A spotless bathroom can still get cockroaches, because they aren\u2019t always coming from dirt\u2014sometimes they\u2019re coming up through the plumbing. Roaches love warm, dark, damp spaces, and drains and pipes can act like a hidden \u201chighway\u201d from sewer lines into your home.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why some people use a surprisingly simple hack: a balloon. Instead of trying to repel roaches with chemicals, the idea is to physically block the tiny gaps around a shower drain where insects can squeeze through. Even with a P-trap, low water levels or inconsistent use can still leave a path, and roaches can flatten their bodies to fit through very small openings.<\/p>\n
The method is basically a DIY gasket. You remove the drain cover, cut a latex balloon to make a stretchy band, and fit it snugly around the underside\/edge of the drain cover before reinstalling it. The latex fills small gaps so pests can\u2019t slip past. Some versions let the balloon sit slightly into the pipe so it opens when water runs and collapses when the water stops.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not a permanent \u201cforget about it\u201d fix, though. Bathrooms collect hair and soap residue, and if the balloon is too tight or misplaced it can slow drainage and create standing water\u2014something roaches like. A quick weekly check helps. Used along with basic steps like reducing humidity, drying surfaces, and sealing gaps around pipes, it can be a cheap, non-toxic layer of protection that makes your bathroom less inviting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A spotless bathroom can still get cockroaches, because they aren\u2019t always coming from dirt\u2014sometimes they\u2019re coming up through the plumbing. Roaches love warm, dark, damp spaces, and… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33595,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n