Where Do Bugs Hide in the Home?

Bugs are sneaky little things, taking advantage of the tiniest openings to find their way into your home. Cracks, crevices, and gaps are all potential "Come in, we're open!" signs for pests like ants, roaches, and spiders. Unfortunately, once bugs are in the house, it can be hard to figure out where they're hiding—unless you know where to look!

Here are some popular indoor hiding places for common bugs in homes.

Attics, Basements & Closets

Bugs often found in basements, attics, and closets: Spiders, cockroaches, silverfish, centipedes, millipedes, moths

Because they're undisturbed a lot of the time, these storage areas serve as ideal indoor places for bugs (especially spiders and cockroaches) to hide. Cockroaches particularly appreciate cool, dark corners, moisture-rich floor drains, and sump pumps, while spiders adore dry and quiet places. Check for bugs in attics or basements behind boxes and stored furniture, and in hollow spaces like floor joists and rafters. In closets, look for spiders and moths in crevices, storage boxes, the insides of shoes, and even inside hanging clothing.

How to get rid of bugs in basements, attics, and closets:

• Eliminate clutter.
• Take out the trash.
• Recycle newspapers, cartons, and cardboard.
• Vacuum or sweep away webs and egg sacs.
• Seal any visible cracks or openings with spray foam or caulk.
• Create a long-lasting bug barrier by applying Ortho® Home Defense Max® Indoor Insect Barrier with Extended Reach Comfort Wand®, especially along basement foundations, attic vents, and garage entrances. A single application lasts up to 12 months*.

Bathrooms & Laundry Rooms

Bugs often found in bathrooms and laundry rooms: cockroaches, silverfish, spiders

Thanks to their warm, moist conditions, bathrooms and laundry rooms are beloved by bugs of all types, including cockroaches. The primary places bathroom insects like to hide are under sinks and toilets, underneath and behind washers and dryers, behind picture frames and wall decorations, and in and around vents, ducts, and registers. 

• How to get rid of bugs in bathrooms and laundry rooms:
• Fix leaky faucets.
• Pick up piles of wet towels or clothing.
• Caulk around cracks and crevices, including under sinks and toilets, and around thresholds.
• Kill home-invading insects – and keep them out for up to 12 months* – with Ortho® Home Defense Max® Indoor Insect Barrier with Extended Reach Comfort Wand® wherever bugs hide. Non-staining, it dries fast, gives off no fumes, and leaves no residue.

Kitchens & Pantries

Bugs often found in kitchens and pantries: ants, cockroaches

Ants, cockroaches, and other indoor bugs favor the kitchen for one simple reason: access to plenty of food and water. Look for these and other pantry bugs inside cabinets where food is stored, as well as under sinks where there's usually a bit of moisture from drain pipes and garbage disposals. Warm appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves, and toaster ovens are literal hot spots for kitchen insects, too. They're also partial to trash cans, thanks to all the food they can find there. With this obvious motive in mind, cutting off the food supply is crucial to getting rid of kitchen bugs.

How to get rid of bugs in pantries and kitchens:

• Remove food sources, like empty beverage cans, open food containers, crumbs, and pet food bowls.
• Store food in sealed containers.
• Clean up spills, wipe up messes, and wash dirty dishes as soon as possible.
• Collect and remove all trash on a regular basis. Seal window and door seams.
• Seal window and door seams. Adjust window screens and door sweeps to ensure a tight fit.
• Kill bugs and create a barrier with Ortho® Home Defense Max® Indoor Insect Barrier with Extended Reach Comfort Wand®. The one-touch Comfort Wand® makes it simple to treat any size area, no bending, pumping, or hand fatigue required.

So now you're onto the stealthy ways of bugs linside your house, ike ants, spiders, and roaches. Not only do you know where these pests like to hide, but you also know how to get rid of of bugs in your house and keep them from coming back. Congratulations--you got your home back!

*up to 12-month protection against ants, roaches, and spiders indoors, on non-porous surfaces