Good Lifestyle

The idea of a cockroach infestation in your home can send shivers down the spine of practically anyone. But while staying on top of your dishes, preparing your pantry, and adequately managing your trash can go a long way in keeping the pests at bay, experts warn the kitchen isn't the only room in the house that can be a problem area. Read on to see how one thing in your bathroom could be attracting roaches.

RELACIONADA:If You See This Scary Bug in Your Home, Don't Kill It, Experts Warn.

Maybe you spotted one crawling behind your trashcan. Perhaps you noticed a spiny leg sticking out from behind dry goods in your pantry. Even worse, perhaps you turned on your kitchen lights one night to see them dash across the floor for a hiding space. Whatever the situation may be, finding out your home has become infested with cockroaches can be a seriously unsettling discovery to make.

However, it's not just your food the disgusting bugs are after. According to Terminix, there are 69 different species of cockroaches around the world, with American and German cockroaches being the most commonly found in the U.S. And while both are highly motivated to find a meal, the latter requires much more water to survive, making them just as likely to infest your bathroom as your kitchen.

"Roaches are generally looking for three basic things: Food, water, and a dark place with peace and quiet. Unfortunately, bathrooms technically fit all of these metrics," Steve Durham, propietario deEnviroCon Termite & Pest in Texas, tells Mejor vida.

Without the mess of the kitchen or clutter of the bedroom, bathrooms typically require proper cleaning more than they do overall tidying. But according to experts, keeping your toilet and shower area unkempt could be a surefire way to attract roaches. Even items such as damp bathmats, wet towels, and laundry piles can give them a source of water and a place to hide. If you're noticing more pests in between showers, make sure to empty your hampers or hang your linens to dry.

RELACIONADA:For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.

At first blush, the trashcan in your bathroom may not seem nearly as enticing to a cockroach as the bin in your kitchen filled to the brim with scraps of food. But according to experts, neglecting to empty them frequently could be creating a place for them to get comfortable, especially if they don't have a lid.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

"The trash cans located in your bathroom might be the reason that you're seeing an increase in cockroaches there," Richard Estrada, propietario deATCO Pest Control, tells Mejor vida. "Always make sure to take these out frequently since the garbage makes an excellent place for roaches to hide out. They can sneak into the dark crevices in between trash only to come out at night, and with easy access to water and food in your bathroom, it's the perfect place for them to live."

Experts suggest tidying up even seemingly small messes whenever you got to change the trash—even if it's something that doesn't seem like it could be appealing to a cockroach. "Ensure that you're cleaning up any toothpaste, soap, or sanitation products, as well as cleaning your toilet because roaches will use anything like a free meal," Durham warns.

Besides denying them access to food and hiding places, keeping cockroaches at bay means making sure they don't have anything to drink, either. Sometimes, this can involve taking care of any longstanding maintenance issues plaguing your sink, toilet, shower, or bathtub.

"When looking through your bathroom, ensure there is no standing water to act as a water source for cockroaches," Donnie Shelton, propietario deTriangle Pest Control, tells Mejor vida. "Ensure you don't have a leaky faucet that creates pools of water for roaches or a leak from your toilet that allows a convenient watering hole for these pests."

Y no solo las fugas: las brechas entre las paredes y la plomería podrían estar creando una autopista para las cucarachas si se deja desatendidas. "Debe asegurarse de que esté sellando cualquier orificio y grietas alrededor de sus tuberías de drenaje con calafateo de silicona, envolviendo espuma de aislamiento y cinta alrededor de cualquier tubería que produzcan condensación, y considere usar una cubierta de drenaje de goma o una pantalla de drenaje de metal durante la noche para asegurar que las cucarachas no sean deslizándose en tu baño, " David Floyd , fundador de Thiesinformer , recomienda.

RELACIONADA: Si ve este error en su hogar, llame a un exterminador inmediatamente .