Cockroaches are among the most annoying and disgusting creatures that can enter your home, contaminate food and spread bacteria.
They are not just disgusting; they pose a serious health threat, especially to people with asthma. So, if you are wondering if these pesky insects can infest your refrigerator, the answer is yes.
You put your favorite drinks, and food inside the fridge to keep them fresh for a long time and extend their edibility. As such, it should be germ-free and safe for your food.
However, your fridge can also house roaches. The fan, motor, and food particles near the fridge make it a perfect place to host a cockroach infestation.
Keep reading to understand how roaches enter your fridge, survive, and how you can get them out of your fridge.
How Do Roaches Get in Refrigerators?
Roaches are thin creatures and can get in refrigerators through the gaps in the door, especially if the rubber seal is loose.
They can also get inside your fridge through any opening left by the lower components of your fridge. In addition, any cracks or crevices in the outer shell can be an excellent entry point for roaches.
Once they enter your fridge, roaches survive the cold temperatures. Also, their egg capsules can endure the cold temperatures of the fridge for months.
Food kept in your fridge plays a significant role in luring roaches. Roaches will smell the food; if they don’t get it, they will go for a more readily available option.
However, food with strong smells, like sugary foods, will attract cockroaches even more. Additionally, roaches can be attracted to your fridge in search of moisture that can be in abundance if there is a leak.
Read More: What Foods Do Cockroaches Eat?
Fridge leaks might result from a frozen water supply line, old or worn-out water lines, blocked defrosting drain, or broken water lines.
Any of the following areas can offer an entry point for roaches.
Worn Gasket
The fridge gasket is the lining that goes around your fridge door. This seal ensures an accurate flow of air in your fridge.
However, the gasket is made of rubber, and like any other fridge component, it is bound to wear, creating spaces between the fridge and the door.
When the gasket deteriorates, the food smells from the fridge get let out and lure roaches to the fridge.
Spaces Between Components
Roaches are resilient creatures. So, it doesn’t matter how sealed your fridge door is; they will find a way to get into your fridge.
For example, roaches can squeeze into your fridge through the outer shell, mainly when the metal plates are loose.
Besides, if you have an old model fridge, there are greater chances that roaches will enter the fridge. This is because old fridges don’t have their gears behind the outer shell.
They will enter the fridge through gaps around:
- Coils
- Fan
- Condenser
- Condensation drain pan
Unshut Doors
Sometimes, you might be in a hurry and fail to shut the fridge door tightly. This might not seem like a big deal, but roaches are flexible insects and will squeeze themselves through.
Besides, roaches can run so fast that they already have access by the time you are back to close the door.
Can Cockroaches Live Inside the Refrigerator?
Yes, roaches can live inside the refrigerator. While cockroaches prefer a warm and moist climate, they can survive cold temperatures,
These insects are believed to survive even in temperatures as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit but will mostly die if the readings drop to the negatives.
In addition, even if you manage to kill cockroaches inside your home, the egg capsules will stay intact for up to sixty days in the fridge.
Besides, these annoying pests can find a heat source in or near the fridge where they will warm their bodies, feed, hide, breed, and poop.
Because the fridge generates a lot of heat, you are more likely to find roaches hiding near motors and any other component that generates heat.
Do Roaches Like Freezing Temperatures?
No, cockroaches don’t like freezing temperatures; they are cold-blooded arthropods and won’t survive well in frigid temperatures.
However, if your fridge is roach free, it doesn’t mean that the roaches are afraid of the cold temperature. Instead, the fridge might be sealed correctly, and the roaches have another food option.
Otherwise, roaches are not afraid of the cold temperature; they are just deterred by it.
In addition, most roach species prefer warmer and humid climates and will function best under these conditions.
For example, German cockroaches survive well in temperatures up to 91 degrees Fahrenheit. They will breed, feed, and stay active under these conditions.
However, German cockroaches will find an area in your fridge where they can survive. They can group and stay near heat-generating components in your fridge.
That said, roaches will be discouraged by the cold temperatures in your fridge. However, if there is an entry point they can use, the lower temperatures won’t bother them at all.
Read More: Remove German Roaches Fast
Getting Rid of Roaches in a Refrigerator
Now that you know how roaches can enter your fridge and live there, it is time to get rid of them.
While you might have searched for entry points or signs of a roach infestation near or in your fridge to no avail, there are ways to get rid of roaches in the fridge.
Additionally, the methods you will use will require some amount of persistence and care to avoid destroying your fridge or making it hazardous for your food.
Avoid placing the substance in the fridge when using insecticidal dust to kill roaches. Remember that the leftover residue will linger long after cleaning the entire fridge.
Use Homemade Remedies
Home remedies can be an excellent way to eliminate roaches in your fridge if you don’t like dealing with harsh chemicals or have kids and pets.
Some remedies you can use include:
A Mixture of Sugar and Borax
Borax is a cleaning product that eliminates stains, mildew, and mold around the house. However, this powdery white substance can also be used to kill roaches.
Borax kills roaches by drying their outer shell and eventually killing them. If you don’t have this substance, mix sugar with baking soda or boric acid and scatter it where cockroaches frequent.
Crushed Cucumber
Roaches despise the smell of cucumbers. When crushed, cucumbers release compounds that repel 90 percent of cockroaches.
To use crushed cucumber to get rid of the cockroach infestation, peel them and crush them into a fine paste. Place the paste in a can and put it in your fridge.
Essential Oils
Essential oils have been used as natural repellents for many years because they have strong scents roaches hate.
In addition, according to a 2007 study published by the Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, kaffir lime essential oil proved 100 percent effective at repelling German and American cockroaches.
In addition, you can use peppermint oil to get rid of roaches. Just mix ten drops of it in 2 cups water and use the mixture to wipe down surfaces where roaches like to visit.
Get Professional Help
If you have tried all the above tips to eliminate roaches in your home, but they are still there, it might be time to get professional pest control. An expert will remove cockroaches from your fridge and ensure they leave your house for good.
Get Rid of Cockroaches in Your Refrigerator
The refrigerator houses all your favorite foods and drinks; as such, you don’t want to see roaches in there.
However, these insects are thin and can squeeze into tiny gaps in the door and any crack or crevices in the metal plate on the outer shell.
To prevent an infestation, ensure the fridge is clean, seal any openings or spaces around electrical outlets, use traps, baits, and homemade remedies, and get professional help in case of a serious infestation.
