in

10 Best Home Remedies for Roaches In The House

Did you know that roaches or cockroaches are supposed to have appeared on this planet long before humans?  However, that doesn’t give them the right to invade our homes, especially the kitchens. There may be several highly effective chemical repellents, but all of them are highly toxic, and they do not just kill the roaches, they cause severe respiratory and skin problems for us, at times leaving us with some permanent allergy.

Over 10,000 roach species in the world form a primary food source for millions of birds, insectivorous mammals (small ones), and disgusting though it may sound, humans living in some parts of the world love roasting roaches and crunching them down for breakfast. The good news though is that there are several excellent home remedies for roaches in the house. Let’s first take a look at what attracts these detestable pests into our homes.

What attracts roaches into our homes?

  • The primary attractant undoubtedly is – Food
  • Damp, dark, wet cracks and crevices are heaven for these disgusting pests
  • Empty cartons, shelves, books and other knick-knacks are great hiding places
  • Infrequently used basements, garages and other such areas are favorite hideouts
  • Bathrooms and toilets that are not maintained hygienically attract these creatures

10 Best Home Remedies for Roaches

There are several easy home remedies for keeping out these pests, here the ten best:

Home Remedies for Roaches In The House

10. Clean Up!

Procedure:

  • Don’t leave leftover food scraps lying around the house
  • Wipe the kitchen counters with damp cloth
  • Don’t leave unwashed dishes in the wash sink
  • Clean the stovetop after each spill
  • Wash and sanitize the bathroom floors

How does this work?

It is worth preventing a horde of roaches invading your home rather than looking for remedies to get rid of roaches. If the house you live in is kept clinically squeaky clean, there is not even a remote chance for roaches to enter. It is important to clean up spilled food and leftovers and dispose them of properly. Roaches get attracted by the smell of food and grease; hence a clean home naturally repels them. Make sure stovetops are cleaned each time food spills, and make sure that you don’t forget to clean up after a party as parties can leave a lot of mess around.

The remedy may not work if:

  • Guests bring in roaches inadvertently in their luggage
  • In such cases, use any of the other methods listed below

9. Pyrethrum Spray

Procedure:

  • Get a bunch of Pyrethrum (Chrysanthemum) flowers
  • Dry the Pyrethrum in a cool dark place
  • Take a spray bottle and fill it with plain, clean water
  • Powder the dried Pyrethrum and pour it into the spray bottle
  • Spray the lethal (for roaches) mixture where roaches generally appear

How does this work?

Pyrethrum spray is a homemade pesticide that is quite harmless and easy to make at home. The strong smell of Pyrethrum is a deterrent for the most resilient roaches and repels them. Moreover, this is a natural and effective pesticide that gets rid of roaches easily. Make sure that you cover the food containers when going about spraying this natural pesticide in the kitchen. Not that it is harmful to humans; the all-pervading smell can cause a sense of nausea. Use the herbal spray within 2 to 3 days and make a fresh bottle when and if required.

The remedy may not work if:

  • The roach infestation is deep rooted and in large numbers
  • In such cases call in the experts to do a one-time job of eliminating the pests

8. Fill up cracks, crevices, holes

Procedure:

  • Get some quick-dry cement or sealer from the hardware store
  • Locate all the cracks and crevices in the house
  • Use a blower and blow-clean all the cracks, crevices and holes
  • Mix the cement or sealer and seal up all the crack and crevices
  • Conduct periodic inspections at least once in 6 months to detect fresh cracks

How does this work?

Cracks, crevices and holes are the favorite haunts of roaches. They not only reside there, but the female of the species lay their eggs there and allow them to hatch, resulting in an endless supply of roaches around the house. The best way to keep out roaches is by not giving them a chance to find a place to settle in inside your home. Once all the tiny cracks and crevices have been filled, they will have no place to hide. Dispose of empty cartons and boxes lying in the basement or attic, as they are perfect places for roaches to reside in.

The remedy may not work if:

You have unused appliances like microwave ovens, bread toasters, etc. as roaches find such places convenient to live in and multiply.

7. DIY Roach Bait

Procedure:

  • Take 300 gm of boric acid in a large bowl
  • Add 100 gm of sugar to the boric acid
  • Mix well and store in a box with lid
  • Sprinkle this mixture on the kitchen top, near the fridge and under the wash sink

How does this work?

Boric acid has a natural repelling tendency on roaches. The sugar is added to lure the roaches, though the boric acid kills them almost instantly. Use this mixture within one week, utmost. Prepare this bait fresh again if all the roaches were not destroyed in one shot. The killed roaches need to be put in an incinerator and burnt. If you don’t have access to an incinerator, choose a spot away from the house and burn the dead roaches.

The remedy may not work if:

If the boric acid you have is old stock that has lost potency. In that case, you’ll have to get fresh stock that is potent, check the expiry date before purchasing.

6. Garlic, Onion, Pepper, Soap

Procedure:

  • Take one liter of water in a small wide-mouthed container
  • Take 2 garlic cloves, peel and crush them and add to water
  • Take 50 gm of black pepper and powder it finely and add
  • Take 2 medium sized onions and chop them finely and add
  • Add a few drops of liquid detergent soap to the mixture and allow to marinate for 2 hours
  • Sprinkle this mixture in the places where roaches frequent

How does this work?

Garlic has a strong, pungent odor which acts as a natural repellent on roaches. Pepper powder also has a pungent smell and acts as an effective roach repellent. Onions also are pungent and acidic in nature, which roaches detect with their feelers and make sure that they keep away. Soap water has a suffocating effect on roaches, which are believed to breathe through their skin. Hence this potent homemade repellent is probably the safest and best of all home remedies for killing roaches.

The remedy may not work if:

There is no way this mixture cannot work. It is a very potent mix that will certainly repel roaches and rid the menace once for all.

5. Dish Wash Detergent

  • Take two to three tablespoons of dish wash detergent powder
  • Take some warm water in a spray bottle
  • Add the dish was detergent and mix well
  • Spray this mixture in the areas the roaches frequent
  • You may spray the mixture directly on the roaches as well

How does this work?

Dish wash detergent is powerful enough to kill the roaches. The reason is quite simple – roaches are known to breathe through their skin, and spraying dish wash detergent on them has a suffocating effect and during the struggle, the roaches turn turtle (upside down) and struggle for a while and then die. Dish wash detergent is one of the effective home remedies for roaches and is used extensively by many households the world over.

The remedy may not work if:

Dish wash detergent is powerful enough to kill roaches. Hence, this is a simple and foolproof method for getting rid of the roach menace in your home.

4. Baking Soda and Sugar

Procedure:

  • Take 100 gm of baking soda (also known as sodium bicarbonate)
  • Take 100 gm of sugar in a bowl
  • Mix baking soda and sugar thoroughly
  • Sprinkle the mixture in the areas roaches reside or frequent

How does this work?

Baking soda is powerful enough to kill the bacteria, provide they ingest it. The sugar is mixed with baking powder to attract the roaches which start feasting on the mixture. Once ingested the sodium bicarbonate reacts with the juices in the digestive juices and releases carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide has a toxic effect on the insides of the roaches and kills them almost instantly; making this mixture one of the most preferred home remedies for roaches in the house.

The remedy may not work if:

The roaches do not consume the mixture for any reason. However, in most cases, the sugar does the trick.

3. Borax Bait

Procedure:

  • Take 100 gm of borax, 100 gm of wheat flour, and 100 gm of sugar
  • Mix all three and add water and knead
  • Roll small balls of the dough and place in roach prone areas

How does this work?

Borax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate or disodium tetraborate is a boron compound. This mineral is a salt of boric acid, and is white in color, though it comprises colorless crystals. This harmless looking chemical can actually sound the death knell for the roaches that are a permanent menace for households. Once the roaches eat the bait, they are doomed, and what’s worse (for the roaches) is that they carry some of the bait back to their nests to feed the little ones, thus triggering a mass extermination of themselves. This roach bait is one of the handiest home remedies for roaches in the house as it is harmless to humans and is very effective on roaches.

The remedy may not work if:

The roaches do not consume the mixture for any reason. However, sugar is added as an ingredient in the bait as roaches love sugar and are sure to take the bait.

2. Petroleum Jelly Bait

Procedure:

  • Get a bottle of fresh petroleum jelly. Take a sheet of thick cardboard and 50 gramsof sugar
  • Spread a thick layer of petroleum jelly on the cardboard
  • Sprinkle some sugar on the jelly and wait

How does this work?

Petroleum jelly is very viscous and becomes a deadly quagmire for the unsuspecting roaches. All you have to do is to spread a liberal quantity of petroleum jelly on the cardboard sheet and sprinkle some sugar on it. The sugar acts as the bait and attracts the roaches.  Once the roaches step on to the petroleum jelly they are as good as dead. You may either wait for them to die slowly, or find your own means of disposing of the troublesome roaches and rid your homes of the menace.

The remedy may not work if:

The only way this method won’t work is if you place the trap in the wrong location. It is important that you set the trap in the areas the roaches haunt frequently.

1. Bay Leaves

Procedure:

  • Take a bunch of fresh Bay leaves. Crush them or chop them into fine pieces
  • Spread the pieces/powder near the nests and areas roaches frequent
  • Repeat process a couple of times in a week

How does this work?

Bay leaves, also known as laurel leaves have a strong, pungent smell that acts as a natural repellent for roaches and ants. Crushing the leaves and sprinkling the dust/powder strategically helps chase away the roaches from the areas like the kitchen top, wash sink, store room, bathroom, etc. where they are found commonly. However, they may not be eradicated totally, as the bay leaves act only as a repellent and not a destroying agent.

The remedy may not work if:

Bay leaves may be good for keeping the roaches away from the kitchen and other areas they frequent. However, there is no guarantee that the roaches will be eradicated.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Body Toning Exercises

10 Body Toning Exercises That Will Shape You Up In A Month

Home Remedies For Poison Oak

5 Home Remedies For Poison Oak That Work Wonders