Once you have found a major harborage, spray it with disinfectant and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then you can wipe the area dry. Next, use soap and water or a light degreaser to scrub the area down. Spray it one last time with a disinfectant to kill any leftovers.
Cockroach infested areas have a very particular scent caused by the pheromones left behind in their droppings. This musty smell can attract other cockroaches and the bigger the infestation, the worse the smell. It is a damp, unpleasant odor that can sink into just about any surface.
WHAT DO COCKROACHES SMELL LIKE? The signature cockroach smell — the one they emit while still alive — has been described as oily, musty, and even sweet in some cases. Roaches use their unpleasant odor to communicate with each other, helping them find food, safe places to live, and breeding opportunities.
To get rid of the cockroach smell in cabinets, remove every item in the cabinet. Apply a non-porous disinfectant to the cabinet, spraying every corner. This disinfectant is registered by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and that means it is safe for your surfaces and the environment.
Roach Repellents
Peppermint oil, cedarwood oil, and cypress oil are essential oils that effectively keep cockroaches at bay. Additionally, these insects hate the smell of crushed bay leaves and steer clear of coffee grounds. If you want to try a natural way to kill them, combine powdered sugar and boric acid.
Borax is a readily-available laundry product that's excellent for killing roaches. For best results, combine equal parts borax and white table sugar. Dust the mixture any place you've seen roach activity. When the roaches consume the borax, it will dehydrate them and kill them rapidly.
Bleach is technically capable of both repelling and killing cockroaches, but it is much less practical of a solution. It is only effective in killing cockroaches that you are able to catch. The most of your population will remain safely hidden in the corners and crevices of your home.
The smell of lemons repels cockroaches to a great extent, keeping them away from areas that reek of the fruit. Hence, it is advisable to mop floors with water that has a few lemon drops in it.
Boric Acid and Peanut Butter
Boric acid tops even baking soda when it comes to killing cockroaches. With little more than a sprinkle on the floor, boric acid acts as an all-natural poison to take down dirty roaches in just days.
Raid Ant & Roach Killer Insecticide Spray was found to be one of the most effective at killing cockroaches. A can is helpful for the times when you spot a roach in your home and you don't want to get too close. A roach spray should kill the bug almost instantly.
1. Bait them. Since they are looking for food and water, a carefully crafted blend of food, water, and insecticide like that found in Ortho® Home Defense Roach Bait is a good way to kill roaches hiding behind walls and in cracks.
Distilled vinegar does not kill or repel roaches, making it completely ineffective. Distilled vinegar will help keep your kitchen clean, giving cockroaches less to snack on. However, roaches can live for months at a time without any food at all, and they will eat almost anything to survive.
While dryer sheets won't kill cockroaches, linalool can be a roach repellent. Linalool and other oils extracted from plants have been used as pest repellents. The scent is repulsive to cockroaches, and direct contact can cause a toxic reaction. Dryer sheets only contain a limited amount of linalool.
Use bay leaves, peppermint oil, or lemon slices in and around the microwave. Cockroaches hate the smell, so they'll choose to stay away.
Cockroaches have many negative consequences for human health because certain proteins (called allergens) found in cockroach feces, saliva and body parts can cause allergic reactions or trigger asthma symptoms, especially in children.
Use 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water and then mix in those 10 or 15 drops of peppermint oil. Then, spray away. Don't be afraid to spray in your cabinets and pantry, your bathroom and other areas where you don't want to find roaches.
Vinegar has a strong scent that roaches are not fond of. However, it's not the best cockroach deterrent. If used alone, roaches may ignore the smell of vinegar. If you mix vinegar with essential oils, you can boost the strength of your repellent spray.