Few people have trouble recognizing cockroaches.

There are several species of cockroaches often battled by homeowners andapartment dwellers.

Here’s how to battle them invading your home.

How to get rid of roaches in your garage

The Spruce / Ellen Lindner

To win thecockroach battle, youll have to do some spring cleaning.

Start your cockroach elimination efforts by moving everything in bags and boxes into air-tight plastic storage.

Even if you bag up your recyclables, roaches can get inside and will readily eat the remaining food.

A brown cockroach with spiky legs on a tree branch

Paul Starosta / Getty Images

Even better is to move recycling bins outdoors.

Get that trash outside right away.

If youre worried about animals spilling the garbage can, use a bungee to keep the lid tightly attached.

American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)

Andrew Waugh / Getty Images

Dry up these areas and youll remove much-needed moisture.

Like many insects, cockroaches cant survive without adequate water and humidity.

Set Roach Traps

Roach traps are the most common means of controlling roaches.

German cockroach (Blattella germanica)

German cockroaches can spread disease and damage.by Lmbuga/wikipedia

They are sometimes marketing with catchy names, such as “roach motels.”

Sprays and foggers normally also use pyrethroid chemicals to shut down the roachs nervous system.

What Causes Cockroaches in the Garage?

Oriental cockroach

Oriental CockroachPhoto by Joaquim Alves Gaspar;

Roaches need three things to survive: warmth, moisture, and food.

Cockroaches may vacate a space if they stop finding the moisture and edible materials they need to survive.

Cockroaches typically live about 12 to 18 months.

Most species of cockroaches, including the American cockroach, have wings that they keep folded over their backs.

They are able to fly but rarely do, preferring instead to crawl.

The wings are evident only in mature insects.

Pyrethrins General Fact Sheet.

National Pesticide Information Center.