How to get rid of pesky cockroaches for good

The idea of a cockroach skittering across the floor or flying right at you is enough to send shivers down your spine. Cockroaches are hard to kill and survive even the toughest elimination attempts. They can contaminate your food and, in rare cases, transmit dangerous diseases.

Is it possible to get rid of cockroaches?

Yes, there are many ways to kill cockroaches and keep them from returning. Here are the best ways to get rid of cockroaches.

Simple ways to keep cockroaches from your home 

Prevention is better than cure when dealing with these pesky little pests. The following are some easy ways to keep cockroaches away from your home.

1. Keep your kitchen tidy

Grease and food residue attract cockroaches. It’s best to sweep the floors, wipe the counters and stovetop and wash dirty dishes.

Cleaning up appears like a lot of work to do regularly (it is), but worth it.

Clean the food waste and any spillage and disinfect the kitchen surface.

2. Deny the cockroaches food and water

Like people, cockroaches need food and water to survive and do all they can to get it.

Denying these pests sustenance is easy. Keep your food in sealed plastic bags and containers, and wipe any spilled water and leftover food.

Also, do not leave dishes on the sink or the kitchen counter.

Take it up a notch by checking behind the kitchen appliances and the cabinets. One place that you should check is behind the refrigerator because it’s a warm and dark place.

Keep your garbage in a bin that has a tight-fitting lid, and take the trash out regularly.

3. Seal the holes and cracks

Cockroaches pass through the tiniest of cracks and holes, and sealing them is important. Sealing the holes and cracks may take a lot of time, but you should do it, especially if you live in a neighbourhood where people don’t maintain cleanliness like you.

Get a tube of caulk and a caulking gun and seal the cracks on the walls, countertop, and baseboards. 

Other than caulks, you can use steel wool and door sweeps to seal any gap between the inside of your house and the indoors.

4. Fix the water leaks

Leaking water from pipes attracts roaches. Water is the reason you’ll find these bugs under the sink. Some species of cockroaches go for months without food but only days without water.

Repair any water leaks in your house, close all the water sources, don’t leave any standing water in the sinks and don’t overwater your indoor plants.

5. Keep your living space cool

Cockroaches are fully active when the weather is hot, and since you cannot control the weather, you can keep your home cool to confine them to the ground.

Getting rid of cockroaches

If the roaches are already skittering inside your house, it’s time to exterminate them and here are some ways to do this.

1. Buy cockroach baits and traps

Baits and traps kill cockroaches for up to three months. They attract and kill these pests with their eggs, ending the breeding cycle. 

Any cockroach that returns to the nest infects the others and their eggs and dies.

The best place for baits and traps is under the washing machine, fridges and bathroom cabinets.

The cockroach bait and traps work and don’t emit fumes or create a mess. Keep the bait away from your pets because it can be hazardous.

2. Use cockroach bombs 

Bug bombs are helpful when you cannot find where the roaches are hiding. Read the instruction before using a cockroach bomb to avoid contamination. You will need to turn off the electricity and leave your house for two hours while it works, then open the door and windows for about 30 minutes for proper ventilation. The after-effects of a cockroach bomb can last up to three months, so it’s not advisable to use them if you or one of your family members is sensitive to fragrances and chemicals.

3. Use cockroach sprays 

Use a cockroach spray if you spot a cockroach and want to stop it in its tracks. It is a fast-acting product that kills crawlers for months.

4. Use a cockroach repellent

There are many sprays and sands available in the store that repel cockroaches. Spray them around the entry points and key areas to keep cockroaches at bay.

Natural cockroach repellents and killers

Powerful pesticides get the job done but have toxic chemicals that can cause harm. The following are some natural remedies that act as roach killers.

1. Sugar and baking soda

These two are effective and readily available ingredients that you can get at the store.

You need to know where the crawlers are hiding and plant the bait for the best results. The following is what you need to get started:

• A bowl

• Baking soda

• Sugar

Mix equal parts of baking soda and sugar in a bowl and sprinkle them where you’ve seen the roaches. Sugar attracts the bugs, and the baking soda acts as a toxic agent and reacts inside the roach’s stomach causing its death.

Boric acid is poisonous, and you should keep it away from children. Also, long-term exposure can make you ill.

2. Fabric softener

Natural fabric softener kills roaches but requires a little action on your part. Put the natural fabric softener inside a spray bottle and spray the bugs.

Mix a cup of fabric softener with a three-quarter cup of water, shake it, and put it in a spray bottle.

The solution is thick but sprayable. 

Squirt the solution on any roach skittering around, and it will slowly die. Roaches breathe through their skin, and the thick spray covers them, causing suffocation.

This solution works best when you have a massive infestation. It can look messy, but it's better than stepping on roaches.

3. Bay leaves

If killing cockroaches is not your style and you prefer to keep them away from your home, use bay leaves.

Cockroaches cannot stand the smell of bay leaves.

Bay leaves are safe for humans, and you can place them wherever possible.

Grab the bay leaves and crush them to make a powder. Once you get the powder, sprinkle it around where the roaches love to nest.

Bay leaves are available in stores, especially the Asian and Indian stores.

4. Lemon juice or lemon peel

Lemon is a widely used ingredient in household cleaners, but most people don't know it repels cockroaches too.

Citrus fruits like lemon have anti-pathogenic properties that keep roaches at bay.

Take lemon juice and sprinkle it into those hard-to-reach places that are favourite for cockroaches, or place lemon peels where roaches next.

If you want to turn it up a notch, which is what we recommend, you need the following:

• Freshly squeezed lemon juice

• A bucket

• Towels

Dilute the lemon juice in a bucket (make sure it has a strong lemon smell). Soak the sheets in the diluted juice and clean everything from the floor to the countertops.

Your home will have a lovely lemon smell that roaches cannot stand.

5. Essential oils

Essential oils can prevent and kill cockroaches. Mix some peppermint, tea tree and cypress in water and put it in a spray bottle. Spray directly on cockroaches around the entry points and nests.

Bring in the experts

If you have a big infestation and want to get rid of cockroaches fast, contact a pest control expert. Using a pest control expert will ensure that the pesticides used are safe for your home and environment-friendly.