Cockroaches carry many pathogens known to cause diseases, including tuberculosis.

Cockroaches have even been known to hide in children’s ears and to dine on human eyebrows and fingernails while people are sleeping. Gross! Cockroaches are scavengers that will eat almost anything. But they need water to survive. That’s why you’ll often find them in kitchens and bathrooms. The best way to get rid of cockroaches is to avoid getting them in the first place. Don’t leave dirty dishes lying about. Clean your home regularly.

Make sure you don’t have any leaky pipes or dripping faucets as they provide an excellent water source. Caulk or seal holes and cracks in walls, inside drawers and around stoves. Making your home unfriendly to cockroaches is the best way to avoid them. You may have also heard about new “ultrasonic boxes” that supposedly deter roaches. We’re sorry to tell you that dozens of major university studies have shown they do very little.