Leaving potatoes sitting in a bag or loose on a surface attracts cockroaches. Once cockroaches enter the potatoes, the vegetables need to be thrown in the trash. Use a plastic container to hold the potatoes and avoid this problem. The plastic container not only keeps the cockroaches out, but stops additional moisture from infecting the potatoes, which causes them to rot and smell. The plastic container also protects cabinets from rotting potatoes.
Place the potatoes inside the plastic container. Do not overfill the container. Overfilling will keep the lid from fitting properly.
Put the lid on the container. Snap it into place to prevent air from entering the container.
Place the container in a cool area. The cooler temperatures prevents rotting. Hot or warm air causes the potatoes to decompose at a faster rate.