Whether you realize it or not, you probably take certain steps that keep cockroaches away. You keep your food in sealed containers. You take the trash outside every day or two, and you wash dishes promptly rather than letting them sit in the sink. But what about your outdoor kitchen? How can you keep cockroaches from invading that space since no walls are surrounding it? Here are a few tips.

Keep all food indoors.

It may be tempting to keep things like seasonings and rolls outside when you're cooking out there every day. You may figure they are okay if they're inside a cabinet or in a closed container. But roaches are really creative and very good at wiggling their way inside cabinets and containers that people assume are secure. Keep all food items indoors, even when you're using your outdoor kitchen daily. Don't bring food outside until you're ready to cook, and bring it back inside as soon as you're done.

Clean up immediately after cooking.

Cockroaches do not care that the little bits of chicken left on the grill grates are charred to a crisp, or that the crumbs left from the rolls are on the floor. They are notorious for not being picky. So, you need to thoroughly clean up your outdoor kitchen after every cooking session. Don't let it sit all night and plan on cleaning up the next morning; that's more than enough time for the roaches to find it.

Plant some lemongrass and garlic.

Roaches are naturally repelled by lemongrass and garlic plants. Luckily, these are tasty plants that you won't mind having around your outdoor kitchen. You can even plant them in pots! Set a pot of lemongrass or garlic at each corner of your outdoor kitchen area. If you can smell the scents coming off of these plants, the roaches will also be able to smell them, and that will keep them away.

Set out a few baits.

Buy a couple of closed baits, and set them on the ground around the perimeter of the outdoor kitchen. These should catch most roaches on their way to your actual kitchen area. Wash your hands well after handling the baits and before handling food. Make sure you keep kids and pets away from them.

The strategies above should mostly keep your outdoor kitchen roach-free. Call a roach control company right away if you need further assistance.