Finding a cockroach at home does not always mean the house is dirty. Roaches can enter even well-kept homes if they find favorable conditions, according to Southern Living.

They are drawn to crumbs, pet food, garbage and other food scraps, as well as moisture from dripping faucets, leaking pipes, spills and standing water. Gaps around windows, doors and pipes can also provide easy entry.

Here are seven simple ways to make your home less inviting to cockroaches.

Close-up of a German cockroach (Blattella germanica) on a quartz surface. Photo from Pexels

Trim overgrown plants

Dense vegetation can provide cockroaches with shelter and an easy route toward the house.

Trim tree branches hanging over the roof, shrubs touching exterior walls and plants growing close to the foundation. Southern Living recommends keeping about 18 inches, or 45 centimeters, of space between vegetation and the house where possible.

Keep mulch away from the foundation

Mulch provides the dark, damp conditions cockroaches prefer and can also become a food source as organic material decomposes.

Leave at least 30 centimeters of bare soil or gravel between mulch and the foundation or porch to create a less attractive zone for pests.

Clear away yard debris

Piles of leaves, firewood, fallen branches, dead plants and rotting fruit or vegetables can offer both food and hiding places.

Store firewood away from the house and regularly remove fallen leaves, branches and other organic debris from the yard.

Clean up food and drink spills

Outdoor meals can leave behind crumbs, grease and spilled drinks that attract cockroaches.

Sweep beneath outdoor furniture and planters, wipe down tables and cushions after eating, and rinse porch or patio floors when necessary, according to USA Today.

Keep trash away from entrances

Place garbage cans, compost bins and yard-waste piles away from doors, porches and other entry points.

Grills should also be cleaned after use to remove grease and food residue, while trash containers should be washed regularly.

Use cockroach baits carefully

Bait stations containing ingredients such as boric acid or other insecticides can help reduce cockroach populations around the home.

Place them near possible entry points or along the exterior perimeter, following the instructions on the label. Keep baits out of reach of children and pets and replace them as recommended.

Remove excess moisture

Cockroaches thrive in damp places, so repairing leaking faucets, pipes and air-conditioning units can make a home less attractive to them.

Eliminate standing water around porches and patios, empty bird baths regularly, keep gutters clear and avoid leaving buckets, watering cans or empty plant pots outside where rainwater can collect.

If cockroach numbers continue to rise despite these measures, it may be time to call a pest-control professional. A professional can identify where the insects are coming from and recommend treatment before the infestation spreads further indoors.