Roaches are ruining my life. How do I get rid of them?!
I recently moved into a new apartment and discovered there are roaches. We're pretty good about keeping tidy but we've gone into clean overdrive since discovering the roaches. But I'm not sure it's working. We see at least a few a week. We are pretty quick to spray them and have set traps up for them. At what point do I call a pro? What else can I do myself?
I've had the best luck killing roaches with boric acid. Just sprinkle some around the perimeter of the room, inside cabinets, and near doors and windows. The boric acid affects the roach's nervous system, so after a couple days, you should stop seeing them around your home.
I'd also recommend some cockroach traps from the store. Advion is a good brand that has worked for me :)
I'd also recommend some cockroach traps from the store. Advion is a good brand that has worked for me :)
Do these work well for all kinds of roaches? I've seen some pretty small ones and some really big ones at home. Are they the same?
There are two main kinds of roaches you'll find. The first are German roaches, and these are the ones that live inside of cabinets, behind the fridge, and around the stove. They multiply in huge numbers. You can eliminate them completely by using Raid or a similar repellent. A targeted approach is essential. Usually, you want to isolate the affected area so you can treat the kitchen without making the problem bigger and prevent the roaches from spreading. It's crucial to place bait for the roaches. So you keep applying that for a week or two weeks until you can control the problem.
The other kind of roaches are American roaches or Oriental roaches, also called water bugs, which come out once in a while but are usually found in basements. For these, you can spray some repellant in the basement around the places that you see them come out from because these kinds of roaches live in the sewer, and you cannot kill all the roaches in the sewer. So all you can do is stop them from getting inside your place. Any commercial roach repellent will work.
The other kind of roaches are American roaches or Oriental roaches, also called water bugs, which come out once in a while but are usually found in basements. For these, you can spray some repellant in the basement around the places that you see them come out from because these kinds of roaches live in the sewer, and you cannot kill all the roaches in the sewer. So all you can do is stop them from getting inside your place. Any commercial roach repellent will work.
Pest control goes hand in hand with cleaning. Vacuuming up roach eggs, especially with German roaches, is crucial to fully eradicating roaches in your home.
Make sure you store all of your food in sealed containers, clean up crumbs, and take out the trash regularly. If you remove their food source, that will help. You should also seal up any holes and cracks around your doors, windows, and walls so they can't get inside. Plus move all furniture and appliances and clean behind/under them. Then bait/kill with boric acid or even diatamaceous earth (sp?) for the ones that are already inside. That's what worked for me. Good luck!
How long did you have to do this for? And did you completely get rid of them?
I have been trying the clove tea and baking soda and I still have them crawling around in the clove tea. I’m using the frabricfabric softener it works pretty good then I started adding fabric softener to my coffee pot to rid them out of the coffee pot and I noticed it seems to be doing a good job at running them off. Also popcorn and cement and baking soda seems to work well but I’m being over run and I’m heading to the store to get some stuff to help. I don’t know where you find the determine powder and would like to know where I can get it. That’s not the correct spelling but I think you’ll know what I mean
Diotemacious Earth aka DE is I think what you mean. You can get the better food grade DE at Tractor Supply in either a bulk bag or a few lbs plastic container with a shaker top (it's a square shape). In my local Tractor Supply it is near the horse medicine section
Just saw a roach scurry in my ac vent in the ceiling, when i turned on the light in my bathroom. How can i get rid of them? I'm afraid there might be an infestation.
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Reader Tips from The Best Ways to Get Rid of Cockroaches in Your Home
If you stay in a motel or other location with a roach problem, be extra cautious not to transfer roaches back home with you. Carefully inspect luggage before packing it and wash all clothing immediately when you return. Store food tightly sealed and keep your space very clean.
When spraying pesticides into cracks and crevices, spray until soaked to ensure roaches contacting the surfaces die quickly. However, avoid overusing pesticides and don't continue using them unnecessarily once the infestation is under control.
When using boric acid powder or other pesticide dusts, be sure to wear gloves while applying it. Then discard the gloves so roaches aren't attracted to pesticide residue on your hands later. This protects you from exposure.
Consider adopting a few geckos and releasing them in your home. Geckos will hunt down roach nests and eat their eggs. This can provide natural pest control. However, be prepared to be startled by the freely roaming geckos!
To make a homemade sticky trap, cover a cookie sheet completely with shipping tape, sticky side up. Put sugar or another food in the center as bait. Roaches will be drawn in and get trapped by the tape.
Cockroaches love appliances that are always connected because they're attracted to the warmth and heat. The nest could be in one your appliances, so set up traps and disconnect the appliance (so the roaches get stuck when they're moving out).
Roaches often appear because of poor sanitation, clutter, and cracks in your walls. If you smell a musty odor in your unit, it might be a sign of an infestation.
For a natural insecticide, put a few drops of rosemary essential oil around your room.
Reader Tips from How to Get Rid of Roaches by Caulking
Remove EVERYTHING from your home. Spread a light coating of boric acid everywhere. Caulk all the plumbing. Spackle what you can't caulk. Sweep, vacuum, and bleach like crazy. Just be careful if you have pets or small kids as these cleaners can harm them.
Don't forget to check behind wall mounted items like a door chime or Thermostat. There are usually holes leading into the walls there.
