Shopper warns others on why she never keeps items in Costco cardboard boxes: "Unless you want..."

Different kinds of superstitions are common among cultures across the globe and individuals also hold on to such beliefs. One such person is TikTok user Kailani (@kailanimb) who shared a superstition in a video which she uploaded in September last year. As per The Daily Dot, the video has garnered more than 131,000 views and has more than 20,000 likes.

“What’s something someone told you once, and you’ve never looked up to see if it’s true, but you live your life by it?” she asked at the start of the video. Kailani was told never to bring cardboard boxes inside the house since they contained cockroach eggs. “So don’t bring them inside of your car or your house unless you want an infestation,” she added. The video was captioned, "No boxes when I go to Costco and all items come out of their original box immediately."

It might be a superstitious notion but certain theories suggest that a cardboard box could lead to a roach infestation. Firstly, the glue used to make a cardboard box emits a sweet scent that attracts the critters. Secondly, cardboard traps a lot of moisture and these boxes are usually stored in dark places, making the conditions ideal for roaches to thrive. These boxes also have a lot of nooks and crannies in them that allow the insects to fit inside tight spaces and feel a lot safer than they would in the open.

The comments section of the video blew up as people expressed their opinions about the matter. “Someone told me cockroaches love cardboard and I have never let cardboard inside my house after that,” a user called Leti commented. “Yep! I worked at an assisted living facility and the pest control company wouldn’t spray the rooms if the residents had cardboard. They had to clear it all out first,” user Jessica Sunshine admitted.

A report in House Digest also suggested that cardboard boxes could prove to be the perfect hiding places for roaches. However, that’s not the only thing one needs to worry about when it comes to the insects. Cockroaches are extremely resourceful and highly resilient, and hence, they can thrive in a lot of conditions. Even a pile of unwashed clothes in a laundry room provides an ideal space for them.

Using a washer and dryer frequently creates a moist and warm environment that these creatures like. If there is a pile of unwashed clothes with bits of food on them, roaches can gravitate towards it and make it a place to hide and breed. Nobody wants to see a bunch of these critters living under their unwashed laundry.

Other areas of the house that might be prone to roach infestations are unclean kitchen spaces, especially the nooks and crannies that people might overlook. Pipes are also a place where these insects thrive, given the dark and moist environment. Even houseplants could prove to be the perfect hiding place for roaches who are adept at hiding and breeding under the soil in those damp conditions.

For more such content, follow Kailani (@kailanimb) on TikTok.