Best Home Remedies to Kill Cockroaches

Cockroaches can be a real nuisance for homeowners. The sight of cockroaches crawling in the kitchen, in the bathroom, and in other parts of the home can be irritating and may make you susceptible to diseases and infections.

The good news is that with timely intervention we can get rid of cockroaches. Here are some of the best home remedies you can deploy to kill cockroaches!

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How Do Cockroaches Make Their Way into Homes?

Cockroaches are pests that find their way to homes through cracks and crevices. They are usually found in damp and dark areas of homes where they survive and thrive.

They can be found in your home if:

Key areas such as the kitchen have a lot of food and most things are unkempt and untidy. If your pans and microwaves have crumbs of food or grease accumulation, cockroaches will be having a gala time.
There are cracks and crevices in your bathroom and too much dampness. Roaches can also enter homes through drains and sinks.
An air conditioner can also be an easy access point for roaches.

There are many other ways such as gardens and terraces or even seemingly simple things such as grocery bags that can be a medium for cockroaches to get entry to your home. Once they get in, they multiply pretty fast and therefore, you need to intervene to get rid of them as soon as you can.

Baking Soda and Onion Do the Job Just Fine

If you see roaches crawling in your kitchen and home and the very sight is a cause of concern, you can get into action as soon as possible because baking soda and onion are ingredients that are readily available in most pantries and kitchens.

Just chop a few thin slices of onion and sprinkle baking soda on top of it. This is a natural and easy method to kill roaches. It does not require any resources and the results are great. Don’t believe us? Try it next time!

Duct Tape Is an Unlikely Ally

Have you ever wondered about the many utilities of duct tape? Well, it should definitely not just be relegated to your stationery folder. If you are struggling with roaches infestation, they may help.

It is one of the oldest tricks being used by people to trap cockroaches given its excellent sticky surface. You will need to add a piece of food to the duct tape to set it as bait for the cockroaches crawling in and around your home.

You can literally place these strips all over the house and see how they attract cockroaches and rid your home of them!

Sugar and Borax to the Rescue

Borax is a readily available ingredient in homes and is also great for killing cockroaches. This works by attacking the exoskeleton of roaches and interferes negatively with their digestive system before finally killing them.

If you don’t have borax at home and need to readily do the job, you can use boric acid or baking soda as alternatives as they do the job just as fine. When used with borax, sugar becomes an additional instrument to attract and kill cockroaches.

Here is what you need to do to make these ingredients work:

Take borax and sugar in a 3:1 ratio to trap roaches.
Sprinkle this mixture in areas where you have spotted cockroaches. This should be evenly spread and in all places.
The roaches will get treated to these and in the morning, you will see a bunch of roach skeletons lying around. Make sure to dispose of them as soon as you see them.
One application might not be productive and you may need to apply this mixture consistently for a few days to see the results.

A tip—never touch the mixture with your hands. Though this is not fatal, you should wear gloves while making this intervention. Why take any chance at all?

Peppermint Oil Works Incredibly Well

Peppermint oil is an essential oil that is revered for its many properties and benefits to humans. But this also works well at repelling and killing cockroaches.

So, if you are a proponent of all things natural and organic and want to steer clear of chemicals when it comes to controlling cockroaches, this can be your option.

Since peppermint oil is non-toxic, you can also use it around children without any worries. Here is what you need to do:

Mix 15 drops of peppermint oil with a cup of water.
With the help of a spray bottle, spray the mixture at places where you have seen cockroaches.
Repeat the process till you are satisfied with the results. This may take a few applications but it is certain that the oil will help you get rid of the problem quite effectively.

Boric Acid and Peanut Butter Can Be Your Friends

Who said peanut butter belongs only on your loaf of bread? You may be surprised but borax acid and peanut butter might just be the things you need to get rid of cockroaches from your home.

Boric acid is incredibly effective in killing cockroaches so much so that many people place it even above baking soda to do the job. Just a small amount of boric acid on the floor can be an effective way of getting rid of cockroaches.

You can either go solo and spread boric acid near areas where you have seen roaches. Or, if you really want them gone soon, take a plate and place some peanut butter on it along with boric acid. And see the bait attract roaches while the boric acid will suffocate and kill them.

Neem Oil Is Another Option

Another organic method to deal with cockroaches is neem oil. It is widely recognized as an insect repellent and a key source of organic pesticides. It is used as a bug repellant for a really long time. You can totally use it to kill cockroaches. It is safe to use with kids and also doesn’t lead to toxic fumes so it is a great cockroach repellent.

Here is the best way to use neem oil to kill cockroaches:

Mix 15 droplets of neem oil in an average-sized spray bottle and fill the bottle with water. Shake well and use it to spray on areas where you have seen cockroaches.
Do this at night and repeat for a few days.

Use Detergent for Instant Results

Again if you are not big on hard work for getting rid of cockroaches, you can take refuge in detergents because they work well in getting rid of cockroaches. A potent mixture of water and soap can suffocate and kill mosquitoes.

You can use this mixture using the following steps:

Take one liter of water and add soap solution to this. 4 spoons of powdered detergent should be enough for 1 liter of water. So, you can adjust the quantity based on your needs in line with this proportion.
Pour it in a spray bottle and spray it consistently on all areas where there has been roach infestation.
Keep repeating the process based on your needs.

Corn Starch and Plaster of Paris Can Be Effective

Another easy DIY method that you can easily use is using corn starch and plaster of Paris to get rid of cockroaches from your home. Just take these two products and mix them in equal proportion. You can even put this mixture in cracks and crevices from where you see cockroaches emerging alongside obvious locations such as the kitchen area.

Petroleum Jelly Is a Good Bait

Petroleum jelly is a great product that can be put to several uses. Turns out it can also be used to repel and kill cockroaches. Well, not exactly because it doesn’t have toxic properties but it can be a great vehicle in trapping cockroaches.

Here is how you can use petroleum jelly for this purpose:

Take an empty mason jar and place a small roach bait at the bottom of the container.
Rub petroleum jelly on the corners of the jar and also on the insides.
Place a straw on the jar to act as a ladder for the cockroaches.

The benefit of using petroleum jelly is that while cockroaches can go easily because of its stickiness, they can’t come out of the jar. This will trap them and then you can get rid of them as you please.

Coffee Grounds Work Wonders

Coffee grounds are multifunctional and can work wonders in several ways. This is the reason they are used in many DIY hacks for homes. While their aroma is something that makes them irresistible to humans, the same aroma is a nuisance for cockroaches.

This is the reason coffee is considered to be one of the most effective methods of dealing with unwanted roaches. Here is what you need to do:

Take small paper cups and fill them with ground coffee.
Now put these cups in jars filled with water.
You should place these jars in and near areas where you have seen cockroaches.
This will be an excellent bait for cockroaches who will get attracted to this and won’t be able to leave the trap.
Just make sure to get rid of the contents of the jar the next morning.
You may need to repeat the process for a few days for the best results.

We are not sure if it is the caffeine that is the wonder element here but it works for sure!

Diatomaceous Earth to the Rescue

Diatomaceous earth or DE as it is commonly called is a naturally occurring substance that is found in both stores and online and works well against cockroaches. Opt for food-grade DE that is safer to use for both humans and animals.

This is particularly useful for those who have crawling babies who have a habit of picking things up from the ground or households with pets. DE is essentially the fossilized remains of aquatic life and this is behind its potency in getting rid of cockroaches.

It works by damaging the digestive system of the roach that consumes it. The damage to the exoskeleton is something that no cockroach will be able to endure. The cockroach will literally turn into a skeleton before finally perishing under the impact of diatomaceous earth.

Here is how to use DE for the best results:

Start by giving your home a deep cleanse. This will also make you more aware of the exact places where there is roach infestation. While this may seem like a lot of hard work, this will go a long way in getting rid of cockroaches from your home.
Dry out any and all damp spots where you would be placing the DE at. Also, fix any cracks and crevices in pipes and fittings because this is where cockroaches creep in.
Now begin by spreading DE in areas that are troubled by frequent cockroach visits. Apply DE in all areas such as beneath the sink, in and around appliances in the bathroom, around the microwave in the kitchen, and near shelves that house snacks.
Also, spread some DE around the foundation of your home and the main entrance. Basically, what you need to do is to think about all the areas where cockroaches can be present and spread the bait there. You can do it! Channelize your inner Sherlock Holmes!

You should be generous with the DE application and don’t just sprinkle it. Wait for 2-3 weeks and you will start seeing the cockroach population in your home thinning out.

Once this happens, you can be sure that the DE has worked its magic. Repeat as and when required!