How to Get Rid of Waterbugs Permanently
Waterbugs are roach-like critters that infest a house, especially around, near, or in sources of water. These are insects that may be difficult to take out of a house they are already inhabiting, but there are some effective ways to drive them out for good. Here’s 15 Ways to get rid of waterbugs permanently:
- Find a way to seal leaks around the house, as the water coming from the leaks could attract more waterbugs to your area. Locate all leaks and have them sealed professionally. You may also do it yourself if the leaks are manageable. This will reduce the presence of waterbugs in a short amount of time, especially when you have taken care of the stagnant water around your home. Also read: How To Get Rid Of Mosquito Larvae In Standing Water
- Remember that places which can store stagnant water like birdbaths, plant saucers and even glasses of water can serve as places to hatch new waterbugs. It is best to empty these regularly, especially during the rainy seasons.
- Waterbugs are also attracted to swimming pools. The best way to fend these insects off your property is to maintain a very clean environment, which may be hard especially during the wet and/or rainy season. If you notice any infestations in your pool, you can mix a few tablespoons of liquid dish soap into your pool water and make sure that you turn the pump off. (The amount of liquid dish soap will differ according to the size of your pool.) One way on how to get rid of waterbugs in your pool is to wait until the bugs die and float to the surface. You can then use the pool skimmer to clear them out.
- Like most insects, waterbugs are also attracted to food. You can lessen the waterbugs in your home if you stop leaving food out in the open. As much as possible, avoid leaving your food on tables, and place them in the refrigerator or sealed containers instead. Pet owners should also be observant about the amount of time they leave food for their pets. Waterbugs and other bugs can be living off the pet food as their food source. By cleaning the pet food regularly, you can reduce the amount of waterbugs found in your area eventually.
- The kitchen is a good place to start cleaning your house from waterbugs. By taking away the bugs’ food stores, you can make the waterbugs leave your house in just a short matter of time. To start, disinfect your kitchen counters as well as the hard-to-reach places. Also pay attention to kitchen appliances, especially the ones that could trap little food particles inside. Use a good quality disinfectant and brush all of these particles off the appliances. Go for your toaster, oven, and other equipment that need to be cleaned out.
- Take out the trash regularly. Garbage cans can be a place where bugs can hatch more bugs, and it will be so much easier for them to live and breed if the trash stays untouched for days. Keeping tight lids on your trash cans can help control the waterbugs from getting inside. Also remember your storage places when looking for more ways on how to get rid of water bugs. Old and rotting cardboard boxes can be used by these waterbugs as hiding places.
- To maintain a waterbug-free home, you may have to make some changes to your current lifestyle. It is not enough to clean up once every few weeks. A regularly cleaning schedule will do the trick, and it is one of the best methods on how to get rid of waterbugs.
- Always clean up every time you eat. If you cannot keep the consumption of food to just one area of your home, wiping off surfaces after every time you eat will help keep the waterbugs away. If you have kids around the house who cannot look after themselves just yet, it may be better to keep them from eating inside their rooms.
- Sweeping the floors and vacuuming dining room surfaces would also help you maintain a more thorough clean. Give extra attention to your carpets and rugs and have them cleaned at least once a year. Also read: How To Get Rid Of Flies Outside On Patio
- Make sure that your house is in tip-top shape at all times. Fixing leaks in your bathrooms, faucets, and ceilings may not be enough to keep the waterbugs out of your house. They may still hide in hard-to-reach places in your home, like cracks in the walls or loose floorboards. Check your house for signs of these and have them professionally fixed if you can. If you need an instant fix, you can also wedge an object, like a piece of paper, in the cracks to give a tighter fit to seal these places from bugs.
- A well-ventilated home may also help reduce the number of waterbugs in your home. A stuffy and damp atmosphere can draw these bugs to your home. Keep your windows open whenever you can and install screens so you can ventilate the home without letting more pests in.
- You may also want to take care of the outside of your house. Holes in concrete can gather water that can be taken advantage of by these waterbugs. You can fill in the deeper holes to prevent another water bugs infestation — doing even just the smallest of repairs is just another helpful way on how to get rid of waterbugs.