Is baking soda and sugar an effective roach killer?

I’ve heard people use sugar and baking soda to kill roaches. Does this actually work?

Mixing baking soda and sugar to kill roaches may seem appealing to try, as these are items you are likely to have in your pantry, but household remedies often fall short because pests multiply quickly and hide in places you can’t easily reach. Baking soda is often considered a DIY roach control method because it reacts with the acid found in a roach's stomach and can kill them, but it must be ingested by the insect to be effective. It doesn't work simply by being spread around or by contact alone, which is why it’s sometimes mixed with sugar to entice them to eat it.

Sprinkling sugar around your home, though, may actually have the opposite effect. Instead of solving the problem, you could attract more insects by leaving an attractive food source out in the open.

For dependable results, professional treatment is the most effective way to address a roach infestation. At Western, our technicians use proven methods to treat active pests and help prevent future problems. Get expert cockroach control today.