Cockroaches can be a big concern for homeowners and businesses alike. Not only are these crawling insects synonymous with dirt and filth, but they can also spread a range of diseases, as well as trigger asthma and other allergies.
More often than not, the first sign of cockroaches leads people to try a handful of do-it-yourself roach control options to exterminate these pests from their property. The issue is that many of the popular natural home remedies for cockroaches have a limited effect and often result in roach infestations returning.
If you're wondering how to get rid of cockroaches and notice a lot of roaches around your home or property, contact the experts at Western Exterminator.
There are many DIY cockroach control options using household items that claim to exterminate roaches, as well as a handful of natural cockroach repellents. Many of these remedies or repellents use items with a strong scent that cockroaches dislike. Below, we’ve listed some of those remedies and explored how well they work.
Fabric softener is thought to exterminate cockroaches by blocking the pores in their skin, causing them to suffocate. The method behind this home remedy is to mix three parts fabric softener with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray the solution on the popular cockroach hotspots, such as drains and trash cans.
Unfortunately, this method is not an effective home remedy for cockroaches. The success of this DIY control option relies on applying the spray directly to the crawling insect, and cockroaches often operate out of sight. Also, this method will only affect the cockroach that was sprayed and will not fully exterminate an infestation.
There are a couple of options when using coffee grounds as a DIY solution for cockroaches. One is to make a trap using a jar, water, and coffee grounds in order to drown them. Another is to sprinkle coffee grounds around your home to repel them.
The issue with using coffee as a DIY cockroach control option is that the multiple methods of using this commonly found household product contradict one another. On one hand, it is used to attract cockroaches while on the other, it is used to repel them. The fact is, cockroaches have no opinion on coffee. They neither love it nor hate it.
Bay leaves are another supposed natural cockroach repellent. If you want to know how to use bay leaves for cockroaches, simply pulverize the leaves into a powder, using a pestle and mortar or a blender. You can then sprinkle this around the cockroach hotspots in your home.
The idea behind this home remedy for cockroaches is that roaches cannot stand the scent of the essential oils released by crushed bay leaves. However, the scent produced by bay leaves is not powerful enough to deter cockroaches. Cockroaches will quite happily dive into a dinner consisting of animal feces, so the smell of bay leaves should be no problem.
The idea behind this DIY roach control option is to clean your home using a solution of water and lemon juice, as cockroaches cannot stand the scent of lemon. Although this home remedy for cockroaches can have some positive effects on cockroach populations, it is not due to the scent of lemon (this actually has no effect on cockroaches), but rather the act of cleaning itself.
Cucumber is also thought to be a successful DIY cockroach control option. This home remedy consists of placing slices or peels of cucumber out overnight around sinks, kitchen counters, and cabinets.
Many think that this home remedy for cockroaches works as a natural repellent, as roaches hate the smell of cucumber, but you are more likely to attract these crawling insects than repel them.
Soap and water mixed is regarded as a successful home remedy for cockroaches, as it works in the same way fabric softener does. Like with fabric softener, this DIY cockroach control option requires creating a solution of soap and water and applying it to live cockroaches. The soap will block the pores in their skin and cause them to suffocate.
However, like fabric softener, this home remedy relies on applying it to live cockroaches. It will not fully remove an infestation from your property.
The best way to exterminate cockroaches is with the help of a pest control professional.
The main issue with DIY solutions is that they will not fully remove cockroaches from your property. These solutions are only temporary. Because cockroaches normally operate in the dark, they may seem to have been eliminated to the untrained eye. However, more often than not, they are just hiding in a different area.
A pest control professional can:
Cockroaches in commercial premises can have serious consequences. From disgruntled customers and employees to negative reviews and regulatory non-compliance, our commercial pest control can help ensure your business is protected from roaches, year-round.
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