Cockroaches – don’t you just hate them?
Ugh!
As well as being speedy little beasties, they can induce allergic reactions and carry some pretty nasty diseases.
Even worse, when you find one there’s a good chance there’s more of them lurking around.
Not only are roaches tough to get rid of – they’re one of the most resilient creatures on the planet and are even able to withstand large doses of nuclear radiation!
So in this article, I cover the 3 most effective steps you can take to…
- Prevent an infestation in the first place
- Eliminate the ones already scuttling around your house and stop them coming back
Attracted by food sources
Survival of the Fittest
Like most insects and pests that make their way into your home, cockroaches are attracted to abundant food sources.
Human food most obviously – but they’ll also be attracted to dog or cat food, bird feed or any other pet food.
Even cardboard can be a tasty meal for a cockroach.
And did I mention their resilience? – They can also survive for up to 3 months without food.
Not that we like picking them up!
Roaches love dark and wet places to hide. That’s why you’ll most likely find them in old boxes, on shelves, in the basement, behind walls, and other areas without a human presence.
So here’s what you need to do…
Step #1: Remove Food, Water and Home Sources
- Keep your house clean.
- Remove food sources, wipe down counter, sweep and mop, seal the trash and make sure you don’t have any open containers.
- Check drainage, pipes and so on for leaks or ‘standing water’.
- Check your storage areas – if you have boxes of stuff keeping all your precious mementos, these are perfect ‘homes’ for roaches to move in and settle down.As well as being a food source, the boxes provide an excellent nest environment for roaches to lay eggs in. (Usually in the flaps and weaving parts of the box. )
If you keep getting infested, you can go to more extreme lengths…
- Plastic ‘bins’ with lids to store your belongings – not just your clothes but these pesky roaches will also eat the glue in book bindings! (And the books of course!)
- Wash clothes, sheets and blankets on a high-heat and seal in plastic containers.
- More plastic containers for cereals, flour, sugar and so on. (Keeps your food fresher too!)
Knock em dead!
Step #2: Baits and Poisons
There are several baiting options to go with. There isn’t a ‘one-way’ option here – you’ll probably need to use a few baits and/or poisons in different places around your house.
You can use bait balls, surface sprays or cockroach mats and don’t forget – roaches can live for 3 months without food! You can get baits and traps to put in wet places, such as under the sink. Spray the corners around your house.
When using mats or traps, place them in plastic bags or containers in case any of the females lay eggs.
Step #3: Boric Acid
Now we’re talking!
Boric acid is the Achilles Heel of the ‘no-need-to-eat’, ‘I-can-withstand-radiation’ cockroach!
You can buy ‘boric cockroach treatments’ online or in some pharmacies.
Boric acid is a harmless, natural ingredient which is poisonous to roaches (about time we found one right?)
The best part is – when they take the bait back, they kill off the colony – happy days!
The Dentec Pest ‘Cockroach Killing’ Boric-Acid-Ball Recipe:
- Mix boric acid with granulated white sugar and a few drops of water to create a dough-like substance.
- Place in infested areas.
The process can take a few weeks before you see the best results. Eventually it will kill off every single one of them and you can just keep balls of the mixture near areas where roaches can get into your house.
Comment below if you know of any other methods you can share with readers…