Key Points on how to get rid of cockroaches
- Cockroaches will always infest areas that offer them ample food, water, and shelter
- Boric acid and borax can damage cockroaches internally and externally.
- Diatomaceous earth is an excellent non-toxic option if you have young children or pets.
- Insecticides and baited traps are also efficient methods for getting rid of cockroaches.
- Close up any openings to the home and maintain a vegetation-free zone to keep roaches out
Cockroaches are one of the most common household pests and can pose serious health risks to families. They carry a large number of diseases like dysentery, typhoid, poliomyelitis, and gastroenteritis. The most important details in this text are the seventeen best tips on how to get rid of cockroaches in the house, as well as the best ways to keep them from moving back in once they have been kicked out. Natural remedies such as coffee grounds, dish detergent, and cockroach repellents can help get rid of cockroaches naturally, and prevention is better than cure. Getting professional help is also a good option.
To get rid of them quickly, it is important to learn how to tell if the pest is a housefly, termite, a cockroach, or something else, and the best ways to get rid of them, as well as how to keep them from moving back in.
What Type of Cockroaches Are in My Home?
1. German Cockroaches
The German cockroach is the most common cockroach in the U.S. It breeds rapidly and carries its egg pouches with her until they hatch, making it difficult to contain. All cockroaches have flat, broad bodies with long hind legs and antennae, but the German cockroach tends to be light brown with two dark, parallel stripes that run down the body from the head to the wings.
2. Brown-branded Cockroaches
The brown-banded cockroach is less common than the German cockroach but can be a problem in homes due to its different hiding places and habits. It lacks the dark stripes on the region behind the head but has a black bell-shaped pattern behind the head and two transverse yellowish bands across the wings.
3. American Cockroaches
American cockroaches are the largest cockroach commonly found in dwellings, measuring 1 1/2 inches long when fully grown. Adults have well-developed wings, while the nymphs are smaller ad lack wings. American cockroaches multiply more slowly than German cockroaches, but their smaller numbers are offset by their sizes.
4. Wood Cockroaches
Wood cockroaches are primarily outdoor cockroaches, living beneath loose bark in woodpiles, fallen logs, and dead trees. They often appear in homes, especially in wooded settings, and can be an annoyance during the spring and summer when large numbers wander in from outside. They are also brought into homes during winter in firewood and are sometimes found nesting in rain gutters and crawl spaces. Males are excellent fliers, and both sexes are attracted to lights.
5. Oriental Cockroaches
The oriental cockroach is shiny black or dark brown and is 1 inch long. It typically infests cool, dark, damp places such as sewers, crawlspaces, cellars, and basements. Nymphs and adults are sluggish and usually occur at ground level, living in floor drains and sump pumps.
They also live outdoors under stones, debris, and plant litter, gaining entry into buildings via door thresholds, vents, and other openings. Oriental cockroaches are considered especially filthy because they feed on garbage, human/animal waste, and decaying organic matter.
What Attracts Roaches to My Home?
Cockroaches thrive in dirty, humid conditions. One of the most common causes of a cockroach infestation is dirty dishes in the sink. It is always a good idea to wash your dishes immediately after eating. Avoid leaving them in the sink overnight.
How Did Cockroaches Enter My Home?
There are a number of ways cockroaches have access to your home. Some of them are:
- Cracks and Gaps in Windows and Doors
- Holes in Pipes and Vents
- Hitching a Ride on Furniture and Other Items
Where Do Cockroaches Live in Homes
A cockroach is a resourceful pest and is able to survive almost anywhere where there is food, water, and shelter. Because humans have similar needs, it’s no fluke that cockroaches thrive in houses.
How to Keep Cockroaches out of Your House?
Prevention they say is cheaper than cure. You could prevent cockroaches from entering your house if you:
- Clean the House
- Get Serious About Storing Food
- Clean Kitchen Appliances
- Get Rid of Newspapers and Cardboard Boxes
- Seal Cracks and Entry Points
- Fix Leaks Right Away
- Place Bait
- Spray Pesticide
16 Ways to Eliminate Cockroaches from Your Homes Forever!
1. Dish detergent
Dish detergent has the power to kill cockroaches, especially German roaches. Mix four tablespoons of dish detergent in a liter of water and spray it where you’ve noticed activity.
2. Baking Soda
Baking soda is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to get rid of cockroaches. For best results, sprinkle them with onions and place them in a shallow dish. This creates gasses in the roaches’ stomachs, causing them to burst. It is non-toxic and affordable.
3. Lemon juice
Lemon juice is an effective way to get rid of cockroaches as it has natural anti-pathogenic properties. Adding two to three tablespoons of lemon juice with a few gallons of water in a bucket before mixing and washing the problem areas with a mop can help.
4. Borax
Borax is a readily-available laundry product that is excellent for killing roaches. It is believed to be one of the best home remedies for cockroaches. To get rid of cockroaches, dust a little bit of borax in corners and floors and let it sit for 1 week before vacuuming it up and replacing it.
5. Use Essential Oil
Essential oils are toxic to cockroaches, so spray them directly on them or spread them around the baseboards to keep them away. Thyme oil, clove bud oil, or citronella oil are most effective at getting rid of young cockroaches.
6. Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil is one of the most effective essential oils for keeping cockroaches at bay. Make a mixture of saltwater and peppermint oil and spray it on the infested areas at home. You will notice a difference after continuous application.
7. Baited Traps
Baited cockroach traps are a popular way to kill roaches overnight, trapping them with glue or other substances or providing them with poisoned food. They should be placed in areas that appeal to cockroaches, such as the bases of walls, under sinks, behind appliances, and in dark, warm areas. Once all the roaches are dead, pick up the traps to prevent them from drawing in new cockroaches.
8. Boric Acid
Boric acid is a naturally-occurring compound that is harmless to people and pets, but deadly for cockroaches. It is a stomach poison that roaches don’t have any resistance to and must consume to work.
To use boric acid to get rid of roaches, sprinkle a light dusting onto a paper plate and place an orange peel or spoonful of peanut butter in the middle of the plate. To attract roaches to the boric acid, mix it with equal parts sugar and water and place it in an open jar.
9. Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is an excellent natural insecticide that damages roaches’ exoskeletons and dehydrates them to death. It is slow working and can be applied incorrectly, leading to itchy or sore throats and overapplication.
10. Use Adhesive traps
Cockroaches will get stuck in adhesive traps, so set them wherever you see them and leave them out for 2-3 days before replacing them. In a pinch, make your own sticky traps by wrapping a piece of cardboard in duct tape and keeping track of how many cockroaches you catch.
11. Step on it
The next time you see a cockroach in your house, step on it and after that, disinfect the area with the antibacterial cleaner to avoid spreading any pathogens.
12. Bay Leaves
One of the most effective ways to get rid of cockroaches is by crushing bay leaves and spraying water in infected corners to keep cockroaches away. This is one of the easiest ways to get rid of them.
13. Use Neem
Neem oil or powder contains potent components that can kill cockroaches. To use it in oil form, mix a small amount of neem oil with water in a spray bottle and spray it in places where you have spotted them. To use neem powder, sprinkle it in cockroach-infested areas at night and repeat the process in the morning.
14. Cucumber
You can get rid of cockroaches if you keep a few slices of cucumber in a tin jar and leave it as it is. The reaction between cucumber and tin jars can emit a smell that cockroaches do not like.
15. Paste
The paste can be used to make natural bait balls that can be placed around the home to control roaches. The ingredients are sugar, flour, all-purpose flour, toothpaste, and water. Mix the ingredients in a bowl and add water to form a dough. Then place the bait balls around the home where roaches can hide.
16. Hire Exterminators
Insecticidal sprays are a great way to kill roaches and get rid of them but should be used with high-quality, odorless, water-based sprays to ensure they don’t stain furniture, floors, or walls. When administering the spray, take caution to ensure that you don’t inhale any, as it can be harmful when inhaled. If you hire a pest exterminator, they will likely use insecticide sprays.
How Do I Check if Cockroaches have Infested my Home?
Cockroaches are adaptable and can survive in any climate and environment, making it difficult to get rid of them on their own. Over-the-counter sprays and pesticides are not effective, so it is important to check your home for roaches. These signs could be a pointer that is a cockroach infestation in your home:
- Egg capsules: One of the easiest ways to spot cockroach infestation in a home. cockroaches leave behind a capsulated egg.
- Cockroach droppings: Cockroaches leave a black-coloured dust of dropping that can vary in size and length.
- Unusual odor: An unpleasant area in the odour is a sign of roach infestation.
- Shed skin: Another clear sign of cockroach infestation. An adult cockroach sheds its skin 4-5 times a day as it matures. This can be tracked to find where the roaches are hiding.
- Smear marks: In areas with abundant humidity and moisture, roaches leave behind a trace of horizontal brown coloured smear.
- Damage: Unusual signs of damage to food, packages, and furniture can be tracked to cockroach infestation.
FAQs
Q. Are Cockroaches Harmful to Humans?
Ans: Yes! Cockroaches are harmful to humans and can cause diseases like dysentery, typhoid, poliomyelitis, and gastroenteritis.
Q. Where can I find a cockroach in my house?
Ans: Cockroaches prefer to shelter in narrow cracks and crevices. Check behind refrigerators, under sinks, and in dark drawers or cabinets
Q. What do roaches eat?
Ans: Cockroaches are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. They particularly like starches, sweets, greasy foods, and meats, but roaches are not picky eaters. They’ll feast on almost anything that is derived from something that was once a living organism, such as plants and animals.
Q. Are cockroaches picky eaters?
Ans: No, cockroaches are not picky eaters.
Q. Are cockroaches everywhere?
Yes! Cockroaches are ubiquitous and can be found everywhere.
Q. Does cockroach bite?
Yes! Cockroaches are able to bite humans especially when they see food residue on your body or feel threatened
