You go to war the second you see a cockroach run across your kitchen floor. These tough and speedy insects have a less than stellar reputation, and you’ll likely want to evict them from your home immediately. Depending on the situation, getting rid of cockroaches can be challenging.
However, if you take action immediately, you give yourself the best chance of having a cockroach-free home.
Today, we’re sharing how you can easily get rid of cockroaches and take back control of your house. Let’s get started.
What Is a Cockroach?
Cockroaches have existed since dinosaurs walked the planet. Out of over 4,000 types of cockroaches globally, 70 species reside in the United States. They look for warm environments close to food and water sources for their homes. These mostly nocturnal insects like dark and damp places.
Cockroaches are unattractive and disgusting, but they can also cause allergic reactions and induce asthma attacks. They can carry and spread 33 types of bacteria. If you spot a cockroach, you should take action.
What Smell Will Keep Cockroaches Away?
Certain smells keep cockroaches away. Strong scents like peppermint, cedar, and citrus are all very effective for keeping cockroaches at bay. However, you can also use essential oils and spices like cayenne, garlic, and onion powder to create homemade cockroach deterrents.
Using cleaning products with these scents can also help. Use these products to clean surfaces and the inside of cabinets.
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What Kills Cockroaches Overnight?
Most people take a “whatever it takes” approach to ridding their home of cockroaches. They don’t like having these pesky and creepy insects roaming around. We have a handful of effective options to consider.
Boric Acid
While Boric Acid may sound intimidating, it’s harmless to humans and pets. This is a natural compound of water and boron. Simply sprinkle a dusting of this mixture onto a disposable plate and include a dab of peanut butter or an orange peel as bait.
Any cockroach that smells the bait will come looking for its next meal. However, when they touch the boric acid, it will stick to their legs, wings, and bodies. They’ll eventually ingest the boric acid, which will take a toll on their nervous and digestive system.
This is a highly effective and non-toxic way to rid your home of cockroaches. However, it can be messy and require an extended amount of effort. Boric acid may not be the best option if you have small children or pets.
Borax
Another common way to deal with cockroaches is by using Borax. This is typically an ingredient found in laundry detergents but can dehydrate cockroaches and kill them relatively quickly. Combine a 50/50 mixture of borax and table sugar, and you have a recipe for a cockroach’s last meal. Sprinkle this anywhere you’ve seen cockroach activity, then keep an eye out to clean up dead roaches.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a crushed mixture of microscopic algae fossils. The crushed fossils are very sharp and can easily damage a roach’s exoskeleton. This causes them to dehydrate and die. You can find this at big-box retailers like Walmart or home improvement stores. Sprinkle the diatomaceous earth in any areas where you notice roaches.
Using diatomaceous earth can get messy. We recommend using this outside of your home to prevent roaches from finding their way inside. You don’t have to worry about if you have pets or kids, as it is harmless to both.
Insecticide Spray
One walk through the pest control aisle at your favorite retailer, and you’ll see many insecticide sprays. You must be careful with these as they can be very dangerous to kids, pets, and other animals. However, spraying them around the outside and even in some locations inside your home can kill and keep roaches away.
Many pest control companies will use insecticide sprays when treating your home. These can last for months and kill roaches and other insects on contact. They’re so effective that you’ll likely discover dead bugs near any areas sprayed by the insecticide.
Baited Traps
Finally, you can also get baited traps. These traps often contain smells that will attract roaches and other insects. Some have glues that make it impossible for an insect to escape once they land on them.
You’ll want to place them in any locations where you have seen cockroaches and other insect activity. Placing them near garage doors and behind refrigerators works well as they like dark places. Don’t forget to check them every few days during the peak battle and every few weeks afterward.
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How Can You Naturally Get Rid of Cockroaches?
You can effectively and naturally get rid of cockroaches in several ways. Using products like diatomaceous earth, baking soda, boric acid, borax, citrus products, and many essential oils can do the job. These either contain compounds that will dehydrate the cockroaches or be unattractive smells that will have them running for cover.
If you don’t want to use harmful products in your home, start with one of these natural methods. However, if you battle a severe cockroach infestation, you may need to start with a more intense and lethal option.
Will Cockroaches Come Back After You Get Rid of Them?
Eliminating the cockroaches in your home is only half of the battle. Once you rid your home of roaches, you need an effective defense to keep them away for good. Failing to do so will only result in battling them again down the road.
No matter what method you choose to protect your home, consistency will keep your home roach free in the future. You must monitor for any signs of roaches and take the necessary precautions. Create a barrier between you and the invading insects.
Is It Worth Getting Rid of Cockroaches on Your Own?
Unless you’re an entomologist, you likely don’t get excited when an insect crawls across your floor. Having a bug-free home can help you relax and feel comfortable in your home. You also won’t have to worry about a bug or insect making a bad impression on any guests you happen to host in your home.
We’ve shared some great tips and advice for keeping your home free of roaches and other insects. However, we don’t have a fool-proof way to keep all bugs and insects out of your home. However, these steps and tips can help reduce the chances of a major infestation.
Have you had to battle cockroaches before? Tell us how you got rid of them in the comments!
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