How To Get Rid of Roaches in Dishwasher Door

Roaches are disgusting, and their infestation may be hard to control. You may successfully eliminate their food sources, but killing them is another matter.

When roaches no longer have access to food in your home, they go into hiding.

They move to warm yet dark spaces they can hide in and feed on food scraps. The dishwasher door is one of the many spots these unwanted guests love to hide in houses.

If you have roaches running out every time you open your dishwasher, we’ll teach you how to apply simple deterrent ideas to keep these pests at bay in the next few headings.

The sections below will identify five ways to deter roaches from dishwashers and three ways to prevent them from returning. But before that, let’s answer, “Why do roaches love the dishwasher?”

Why Do Roaches Love the Dishwasher?

Like every living thing, roaches need some basic amenities to survive. They need food, shelter, and water. The dishwasher provides all three.

Now let’s look at these more closely:

1. Food

No matter how well you rinse your plates before putting them in the dishwasher, food particles could still be on them. Roaches can feed on the tiniest piece of food or the faintest streak of sauce.

The roaches would have many particles to feed on with different dishes in the dishwasher. Some food particles may not even make it out of the drain, thus granting the roaches more feeding options.

2. Shelter

Roaches do not just need any shelter – they need something warm and dark. Interestingly, they find the dishwasher door a perfect spot to get both.

They enjoy proximity to food and water yet do not get washed away by the machine.

Aside from the dishwasher door, some roaches hide behind and beneath the dishwasher. These are also dark warm spots.

3. Water

There is no way a dishwasher wouldn’t have water in it. Even when the dishwasher finishes washing, water droplets remain on the dishes and the racks inside the machine.

Roaches can make do with these little drops and multiply greatly.

5 Ways To Get Rid of Roaches in Dishwasher Door

Those little roaches that climb out of your dishwasher whenever you open it can be so annoying.

Not to worry, you can get rid of them through the following ways:

1. Use Powdered Sugar and Boric Acid

If you have noticed roaches crawling in your dishwasher door, you need the right mixture to eliminate them. Combining powdered sugar and boric acid will do the trick.

After mixing both, use a paintbrush or a spatula and line it on your dishwasher’s door. A single coat will be fine. Overcoating the dishwasher will create a thick layer that the roaches will avoid.

The powdered sugar will attract the roaches, but once they eat it, they will die.

2. Use White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar

Roaches hate the smell of vinegar. If you want to frighten them away from your dishwasher door, spray it with a solution made from equal parts white or apple cider vinegar and water.

Trust me – this is one of the best ways to bug-proof your dishwasher door.

You can also make a foaming solution by adding 1/4 cup baking soda to 1/4 cup vinegar. Spray this mixture around your dishwasher door and watch the roaches leave.

As a bonus, this mixture keeps the roaches from returning to your dishwasher door. Spray it regularly around your dishwasher door to keep the roaches away.

3. Use Essential Oils

Essential oils like peppermint and eucalyptus have powerful aromatic qualities that will drive roaches away when they sense them.

Mix ten drops of essential oil with water in a spray bottle and apply it around your dishwasher door.

Use this mixture every day for at least two weeks or until you see no roaches. The smell of the essential oil will waft through your kitchen and give it a fresh scent.

4. Apply Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth, sometimes called DE, is a fine powder of fossilized algae that you can use as an insect repellant.

So, how do you apply it to shut your dishwasher door against roaches?

Sprinkle a liberal amount around the perimeter of your dishwasher door and other areas where you have seen evidence of roaches.

This will help create an impenetrable barrier that they won’t be able to get past.

5. Remove the Door Panel and Eliminate the Roaches

Suppose you still see many roaches, even after trying many preventive methods. In that case, you can remove the door panel to eliminate the roaches. You would have to consult a professional to do this.

This way, they will quickly remove your dishwasher door, kill the roaches, and fix it in no time.

Ways To Prevent Roaches From Entering Your Dishwasher Door

You can eliminate roaches from your dishwasher with the steps above, but that’s not enough. It would be best if you prevented them from returning. The goal is to keep them at bay permanently.

For this, here are three strategies that can help:

1. Ensure the Lining on Your Dishwasher Is Secure

Roaches find their way into the dishwasher door through its cracks and openings. Continuous use allows the rubber lining around your dishwasher door to grow thin and cut.

Check that the lining is secure and change it if need be. You can purchase the lining in any local store and change it quickly.

2. Wash Your Dishes Immediately After You Load Them

Chores can stress you out and leave you feeling overwhelmed, no doubt. Sometimes, especially when you are tired, there is this urge to leave dishes in the dishwasher to nap.

This will not help if you don’t want roaches in or around your dishwasher. Ensure you wash dishes immediately after loading them in the dishwasher.

The worst of it is to leave dishes in the dishwasher overnight. If you store dishes overnight, roaches will have a field day feasting and running around your dishwasher.

However, they will have nothing to feed on when the dishwasher is empty.

3. Clean Out Your Dishwasher Often

Cleaning dishes is no easy feat. Your dishwasher knows that all too well. With constant use, many food particles can enter and even get stuck in different parts of your dishwasher.

Take out time to open your dishwasher and clean it thoroughly. Pay close attention to the corners and the drain. Remove all dirt and leave out the dishwasher machine parts to dry.

Conclusion

Removing roaches from your dishwasher door is no small feat. But with the right tools and knowledge, you can get the stubborn pests out quickly and prevent them from returning.

You can apply diatomaceous earth or a mixture of powdered sugar and boric acid. You may also try out essential oils like peppermint and eucalyptus.

We outlined how to apply these bug repellents above. Follow the tips, and your dishwasher door will be roach-free in no time.