How to get rid of cockroaches
Getting rid of a cockroach infestation is next to impossible, but it can be done! Do you know how to get those stubborn insects out of your home? Lucky for you, we do and we can tell you how!
Tackling a Roach Infestation
When cockroaches take hold in your home, they can be incredibly difficult to get rid of. They invade your bathrooms, your bedrooms, your living areas, and most offensively, they take hold in your kitchen. Not only is a roach infestation bothersome, but it is also extremely unsanitary as cockroaches contaminate food and water supplies.
So, how do we eliminate these germ carriers when they seem to multiply in numbers faster than we can control them?
Cockroach and Pest Exterminators
Perhaps the easiest method of getting rid of cockroaches is to hire an extermination company. This approach is often most effective since extermination companies have funding to establish proven treatments to eliminate infestations at the source.
Although effective, however, commercial extermination companies pose a few drawbacks. Primarily, commercial cockroach exterminators are expensive since they require multiple treatments and follow-up visits to truly get an infestation under control. Exterminators are also of concern for families with children or pets. Often the commercial grade treatments that these exterminators use can contain harmful chemicals. There are some eco-friendly extermination companies available; however, they often come at increased cost.
Do It Yourself Traps and Solutions
A solution for those looking to control a cockroach infestation without the cost of an exterminator is do it yourself treatments. Most commonly this involves using “roach motels”, traps, glue paper, or gels that trap roaches or contain poison that roaches ingest or carry back to their groups where they are ingested.
These traps and solutions eradicate infestations and are an affordable solution for homeowners on a budget. There is still the drawback of using poisonous chemicals to eradicate the infestation, however, so many homeowners with children or pets, don’t like to use this approach either.
Holistic Solutions to Roach Problems
A study published in the New York Times looked at how to completely eradicate cockroaches without poisonous chemicals. This study found that cutting off roaches’ access to food and water and then using more holistic treatments to eradicate the remaining cockroaches was the most efficient method of treating an infestation.
So just what does it mean to cut off the roaches’ access to food and water? Keep all food in sealed and closed containers, wipe down all surfaces after food preparation and after eating, pick up pet food bowls, clean all cooking surfaces thoroughly, and never leave dirty dishes in the sink, on countertops, or even inside the dishwasher! Don’t let water sit in your sink, pick up and empty pet water bowls, get rid of houseplants needing water or relocate them to a friend’s home, and mop up any spills – even on the bathroom floor!
Once you have cut off food and water, it’s time to pull out those non-toxic roach treatments. There are a number of eco-friendly roach killers on the market, but you can also find some in your kitchen or garden already!
- Catnip! Put 1 tsp of catnip in a small sachet and place the sachet in any area where you have seen roaches!
- Bay leaves are a great repellent to keep those roaches away rather than killing them. Place bay leaves around the house and send those roaches running and stop them from coming back again!
- Borax and sugar. Combine equal parts of borax and sugar together and sprinkle in any area that you have seen roaches, particularly in those small nooks and crannies. The sugar will attract the roaches and the borax will kill them.