Cockroaches are tough to deal with. An infestation can cost you hundreds of dollars to exterminate successfully.
These bugs lay hundreds of eggs at a time. They have short incubation periods and multiply rapidly. A species that multiplies rapidly is naturally harder to extinguish.
Cockroaches survive because they are experts in hiding. They can easily slip through cracks hidden on cupboards and sinks. Insecticides would be ineffective if you cannot ascertain the exact location of the cockroaches.
The key to getting rid of cockroaches once and for all is driving them out of hiding. It also happens to be the most challenging part of getting rid of them.
How To Get A Cockroach Out Of Hiding
Step 1: Ready the Bait
You will need bait to attract the roaches. You should use sugary food like pieces of soft candy.
Step 2: Get an adhesive trap.
Prepare an adhesive roach trap. These traps are available commercially at very affordable prices. They are sold in packs.
Step 3: Scatter the bait on the trap
Spread out your trap to occupy a sizable surface area. Scatter the pieces of candy on the trap.
Step 4: Exterminate the bugs
Use bug spray to kill the cockroaches on the trap. Spray thoroughly to ensure that there are no surviving bugs.
Step 5: Dispose of the bugs.
Roll the trap and throw it away. Dispose of it outside your house.
How To Tell If Your House Is Infested
Cockroaches are known to live in large groups. It is usually a consequence of their ability to reproduce rapidly over a short period. Roaches lay hundreds of eggs at a go.
Spotting a cockroach or two is enough to send most folks into panic mode. Before you call the exterminator, you need to ask yourself whether or not your home has been infested.
Most infestations happen in the kitchen, as they have unlimited access to food.
It is not difficult to tell whether you are dealing with an infestation. Here are some of the signs:
1. Cockroach eggs
If you spot cockroach eggs in your house, you probably have an infestation on your hands. Cockroaches tend to lay eggs in kitchens.
They lay as many as fifty eggs at a time. These eggs appear in castings.
A casting is brown or sometimes yellow. These castings are about a centimeter long.
These castings have a hard exterior. The exterior shields the eggs from the cold and predators until they hatch.
2. The smell of cockroaches
Cockroaches secret musty-smelling chemicals hormones called pheromones. Roaches use these hormones to communicate and attract mates.
The smell is worse if the number of cockroaches is large. The smell of cockroaches is not only repulsive, and it might be nauseous to some people. It is advisable to eliminate the cockroaches while the numbers are still low.
3. Cockroach droppings
Cockroaches have to expel organic waste from their bodies like all living organisms. These droppings are odorless. It is very easy to mistake the droppings for random stains.
Check the corners of your house and underneath the refrigerator. These droppings might appear as specs. A large number of droppings indicates a large number of roaches.
Which Scents Can You Use To Keep Roaches Away?
The best way to deal with cockroaches is by preventing infestation. Cockroaches spread rapidly between households. If you live in an area where infestations are common, you must take all measures necessary before the bugs spread to your home.
What are some practical ways to prevent an invasion?
1. Use Eucalyptus
The smell of eucalyptus repulses cockroaches. To effectively get rid of them, you should consider planting eucalyptus around your home. Alternatively, you can use eucalyptus fragrance at home. The fragrance is made from eucalyptus oil.
2. Cinnamon
Though not completely effective, cinnamon can be used as a last resort to driving roaches away. The smell is pungent to some species of cockroaches and will repel them.
Cinnamon is not considered adequate due to the quantities you would use. It works well in confined spaces, but the results are barely evident in large spaces.
3. Cedar
Cedar balls are effective in keeping roaches away. Cedar contains natural oils that are too much for roaches. Cedarwood chippings repel roaches and help drive them out of their hiding areas.
4. White vinegar
White vinegar is not only great for houseflies, and it helps keep roaches away. Dissolve a teaspoon of white vinegar in water and spray the substance on entrances, cracks, and holes to prevent cockroaches from infesting your place.
5. Peppermint oil
Peppermint oil is not only a repellant, and you can use it to kill roaches. The scent of mint is toxic to cockroaches, and it can help drive them out of their hiding spots.
By planting peppermint around your home, you will be discouraging the bugs from getting into your living space.
6. Lavender
Lavender is surprisingly effective in repelling many bugs, and cockroaches aren’t spared either. The scent of lavender is enough to act as a deterrent for mosquitos and cockroaches. You can use lavender-based fragrances inside your home.
7. Citrus
The citrus spray works effectively in keeping cockroaches out of sight. It is also safer to use than many aerosol sprays.
Where Do Roaches Hide?
Are you trying to figure out why all these roaches keep invading your house? Several things attract roaches. Unsurprisingly, these things are primarily found in the kitchen and living room area.
1. Cabinets
Cockroaches live hiding in cabinets, draws, and cupboards. These places are convenient as they are dark and rarely disturbed. They present the optimal conditions for hiding, breeding, and laying eggs.
Cabinets might also contain food. Cockroaches will stay comfortably in such spaces and multiply quickly.
2. Drains
Drains are perfect hiding spots for cockroaches. They are free from predators and are rarely disturbed.
They have an endless supply of water and can avoid being detected. Cockroaches also love drains because they receive little or no light at all.
3. They hide in walls.
Cockroaches will thrive and survive in dry wooden walls. It isn’t easy to get rid of cockroaches once they enter the walls. You would need an exterminator to fumigate your house and kill the roaches.
Cockroaches also lay their eggs on the walls. Home solutions are unlikely to help get rid of the roaches if it happens.
4. Kitchenware
Cockroaches can spend time undetected inside common kitchen appliances. They hide in toasters, dishwasher vents, toasters, and refrigerators.
Once they are inside, it is usually challenging to drive them out, especially if the electronics are susceptible to water damage.
How To Prevent Roach Infestation/Kill Cockroaches
1. Use Boric Acid
Boric acid will decimate any cockroaches in minutes. The acid is not toxic to humans, but it corrodes the insides of cockroaches. It is safe to use in the kitchen. You must always label the acid, as it closely resembles flour.
2. Seal cracks or holes
Sealing cracks will prevent roaches from finding ideal spots for hiding and breeding.
3. Use traps
You can use adhesive traps and bait to attract roaches and kill them using bug spray, as discussed earlier.
4. Keep the house clean.
Cockroaches love dirty environments. Make sure you clean after yourself. Sweep up any food crumbs, and never leave dirty dishes in the sink for long periods.
5. Fix leaks
Cockroaches rely on leaks in drain systems to survive. They use the water to stay hydrated. Sealing leaks and plugging sinks will cause them to move away, searching for water.
How To Get Rid Of Cockroach Eggs
To destroy the cycle of infestation, you have to destroy cockroach eggs. These eggs are contained in an organic protein enclosure oothecae.
An ootheca has several eggs inside. Some species can lay up to fifty eggs in the enclosure.
Spraying insecticides does not always work on eggs due to the oothecae. You will need a unique chemical substance known as diatomaceous.
Just like boric acid, diatomaceous is safe for humans. It kills roaches and eggs by corroding their exterior until they die. It is very effective, as it requires only seconds to start working.
Diatomaceous is sold commercially in grocery stores. It is pretty inexpensive.
Alternatively, you can use a potent aerosol bug spray. You will have to use a significant amount, as the droplets have to penetrate the oothecae. Do not use aerosols in poorly ventilated rooms.
Conclusion
Cockroaches are hard to eliminate. They have evolved over the years to survive almost all climatic conditions. They can go for days without food, and even live without ahead!
Their resilience has made them one of the most challenging species to expel. The best way to get rid of cockroaches is to expel these creatures from their hiding spots.
It would help if you used bait and an adhesive trap to get them out of hiding. The traps are available commercially at an affordable price.
