Kill the roaches.
There are a variety of do-it-yourself options for killing cockroaches. Some of the more well regarded of these are listed below. Try one at a time, or try them all.
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Once their hiding place is identified, the next step is to apply a
1. Make “Roach Food”:
One part powdered (not granular) boric acid (sometimes sold as a roach-killing powder, but often available in pharmacies (for making anti-pinkeye eyewash), one part white flour, one part granulated white sugar. The sugar baits it, the flour makes it stick, and the boric acid kills them. Place in the backs of drawers and cabinets, under refrigerator, stove, etc. Expect at least 3 cycles of disappearance/reemergence of progressively smaller hordes of cockroaches, lasting about 2 weeks each. Continue using boric acid till roaches are gone.
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Kids, dogs, and some other pets will eat this mixture. Boric acid is not highly toxic, but is for external use ONLY, so place it where only the bugs can get it. It will cake hard in humid environments, so paper or foil trays may be needed.
2. Use an insecticide spray.
Get some insecticide that is labeled for use against cockroaches, and spray wherever cockroaches may be hiding or entering the house, including along walls, in cracks, and in vents. Keep pets out of the way when you are spraying, and follow all safety instructions on the product’s label.
3. Use cockroach bait.
Cockroach bait is either housed in a childproof case or applied as a gel and contains a slow-working poison mixed in with an attractive (for cockroaches) food. The roaches eat the poison and bring it back to the nest, where it eventually kills all the roaches. Place the bait in an area where you know cockroaches will encounter it.
4. Use cockroach traps.
Cockroach traps lure cockroaches in and then trap them with an adhesive. Get several of these, and place them wherever cockroaches are known to frequent.
5. Use water jars.
A simple and effective homemade way to lure and trap roaches is with a jar placed next to a wall, allowing the roaches to get in, but not escape. Any bait can be placed in the jar, including coffee grounds and water, but it also works with just plain water in drier climates.
6. If you buy an exterior bug spray, it will work inside much better. To spray it, put it in a spray bottle or a pump-up pressure bottle and spray the solution in the kitchen cabinets clockwise while holding your breath. Spray quickly and run out and leave the windows closed for a day.
7. Use a simple solution of soap and water. This, to some, is the easiest thing to do. Just make a light solution of soap (bath soap is fine) and water. You can splash this, spray this or just throw this on the roach. Just a little water will do, even 2 or 3 drops can kill, if used effectively. Ensure that it makes contact with the roaches head and lower abdomen (its belly if you can turn the roach over). The roach will run or try to run, but will suddenly stop and die or be almost dead in one minute. It is best to throw it out as soon as possible, as it may revive. This happens because the roach breathes through its skin. The soapy water forms a thin film on the breathing pores, and effectively blocks them (surface tension), causing the roach to suffocate to death or to near death, although it could recover if the water dries up or has not touched a large percentage of its body. Try this and you will have amazing results for free.
8. After getting rid of those cockroaches, make sure you thoroughly clean up your house by maintaining proper sanitation in order to prevent another invasion. You can vacuum the whole house and this will help to get rid of allergens brought about by the cockroaches. Vacuuming also helps to eliminate the dead roaches together with their eggs which should be dumped in a dust bag and taken outside.
Prevent re-infestation.
Prevention
- Do not allow dirty dishes to accumulate in the sink and remain there overnight.
- Keep food scraps in the refrigerator or in containers with tight-fitting lids.
- Remove garbage from the home on a routine basis and vacuum regularly.
- Periodically check and clean the evaporation pan under the refrigerator or freezer.
- Seal cracks around the outside of the home to prevent pest entryways.
- Clean up dog and cat feces in the yard, as cockroaches may eat it or may simply track it through the house, contaminating the home interior.
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Image courtesy : batzner.com , indianapublicmedia.org , wisegeek.com ,
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