What Attracts Roaches to Your Home?

What attracts roaches to your home? The one thing that gets them every time is food. Roaches are naturally omnivores that will eat both plants and meat. However those that have learned to live alongside us humans have learned to live the taste of sweet and fatty foods. However in the absence of the typical good they eat, they will not complain about things like glue and even cardboard. One of the best things you can do to prevent roaches is limit their access to food. Use this list of roach food as a guideline.

Fried chicken. Roaches love this stuff too.

Human food

I don't know about you, but I sure can't say no to the sweets, the fats, and the meats. Roaches are the same. Even though we both love the same kind of food, I would love nothing more than to flatten them with my shoe. They also love cheese, and starch as well. The fresh stuff is great, but the stuff that's decaying gets them going even more. The smell really makes their mouth water. Always put your food away and keep them covered. Always keep your trash covered and take them out before they go bad.

Pet food

If you have pets and like to leave food out for your buddy, you're also leaving food out for roaches. From dry pellets to canned stew for your cat, they love them all. Many cat and dog food have very strong smells to them and that will call in the roaches if left out. Dump out uneaten pet food after feeding and wash the bowls.


Everything else

If they can't find what we'd call organic materials to eat such as plants and meats, they settle for less. Cardboard is like steak in tough times and they'll gladly eat it without any complaints. Glue is as good as fresh bread. Pet feces are food to them too. Clean up after your pets, because the roaches will eat it. If the kitchen is empty, they will even make their way to the bathroom and eat the soap and toothpaste. Leather belts, shoes, purses and anything else made from dead skin. They'll even dead dry dead skin from us. Basically if they can chew it, they'll eat it.

When times are really tough, or if it's convenient they will even eat their own kind. The larger adults will sometimes eat the young. Dead roaches become an easy feast for the ones still alive.

These pests just seem like they can eat anything don't they. It's quite true. They can eat both food and non-food items with no problems and no complaints. Keep in mind though that although food is often the reason, it isn't the only thing to consider when asking what attracts roaches.  There are other things like water and suitable living environments. But we will leave those for another time.