How to get rid and take cockroaches out of the fridge

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

at -5 ° C die after 30 minutes;
at -10 ° C - after 2 minutes

For a comfortable living they also need food and water. Therefore, it is not surprising that insects often choose a refrigerator as a habitat in their apartments. Although it is cool in the refrigerator, the temperature is still positive - from about +3 to +5 ° С. Yes, and cockroaches do not always settle directly inside the device. What are their main locations, which insecticides and alternative methods are most effective in pest control? How to prevent the appearance of cockroaches in the refrigerator?

Where can cockroaches hide inside the refrigerator?

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

behind the compressorcompressing the refrigerant into a gaseous state;
behind the capacitorin which the refrigerant coming from the compressor is converted to liquid, while losing heat to the surrounding medium.

This creates a dry and warm environment that is favorable for pests. In addition, this place is hidden from human eyes, has many different crevices and indentations that make it safe, located next to food and water. Sometimes cockroaches penetrate the device. This usually happens in older devices, in which the sealing gum on the inside of the door wears out over time, adheres less well, and forms gaps between the camera and the door. Insects crawl through them.

What to do if cockroaches appear in the refrigerator

If “intruders” appeared in the refrigerator, you should try to get rid of them as soon as possible, as:

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

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

Preparing the refrigerator for cockroach control

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

Important! Before processing the refrigerator with cockroach remedies, be sure to unplug it!

Necessary actions:

take out all the products;
throw away those that are contaminated with insect feces;
if loose seals are present, replace them with new ones;
remove the shelves, lower drawers, side inserts on the door;
thoroughly wash all removable parts with detergents;
also thoroughly wash the refrigerator and freezer, the outer side and top surfaces, paying special attention to the areas of joints, junctions;
move the device away from the wall;
if available, remove the back cover;
clean the cover as described above;
brush off any dust from the condenser, compressor, other parts, from the entire rear surface.

After performing all these steps, you can proceed with disinfestation.

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

How can I get rid of cockroaches in the refrigerator

Annoying arthropods in the premises are destroyed with the help of chemical preparations (insecticides), special traps and electronic devices, as well as using various folk remedies. Can all of them be used in the refrigerator?

Is it possible to use insecticides, which, how to use it is safe for health

Insecticides are available in various forms:

aerosol spray;
gel;
pencil, crayon;
powder.

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

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

remove flowers;
remove children and animals from housing;
carefully pack or take food to another room.

A person spraying the drug must wear protective equipment: a mask, glasses, gloves, long-sleeved clothing to prevent aerosol from entering the airways, eyes, and skin.

Spray the product throughout the apartment, otherwise cockroaches can hide in cabinets in the kitchen and other hard-to-reach places. After 2-3 hours, you must thoroughly wash the refrigerator and the room, return to the place of food, flowers, pets.

Gels are convenient in application. They:

easy to apply on the work surface, the back of the refrigerator and in hard to reach places;
do not require compliance with the above security measures;
valid for about a month.

Insects eat the bait containing the toxic substance and die.

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

Attention! Insecticidal pencils and crayons should be used with caution when cockroaches are not in the refrigerator lining, behind the back wall, but inside the chamber, since the poisonous substance can get from their bodies to the products.

One of the most effective drugs that help completely get rid of cockroaches for several years is Tiuram. This is a powder or granules of white, grayish-yellow color. Available at online stores. Mode of application:

Take sheets of paper and plastic lids for cans. Pour on them powder (granules) in pure form or mix with raw yolk.
Fold out the sheets and arrange the covers for the refrigerator. Leave for 3 weeks.
After the specified time, exchange funds for a new portion. This must be done to destroy a new generation of pests.

Like aerosols, Tiuram 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 at the time of treatment in the room.

What folk remedies will help against cockroaches in the refrigerator

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

One of the recipes for balls with acid:

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

Put the balls in and around the refrigerator.

An effective means is ammonia. Insects do not tolerate it well. But not all people withstand 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 the external and internal surfaces of the refrigerator, including shelves, door, walls.

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

Next steps:

bring the device into the house;
remove the back wall;
remove dead cockroaches with a vacuum cleaner;
wash all surfaces thoroughly.

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

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

Prevention against cockroaches in the refrigerator

To prevent cockroaches from appearing in the refrigerator, a number of preventive measures must be taken:

Keep your device clean. It is a habit to regularly clean the cameras, wipe the shelves, remove crumbs and stains.
Try not to keep the products open, without packaging. Discard stale, spoiled food on time.
Wipe the walls with a clove of garlic, lemon juice. Put mint leaves on the shelves. Cockroaches do not like harsh, strong aromas.

Even if you managed to get rid of unpleasant insects, there is a risk of their reappearance in the presence of cockroaches in the neighbors. In this case, be sure to pay attention to the ventilation duct. It should have a grid, a fine grid. If it is not, you can close the hole with a piece of gauze. Gauze often needs to be changed or washed.

The appearance of cockroaches in the refrigerator is a very unpleasant phenomenon. You can get rid of them in different ways, choosing for yourself the most optimal option. No less important are preventive measures aimed at preventing their occurrence.