which contain starch. ...
  3. Grease. Grease is hard to clean off stove tops, counters and oven hoods. ...
  4. Cheese. ...
  5. Meat. ...
  6. Garbage.

What food is irresistible to cockroaches?

They are especially attracted to starch, sugar, grease, meat and cheese. Decaying food items are particularly delicious for a hungry roach in search of his next meal. These household pests are often attracted to very strong smells, such as garbage or compost, but can quickly find small crumbs or a drop of grease.

What is the number one thing that attracts roaches?

Attractor #1: Food

What attracts cockroaches more than anything is food. Roaches need food to survive. Eliminating access to food can help eliminate a roach problem. Throw away any food that has been left out on the counter.

What smells attract cockroaches?

Cockroaches are most attracted to the smell of garbage and rotting food–one of the biggest reasons they enter homes is in search of food sources. Because of this, it is important to regularly clean your kitchen and remove your trash before it gets too full.

What smell do roaches hate?

What Smells Do Cockroaches Hate?
  • Lavender. One scent cockroaches are known to hate is lavender, which is good news for homeowners who grow lavender plants or keep lavender-scented candles and sprays in their home! ...
  • Citronella. ...
  • Eucalyptus. ...
  • Citrus. ...
  • Garlic. ...
  • Mint. ...
  • Oregano.

What Attracts Cockroaches to Your Home?

What is a cockroaches' biggest weakness?

Cockroaches are blessed with an amazing sense of smell. This is what they use when seeking food and mate but at the same time, this is also their weakness. A cockroach's sense of smell can be used to get rid of them.

How do I get rid of roaches permanently?

Get Them Out!
  1. Remove clutter.
  2. Vacuum well and often. ...
  3. Wash hard washable surfaces with cleanser (ammonia and water works well).
  4. Dust out of sight spaces with boric acid powder. ...
  5. Use roach baits near hiding places like behind pictures and wall hangings, under sinks and undersides of furniture.

What is the best thing to keep roaches away?

Cypress or Peppermint Oil

To utilize peppermint oil as a repellent, a common recommendation is to mix two parts water with one part white vinegar and add 10 drops of peppermint or cypress essential oil. Shake this mix up in a spray bottle then apply the mixture to areas frequented by cockroaches.

What are roaches afraid of?

Peppermint oil, cedarwood oil, and cypress oil are essential oils that effectively keep cockroaches at bay. Additionally, these insects hate the smell of crushed bay leaves and steer clear of coffee grounds. If you want to try a natural way to kill them, combine powdered sugar and boric acid.

What smell indicates cockroaches?

Droppings: Small, black pepper-like droppings in drawers or on countertops signify roach activity. Unusual Smell: A musty, oily odor lingering in your home can indicate a sizable infestation.

Will sleeping with the light on keep cockroaches away?

Leaving the light on doesn't deter cockroaches effectively because they can navigate in low-light conditions. While they're mostly active at night, they may still come out in search of food or water. During the day, cockroaches hide in dark areas not directly exposed to light.

What is the number one killer of roaches?

The best roach killer, based on our research, is the advion 383920 Cockroach Gel Bait; a commercial-grade roach killer set that is easy to use and lasts months after application. It can kill all sorts of cockroaches, including the American and German variety, and it's even safe to use if you have pets or kids.

Do bananas attract roaches?

Apply petroleum jelly to the inner rim of your jar, and add fruit peelings to the jar (bananas, mangoes, or apples do the trick nicely). Place the jar in an area where you have seen roaches before. They'll be drawn to the fruit smell and will crawl inside.

Is there anything that kills roaches instantly?

Ethanol Directly Kills Cockroaches

While white vinegar won't kill those pesky insects, ethanol—also known as common alcohol—will kill cockroaches. Cockroaches are particularly sensitive to ethanol and a direct hit from it will take them down.

What's the number one thing that attracts roaches?

Sugar. Sugar is by far the most attractive substance to a cockroach. They love sugar and can smell it from anywhere. This means you'll want to keep your sugar containers, fruits, and other sweeteners sealed in air-tight containers that are up off the floor.

Why am I seeing big roaches all of a sudden?

Improper sanitation, presence of food and water sources, and favorable living conditions are common causes of roach infestations. Maintaining a clean and hygienic environment, storing food in tightly sealed containers, and promptly cleaning up spills or crumbs can help prevent roach infestations.

Why you shouldn't crush roaches?

Squashing cockroaches can spread these pathogens onto surfaces, increasing the risk of disease transmission to humans. For example, if you squash a cockroach, now the sole of your shoe is contaminated. Wherever you walk next may also become contaminated.

What smell keeps roaches away?

Cockroaches are repelled by the smells of peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, citronella, and cedarwood oils. These scents can be used as natural deterrents to keep them away from your home.

What is the best homemade roach killer?

Baking Soda and Sugar

You just need to Mix equal parts of baking soda and sugar and sprinkle the mixture in areas where cockroaches are likely to be found. The sugar will attract the cockroaches, and the baking soda will kill them when ingested.

What is the number one way to get rid of roaches?

Boric acid: Used correctly, boric acid is one of the most effective roach killers. It's odorless, has low toxicity to pets, and since it isn't repellent to roaches, they will not seek to avoid it, crawling through it repeatedly until it kills them.

Do roaches climb on beds?

Seeing a cockroach crawl across a bed isn't unusual if the insects are already making a home in your bedroom or a nearby bathroom.

How often should you spray peppermint oil for roaches?

DIY spray: Spray the solution in areas prone to cockroach infestation, such as kitchen cabinets, under sinks and around appliances. Apply every few days for the best results.

What is the main cause of roaches?

What causes roaches in houses and apartments? What attracts roaches to a clean house primarily consists of their basic needs: food, water, and shelter, although they are usually brought into houses and apartments on other items, such as luggage or clothing.

What does a roach egg sack look like?

American cockroach

Their egg capsules are roughly ⅓” long and are dark reddish or blackish brown in color. Each ootheca holds about 16 eggs.

Do roaches ever fully go away?

Typically, cockroaches stay away following a treatment or service, but sometimes these pests may return with a vengeance! Keep reading to learn more about recuring cockroach infestations and what you can do to prevent these pests from returning.

Previous article
How to locate a broken sewer line?
Next article
Does low battery make smoke detector go off?