So, you just found a roach sitting on the plate inside the microwave.
Now you are scared and don’t know what to do.
You have a lot of doubts and questions, and of course, you need an instant solution for how to get rid of roaches inside the microwave.
Don’t worry!
We have got your back. With five quick and easy steps, you will instantly eliminate roaches from the microwave oven.
Let’s get started quickly!
Why Cockroaches Hide Inside The Microwave Ovens?
Cockroaches love to stay in dark and warm places, and they find microwaves an ideal shelter.
Also, there is nothing better place than a microwave door where the cockroaches can get their food and water supply from.
And it is why roach infestation is quite common in microwaves as cockroaches find their food, water, and perfect dark place to live.
On top of that, microwaves which are not cleaned for a long time, give the roaches a perfect place to lay eggs and reproduce more cockroaches.
Even though the microwave becomes hot when used but there are still some places where some parts of the machine remain cool.
And when the microwave temperature is too hot to live, roaches shift to the cold place for a while.
So, all in all, cockroaches get a perfect shelter where they can thrive easily; therefore, microwaves become their favorite place to hide.
Can Roaches Infest The Microwave?
Why not!
Roaches can easily live inside or outside the microwave, the common areas where the bugs infest a microwave are inside vents, the door, etc.
Cockroaches are clever insects; they sprint and hide even once you find them around the microwave.
On top of that, roaches are nocturnal insects; therefore, they come out at night when the disturbances and dangers are minimal.
And once they get a warm, humid, and food-sourced area, they will stay there for longer and begin to breed into thousands.
Also, roaches can eat anything; therefore, the food crumbs, including spilled, burned, oils, grease, and splatters, become their food.
Apart from food, the kitchen appliances will provide safety for the roaches to breed and deposit eggs.
A microwave is where all the ticks get marked, which is why cockroaches can quickly infest that food-cooking machine.
Why Don’t Microwave Oven Kill Roaches?
After knowing the microwave is a perfect place to live in, you must be curious to know why don’t cockroaches die in the microwave.
Well, there are two reasons for that:
- First, not all parts of the microwave get hot when used
- Second, cockroaches are clever!
So when you use the microwave, some parts don’t get hot, or in other words, some remain cool.
Therefore, roaches find a cold place and hide from microwave radiation when you use the microwave to make the central area hot for your food.
Therefore, they use their clever strategy to save themselves from the excessive heat in the microwave, which is why microwaves don’t kill cockroaches.
Another possible reason cockroaches survive in the microwave is their body doesn’t contain water molecules.
That means, during the heating process, cockroaches stay undamaged because there is not enough water in their body so that the machine can evaporate them.
Hence, all the reasons combinedly help roaches to survive in the microwave.
Can Cockroaches Damage Microwaves?
A cockroach infestation inside the microwave for a long time can indeed damage it. From eggs to feces, dead cockroaches can damage the internal wiring of the machine.
On top of that, if the microwave is left unused for a long time, roaches can also gnaw on wires, making the whole microwave stop working correctly.
Also, roaches inside a microwave oven can lead to short circuits and fire hazards.
If there are any damaged wires, turning on the microwave can cause a spark, catching fire in contact with flammable objects.
Therefore, you must clean your microwave regularly and check if everything is okay.
However, if your microwave is not working correctly, then ideally, you should get it checked by a repair shop to prevent any electrical issues.
5 Step Guide To Getting Rid Of Roaches Inside The Microwave
Once you observe roaches in your microwave, it is time to remove them permanently. Follow these five steps to eliminate bugs from the microwave.
Step 1: Disassembling The Microwave
It is crucial as you need to disassemble the microwave and remember to disassemble only the removable parts.
If you are not able to do, then you can also take the help of an electrician or expert.
After disassembling, take out the components sensitive to chemicals; you need to keep those parts safe somewhere.
Not to mention, ensure to unplug the microwave first before proceeding to this step.
Step 2: Spraying Bleach Disinfectant
It is time to spray a cleaning agent which contains bleach. You can also use a water solution with two tablespoons of white vinegar.
(Baking soda and water solution is also an option).
Once you got the spraying solution, spray it on all the corners of the microwave and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes.
You can also close the microwave door to let the steam trap inside and help loosen the grease and grimes.
There are a variety of cleaners available online, and you can purchase any of them.
Step 3: Use Insect-Killing Solution
In this step, you need to use an anti-roach spray or insect-killing solution, but to do so, you must take your microwave outside your house.
For instance, you can take it out in the backyard.
Now you must spray the insect-killing solution that you have got. Spray inside the microwave at high volume and then leave it for at least one hour.
Let the insecticide do its work by killing roaches inside. Ensure to keep the microwave away from children this time.
Also, don’t carry out this operation inside your home. Some insecticides are highly toxic, and therefore, you need to keep that away from any human contact, whether it is you or anyone else.
Step 4: Clean The Mess
After using the insecticide, you will find dead cockroaches in the microwave.
Now the step is to clean them. You can also spray the cleaning solution one more time inside the microwave.
After spraying the cleaning solution, leave the microwave for half an hour.
Step 5: Final Cleaning
It is time to clean the microwave finally. You must use a clean cloth to clean the interior walls of the microwave. Make sure to use a clean cloth and clean it accurately.
Also, clean the dead roaches present.
After cleaning for one final time, your microwave should be free from cockroaches and all of the mess these insects might have created.
Also, now your microwave is free from roaches and the remaining germs, bacteria, and dust particles that these roaches might have brought.
Again, a gentle reminder is to do this task outside the home and away from children’s reach.
Note: Perform this task only if you can do it with accuracy and precautions, as using highly toxic chemicals can cause issues to the human body. Also, you must clean the microwave entirely before cooking food inside.
However, if you are unsure how to do this process, I recommend getting the microwave cleaned by an expert or electrician and avoiding doing it yourself.
How To Get Cockroaches Out Of Microwave Oven?
There are a lot of methods by which you can get cockroaches out of the microwave. Some of these are:
1. Boric Powder
Boric powder is one of the most common and easy methods to get cockroaches out of the microwave and catch them to kill or get out of the home.
You need to sprinkle enough boric powder inside and outside the microwave so that roaches should not be left with any other option but to leave that oven.
Also, it is one of the safe methods to do so that you can do it easily without any concern.
Ensure to put the powder in every hole and crease you observe in the microwave. Once you have put enough of it, you must wait for the roaches to come out.
And, once they come out of the oven, you can catch them by picking them up or kill them instantly with squishing.
However, if you don’t know how to get rid of cockroaches after trapping them, you should read this guide: How To Dispose Of Roaches After Catching Them?
2. Mothball Or Peppermint
Cockroaches hate the intense smell of peppermint, mint, pile, etc., so you can use this against them to make them get out of the microwave.
You can also use the mothballs, readily available at the shop next to your door.
Using these alternatives, you can surely get the roaches out of the microwave. And not to mention, these options are indeed safer than commercial disinfectants.
3. Vinegar Solution
This method allows you to clean the microwave perfectly and safely. You all need to heat the water and vinegar mixture until the roaches come out.
Also, you can clean the interior of the microwave with vinegar. And not to mention, this is an all-natural agent, so it is safe.
But ensure to clean the interior when it is not hot and proceed with this method after unplugging the microwave.
4. Commercial Disinfectant
One of the most effective ways to get the roaches out of hiding from the microwave and completely kill them is to use commercial disinfectant.
But remember, commercial disinfectants use highly toxic chemicals.
Therefore, even after cleaning the area carefully, it may leave behind traces of chemicals that may enter your food when you use the microwave.
Hence, it is not a safe option.
However, there is an alternate way. You can clean the microwave interior thoroughly after using the disinfectant spray.
Also, ensure that when you proceed with this option outside your home.
So that, after getting out of the microwave, cockroaches do not hide inside your kitchen.
Apart from this, some gel baits for cockroaches are also available online, which you can use for trapping and killing roaches.
Additionally, when you use any disinfectant spray or chemical, you will prevent it from entering the electrical section of the microwave.
And roaches can easily hide in the electrical section; getting them out from there becomes tricky.
Therefore, the best solution is to unscrew the body of the microwave. You can do it either by yourself or with the help of an expert if you are facing severe insect issues in your microwave.
After unscrewing it, you can clean it or disinfect it with the help of whatever you have.
However, in all that, make sure to use the microwave only when you are sure that your microwave is safe for baking food items after using chemicals.
5. Hire A Professional Exterminator
If you are dealing with roaches that just can’t be eliminated, you need professional help.
Also, when your whole house is the home of roaches, and you can find cockroaches nearly everywhere, you need an expert who can eliminate insects.
A professional expert can pinpoint the source of the infestation and hence eliminate roaches from the root.
On top of that, professionals also have industrial-strength products available, which are not accessible to the public, but it is always better to use organic or natural solutions.
You can search online for the nearest professional help and call a professional exterminator after reading reviews or getting sure.
Once you get a professional expert, you can also ask them to use safe compounds for food or human contact, as harsh chemicals or toxins are not safe for anyone, especially when you have children.
Tips To Prevent Roaches From Microwave
Here are some tips that you can follow to always prevent cockroaches from entering or infesting the microwave oven:
1. Regularly Clean Your Microwave
Roaches stay in the kitchen because they get food and water supply effortlessly.
And, if you regularly cook inside the microwave, some food spills or crumbs may be left inside.
The left food crumbs are what invite the roaches into the microwave.
Therefore, you need to clean the microwave regularly to prevent these roaches.
Even though you are not using the microwave regularly, you need to clean it frequently as it is one of the kitchen appliances. Therefore, even if not used for a long time, it can be a safe place for roaches to hide because it will become a less disturbed area where the danger will be less for them.
Hence, you need to clean the microwave regularly.
You don’t need to use harsh chemicals in every cleaning session; you can use natural and safer cleaning agents to clean the microwave.
2. Inspecting Your Microwave
Roaches can easily hide inside the microwave; therefore, along with the frequent cleaning sessions, you also need to inspect and keep an eye on the microwave if any roaches are hiding there.
Sometimes, people don’t even realize if there is any roach inside their microwave because cockroaches get their food from there and keep hiding in a safe place.
Therefore, along with the cleaning sessions, you can inspect your microwave, especially in deeper areas.
Above that, the better option is to inspect your whole kitchen often so you can know if there are any spots for cockroaches to hide or infest.
After knowing and inspecting those areas, you can quickly take action to stop the infestation even before infestation.
Can Cockroaches Cause Health Problems?
They are not safe, whether it is a cockroach or any other pest in the microwave or kitchen.
Also, they are tough to get rid of, along with an unpleasant appearance around the kitchen.
Cockroaches leave behind various bacteria, and once they attack the food, they infect it.
Therefore, if any roach lives inside the microwave, it spreads the bacteria everywhere.
The bacteria in the food are pretty unhealthy and can be the reason for several diseases, including diarrhea, food poisoning, and many more.
It is why once you see any roach in your kitchen, you need to take immediate action to eliminate them and permanently avoid damage to your kitchen and your health.
FAQs
You can clean your home with a natural or chemical cleaning agent in your microwave from inside and outside.
Apart from this, spray raid, pest control, and disassembling the microwave and getting it cleaned properly by an expert are other solutions to kill cockroaches and get rid of them.
You can use any method to clean your microwave from roaches but ensure to keep it safe for yourself, your children, and food items because harsh chemicals may not be safe.
Microwave has nearly all the factors that roaches love. The microwave has everything from food residues and water supply to a safe region where they can reproduce and lay eggs.
Therefore, roaches get in your microwave.
Cockroaches can survive in microwave indefinitely as they don’t get killed by the radiation or heat microwave produces.
The microwaves have several cold parts where roaches hide and prevent excess heat.
Therefore, even when you leave them dying for heat, they are more likely not to get killed due to their resilient nature.
Final Words
It is scary and annoying to have roaches in your kitchen appliances, but finally, you know the best methods to remove cockroaches from the microwave.
Now, you have multiple solutions for that. And hopefully, after this guide, you will be able to deal with the cockroaches inside the microwave in a better way.
Also read: How To Get Rid Of Cockroach In A Car?