The most popular and effective natural cockroach killer is diatomaceous earth. It is non-toxic to humans and kills roaches when they come into contact with it.
Filling a spray bottle with dish soap and water, shaking it, and spraying a roach from above will kill it quickly. Traps: Most cockroach traps will kill cockroaches quickly. Glue traps or poisonous roach traps will capture them and kill them fast, so by the time you throw away the trap the roach is dead.
The best way to get rid of roaches fast is to sanitize your home, eliminate hiding spots and stagnant water, store food in airtight containers, and use glue strips, bait, boric acid, or liquid concentrates.
Boric acid Some people find this to be the best option to kill roaches. Boric acid can work too, the only downside is that sometimes roaches will go away as soon as they smell boric acid.
Bleach can kill roaches on contact. However, pouring it down a drain can potentially release toxic fumes, and cause long-term damage to your system. While the use of bleach may help with a cockroach problem, because of its toxic nature it should never be poured down a drain or toilet.
Spraying window cleaner directly onto small insects like ants or mosquitoes will kill them within a few moments. For cockroaches, window cleaner can make them temporarily unconscious so that you can squash them. This works on initial contact, but Windex will not continue to kill bugs after it has dried.
Unfortunately, bleach is a very ineffective method for killing cockroaches. It has a very strong smell, so it doesn't work as bait, and cockroaches won't willingly go to it. The only real way to kill a roach with bleach is to drown it, and there are much more effective ways of killing cockroaches.
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. Or, spread a dusting on a paper plate and bait it right in the middle with a piece of orange peel.
Your best bet is to combine baking soda with another granulated attractant, like sugar. Mix equal parts baking soda and sugar in a small dish and apply it to kitchen cabinets, baseboards, crevices, water sources, and other places roaches like to hide.
Sprinkle boric acid in areas the roaches frequent; when they walk through it, it sticks to them. They later ingest the boric acid, which then kills them. When using boric acid, be sure to limit your exposure; don't place it anywhere that children or pets might find it, as it's toxic when ingested.
Even if your home is clean of excess food or moisture problems, cockroaches are crafty enough to find food on their own and thrive in even the most hostile conditions. And once you've got them in your Roseville home, cockroaches aren't so eager to leave. Cockroaches won't go away on their own.
All About Vinegar
Unfortunately, it doesn't actually kill these problem insects. It's more of a cleaning tool than anything else, and it won't actually help eliminate your roach problem. It can, however, help deter roaches and get rid of germs in the kitchen when used as a cleaning agent.
Sprinkle the diatomaceous earth around areas where roaches travel and frequent. The sharp particles of diatomaceous earth damage the waxy, protective exoskeleton of the roach, causing it to dehydrate and die, typically within 48 hours of contact.
One popular DIY method is to mix boric acid with equal parts powdered sugar as a lure. Apply as a fine layer under appliances, behind cabinets and along crevices. Roaches ingest the mixture and die within a few hours.
Tea Tree Oil. Many homeowners report that roaches don't like tea tree oil. You can combine 1 part vinegar and 4 parts water with a few drops of tea tree oil and apply the mixture with a spray bottle to deter cockroaches from specific areas.
Home remedies like diatomaceous earth, baking soda, boric acid, citrus, essential oils, and borax can be effective ways to get rid of roaches. If you want to take a more aggressive approach to eliminate roaches, glue traps, bait stations, and liquid roach deterrent concentrates are all excellent options.
So what smell do roaches hate? Oregano, rosemary, mint, eucalyptus, lemongrass and catnip are great herby options. Citrus oils work brilliantly too.
Two of the most common cockroach predators are toads and frogs! Both of these amphibians are known for eating insects like flies, but they also gladly welcome cockroaches.
It's a fact that cockroaches are afraid of humans and other mammals or animals that are bigger than them. They see us as predators and that fear triggers their instinct to scatter away. However, they dislike strong and distinctive scents such as citrus, peppermint, lavender and vinegar.
Taking a deep drink of household bleach would kill anything, roaches included. But the same strong odor that keeps people from taking a swig of bleach repels roaches as well. So though it could work, in reality, it will not. It is very difficult to kill an entire roach infestation yourself.
Can Pouring Bleach Down Your Drain Kill Roaches? An old wive's tale is that bleach can be used to clean out your drain system and to kill roaches that may be living in your drains. Bleach does indeed kill roaches, but it isn't recommended as a drain system cleaner.
If 100 roaches are sprayed with a chemical, it may kill 95 of them. The remaining five are resistant to the pesticide, and they may pass that resistant gene on to their off spring. So over time, the species may develop a tolerance.
Spray Essential Oils
Research has found that some essential oils—especially rosemary oil—are effective at repelling roaches. Rosemary oil was found to offer a 100% roach mortality rate at the concentration range of 2.5% to 30%. So mix it with water and spray away at your problem areas!