Are Roaches Attracted to Coffee? How to Handle Roaches That Like Coffee

Are roaches attracted to coffee? You may find yourself asking that question after finding a few roaches near your trashcan. It’s a fair question, especially if you’ve seen more than your fair share around your house.

Most of the time, yes. Many homeowners have had troubles when these insects nesting inside their trashcans where there are used coffee grounds. They’ve also been known to nest in coffee machines, cupboards, and pantries. You may have found them because of their droppings, or because they’ve left behind a distinct smell.

A cockroach can be enticed by coffee’s strong aroma. But, there are several ways to correct this, starting with preventative steps and natural remedies. Let’s take a look at how you can stop them from trying to get too close to your coffee grounds before brewing your next cup of joe.

Roaches and Coffee

Roaches aren’t particularly in love with coffee, so it really doesn’t matter what type of coffee bean you use. They’ll find their way to a dark or medium roast all the same. Roaches will eat almost anything to get the energy and nutrients that they need to survive.

So if they won’t find anything else sweeter or more delectable in a cupboard, they’ll definitely go for your coffee. That’s why they can absolutely nibble at that bag of ground coffee beans you’ve been saving.

Roaches Inside a Coffee Machine

As we’ve pointed in our complete guide to getting rid of roaches, coffee machines can house roaches. With a spacious enough compartment, dark crevices, holes and a lot of moisture and a convenient source of coffee as food, rarely used coffee machines make perfect environments for roaches to hide in. So if you have a problem that’s painfully similar to what we just described, here are some steps you can take to remedy it.

• Your first and safest option would be to wash all the removable parts of the appliance. Flush out the droppings and egg casings left behind by the roaches.​
• If that’s not possible, try out natural methods like using a dry mixture of sugar and baking soda. Put the mixture in a bottle cap and position this inside the machine or somewhere near it. Pair the mixture with another battle cap that’s filled with water. The sugar will attract the roaches, and the reaction between the baking soda and water will fill their stomachs with gas that will kill them.
• You can also use brewed catnip tea. Try to run the machine using the tea inside. Catnip tea is safe for humans, so you should have no problem using it.
• Using boric acid for a coffee machine is dangerous when the insects have already infiltrated it. The powder is highly toxic to humans, so it shouldn’t be placed anywhere near parts that make contact with consumable coffee.

Coffee Roach Trap

Since coffee attracts roaches, it should be no surprise that you can use it to set up traps. While it may not be as effective as traditional roach baits, it can still be used frequently and easily. All you need are coffee grounds, 2 or 3 large glass jars, small paper cups and water.

Fill the jars halfway with water. Put some of the coffee into the small paper cup, and drop it into the jar. Then place these traps in the areas that roaches frequent.

Cockroaches should be enticed by the coffee’s aroma and fall into the jar filled with water. Once inside, they won’t be able to escape. Don’t forget to regularly take out the drowned roaches and refresh the trap daily. Repeat this process until you don’t see any more of those pesky roaches in your house.

By now, you’d have known the answer to the question, are roaches attracted to coffee? However, the great thing about this attraction is that there are absolutely simple ways to use it to your benefit. With these, you can turn the tables, and even possibly win your battle against the roaches invading your house. Yes, it does sound a little epic. But remember, there’s nothing worse than waking up and finding your coffee severely violated by roaches. How would you have a good morning after that?