Humanity must admit: there will always be cockroaches! The 21st century is no exception. Even nanotechnology has not been able to rid us of unwanted insects completely.
But this does not mean that you need to resign yourself and “surrender” your homes to them. The fight against uninvited guests can be waged, and victory over them is quite possible!
The convincing thing about this is that not all housewives today are puzzled by solving this problem. Many have been able to cope with cockroaches and keep their homes inaccessible to them.
The arsenal of serious insect control is diverse. But not everyone knows that smell can be an effective remedy in this confrontation.
How do cockroaches smell?
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It is not known for certain whether cockroaches hear us, whether they have hearing. But the fact that they have a sense of smell, and it is extremely developed, is a fact.
On the body of insects there are long antennae, as well as special appendages - cerci, with the help of which they can recognize various odors. At the same time, cockroaches react differently to them.
To some they remain indifferent, others irritate or are generally poorly tolerated by them. This perception allows the smell to be used in the fight against insects.
Does light scare cockroaches?
Many people notice that when the light bulbs are turned on, these parasites begin to scatter and hide in the cracks. Why are these pests afraid of light? The fact is that insects of this species are nocturnal. The sudden appearance of light for them is a danger signal, when it appears they scatter.
At the same time, insects will feel fine in the kitchen at night with the lights on, if there are no people in the room. Therefore, such a means of controlling pests in the house cannot be called reliable. But in natural sunlight it is quite difficult to meet a cockroach in an apartment, since they usually hide in their hiding places during daylight hours.
Does the smell kill or repel?
Most unpleasant odors repel insects, causing them to leave the room and not return there. This allows you to use a variety of odors, both to expel cockroaches and as a preventive measure.
The industry has also used odors to control pests by combining unpleasant odors with chemicals that can kill them.
Let's take a closer look at what odors can be used to get rid of cockroaches.
Natural enemies of cockroaches
Cockroaches have many enemies, ranging from predatory insects to large primates. The most exotic hunter of these pests is the emerald wasp. She hunts cockroaches and, having found an insect, injects poison into it with a sting, which has a neurotoxic effect. After being bitten, the cockroach loses control of itself and loses the ability to move. The wasp takes the prey to its burrow, where it is eaten by the larvae. In addition to wasps, a large number of animals feed on cockroaches:
- arachnids;
- monkey;
- hedgehogs;
- shrews;
- birds;
- rodents;
- other insects.
At the beginning of the last century in Russia, to combat cockroaches in winter, people caught small birds and put them in cages. They were released to fly around the home, during which the birds hunted, pulling cockroaches out of cracks in the floor and walls.
The emerald wasp preys on cockroaches, the size of which can greatly exceed the size of the wasp itself.
Herbal aroma
An affordable remedy that cockroaches cannot tolerate can be ordinary grass collected in the garden or during a walk in the forest. True, not the first herb you come across will do, but one that has a specific aroma.
Small bunches of herbs can simply be laid out in problem areas (behind the refrigerator, under the sink, under kitchen cabinets, etc.) or hung indoors. You can also fill small cotton bags with them and place them on the shelves of your cabinets.
Essential oils against Prussians
There is a certain set of smells that Prussians try to avoid. The easiest way to fill your home with aroma is with essential oils. They are inexpensive, safe for people, have a pleasant aroma and have a good insecticidal effect. Washing the floors with water with the addition of essential oils will have an excellent effect. You can use oils in their pure form, they can mix them with water and use a spray bottle to spray them onto the habitats and movements of the mustachioed enemy:
- on the back surfaces of furniture;
- under carpets;
- in corners and behind baseboards;
- on the wall behind the peeling wallpaper;
- on kitchen cabinets and on shelves inside them;
- in the corners of the bathroom;
- onto the ventilation shaft mesh and into the sewer riser.
The following oils will help get rid of hated insects:
- anise;
- mint;
- cedar;
- eucalyptus;
- tea tree;
- Noble laurel.
An excellent way to spread the aroma of oils throughout the apartment is an aroma lamp. It is a candle stand with a bowl suspended above it. The candle is lit and it heats the bowl containing the essential oil. It must be said that the method is not suitable for those who react too sensitively to odors - oils can cause a headache. The rest can successfully and with pleasure use the fragrant method of expelling the Prussians.
Eucalyptus oil
Eucalyptus oil and eucalyptus leaves are effective in repelling cockroaches. Add 10 drops of eucalyptus oil per hundred grams of water. Spray the mixture in and around the infected area. Your home will be free of cockroaches very soon.
Anise oil and anise herb
Anise herb is a wonderful plant that was popular among the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. It has many health benefits, for example, anise oil helps in the fight against excess weight. But in our case, it is important that anise oil repels cockroaches.
Tea tree
Tea tree oil is very effective against cockroaches. Mix a quarter cup of tea tree oil and a quarter cup of vinegar with two cups of water. Spray the mixture in and around the infected areas.
Clove oil
Clove oil works best against cockroaches when combined with other essential oils, such as citrus oil or peppermint extract. Mix a few drops of these oils with one liter of water and spray the mixture in and around the infected areas.
Herbs that can repel insects
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Sagebrush
Bunches of wormwood retain an odor undesirable for cockroaches even after they dry. In addition to laying out wormwood branches, you can prepare an infusion to wipe the shelves, wall surfaces, stove, sink and sink with it.
When working with wormwood, you will have to be especially careful: the plant has the ability to burn the skin of your hands upon contact. You need to be careful when infusing wormwood: if you add more than 1 tbsp to 1 liter of water. herbs, the solution can become dangerous to humans.
Mint
The specific minty smell, which creates a feeling of freshness, does not please cockroaches. Mint is used both fresh and after drying.
If you don’t stock up on mint, you can buy pharmacy packaging. Bags of mint intended for brewing emit the same unpleasant smell for cockroaches as the decomposed branches of the plant.
Elder
Elderberry of any kind, both white and red, can help equally well in the fight against insects.
Honeysuckle
Extremely beneficial in its effects on the human body, honeysuckle also has the ability to repel cockroaches.
Laurel
A common kitchen spice is a real danger from which cockroaches flee. Bay leaves can be placed in different places in the kitchen, or you can prepare a tincture that is useful for adding to water when cleaning.
Preparing a laurel infusion takes time: at least 72 hours must pass from the moment the leaf is brewed (200 g and 1 liter of boiling water).
Cockroaches and their preferences
Cockroaches are insects that have long lived near humans. They are happy with everything in our homes - it’s warm here, there is always food and secluded places to create a colony. Some species of cockroaches have lost the ability to live independently in the wild and currently live exclusively near humans, which is why they are called synanthropic.
Cockroach in the kitchen like a master
Cockroaches willingly settle on trains and planes, where conditions for a normal life are created.
Ubiquitous insects can cause phobias in people. Thus, the fear of cockroaches is called blattophobia and is quite common among the urban population.
What are the most favorable conditions for their life? The most important are the following:
- Constant temperature in the range from +12 to 250C;
- Access to water and sufficient humidity;
- Lack of light.
Thanks to special microorganisms - gregarines, living in the intestines, cockroaches easily tolerate the absence of free access to food waste. They are able to digest inedible materials such as cardboard, paper, glue, and shavings, which allows them to survive in non-residential premises for a long time. However, this symbiosis sometimes plays a cruel joke on insects. Drugs that kill gregarine also kill cockroaches, which, without symbionts, are unable to feed on their own.
The favorite places of cockroaches are dark secluded corners of human habitation, located near a water source. These can be places near sinks and toilets, water and sewer pipes, behind wallpaper, radiators, and rarely moved kitchen furniture. Sometimes they settle inside old electrical appliances - radios, tape recorders, televisions. They are attracted here by protection from insecticidal drugs and suitable temperature.
In rooms where access to water is limited, cockroaches often settle near flower pots with soil, which serve as a source of water for them. In this case, swelling is often found inside the pot - this is how the females try to provide their offspring with sufficient moisture for proper growth.
Smell of oils
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When cockroaches are discovered, it is not always possible to have fresh or dry grass on hand, the smell of which they cannot tolerate. In this case, it is convenient to use essential oils made from eucalyptus, cedar, anise, and tea tree.
Cockroaches cannot stand these odors. All the natural aromas of plants are contained in them in concentrated form, so the oils are very effective.
They are easy to use: 2-3 drops are applied to a cotton cloth, bandage or gauze, and then laid out indoors. You can also lubricate the surfaces of furniture, walls, doors, and water drains in the bathroom and kitchen with a napkin with oil applied to it.
It is not necessary to use pure oil; it is better to dilute a small amount in water and then dip a napkin into the resulting solution.
There are other options for using oil. You can fill an aroma lamp with it, add it to saucers of water placed around the kitchen, or use it as an air freshener. In this case, a few drops of oil are added to the water, which is poured into the spray bottle. Spraying water and oil will fill the room with a scent that will encourage the insects to leave.
If the required concentration of oil is not exceeded, people will feel a subtle, pleasant aroma that will have a beneficial effect on humans. And insects will be forced to leave their fragrant home. Therefore, it is useful to have different essential oils in your home medicine cabinet.
Pet owners should be careful when using essential oils and prevent animals from accessing them or treated surfaces.
Does ultrasound repel parasites?
What don’t these pests like besides pungent odors, cold and light? They cannot tolerate the effects of ultrasound, the frequencies of which are inaudible to the human ear. It is this type of ultrasound that is used in modern traps. It does not kill the insects themselves, but makes the home unsuitable for their habitation.
If ultrasound affects the pest population for a long time, red cockroaches simply leave the home. The disadvantage of this method is that over time the pests may return to the house. Most often, this happens when apartment owners discover that there are no longer parasites in their home and stop using the ultrasound device.
Strong chemical odors
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Not only natural but also some chemical odors repel cockroaches. Insects cannot stand it if the rooms smell of ammonia or boric alcohol, kerosene or turpentine. However, these pungent odors in high concentrations are harmful and poorly tolerated by people, and therefore require extreme caution when used.
Of the listed substances, ammonia (ammonia) or chlorine is most often used, which are mixed with water used for cleaning premises. You can simply pour ammonia into a saucer and leave it in a secluded place. Alcohol fumes will be harmful to cockroaches.
Boric acid, which has the ability to kill insects, is added to special food baits.
Unpleasant odors for insects will appear after cleaning if you use water diluted with drugs such as gasoline, kerosene, mothballs or vinegar.
And if the room is being renovated, even the smell of oil paint, wallpaper paste or synthetic detergents used during cleaning can help get rid of cockroaches.
In addition to household products, you can use chemicals specially designed to combat cockroaches. Their action is based on the effect of toxic insecticidal vapors on animals.
Moreover, the composition of the drugs is designed in such a way that a person does not feel an unpleasant odor, as happens when using ammonia or gasoline.
Chemicals
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Scientists working in the chemical industry have spent a lot of time determining which odors instill fear in cockroaches.
The data obtained during the research was used to create drugs to destroy these pests.
It is chemical agents that have proven to be the most effective solution to this problem. The most popular insecticidal products today are gels, sprays, aerosols, poison traps, pencils and crayons.
Chalk
Chalk has a nervous and paralytic effect on cockroaches and today it is a very common means of exterminating them. It is not a very effective drug, but it does not allow the Prussians to spread, provided that their population is not very large.
Aerosols
Insecticides made in aerosol form act quickly and are very convenient to use. But there are also some negative aspects here.
The drug affects insects directly during its spraying and for a short time after treatment is completed.
Aerosol vapors with toxic substances contained in them can harm human health; they penetrate through the ventilation system into other apartments of a multi-story residential building.
But today aerosols based on pyrethroids have begun to appear. Therefore, these drugs do not pose a danger to humans, but their effectiveness is much higher.
Gel against cockroaches
Gels, in addition to the insecticidal substance, contain a fatty base, which prevents the preparation from drying out quickly, a number of food flavorings and additional substances.
Gel insecticides do not have a pronounced toxic effect on people, because they have an intestinal-contact effect on insects when the poison penetrates the digestive tract of the Prussian or its chitinous integument.
The most convenient and safest insecticides to use are those in the form of traps with a toxic substance inside.
Garlic
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In almost every kitchen there is garlic, which also affects insects, encouraging them to leave the premises.
In order for the air to be saturated with garlic aroma, which cockroaches cannot stand, you need to peel a few cloves and place them in the room. These teeth smell for 3 days; if necessary, they can be replaced with new ones.
How to kill pests with boric acid
You can also fight cockroaches using ordinary boric acid. This remedy will also get rid of those pests that are already in the house. It is used like this:
- 2 milligrams of powder are mixed with minced meat.
- The minced meat itself is rolled into small balls and placed in all places where cockroaches may be. It is best to place them in the kitchen behind the baseboards, near the ventilation shafts, and also near the entrance doors.
- These balls need to be renewed within two weeks.
Tip: if you don't want to waste time preparing minced meat balls, you can simply sprinkle boric acid near the baseboards and ventilation. If there are still few cockroaches in your home, this remedy against them will be no less effective.
Fresh cucumber
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The news that cockroaches cannot bear the smell of cucumbers comes as a surprise to many! But not an ordinary smell, but the one that results from its interaction with aluminum.
To do this, you need to cut the cucumber and create conditions for its oxidation, making it possible to combine with aluminum (for example, put it on the lid of a tin can).
Oxidation will be accompanied by the appearance of an odor that is not perceptible to humans. For a cockroach, this smell will be unbearable.
Popular cockroach repellents
This is the most famous remedy, which, although effective, requires patience. Boric acid powder has a nerve-paralytic effect on the cockroach. However, they will not eat the powder alone. You will need to add it to food, for example, boiled potatoes or dough, and spread it in the habitats of cockroaches.
Even if one representative of the colony tastes such a dish, when he returns to the others, he will “infect” everyone. As a result, all cockroaches that came into contact with the powder eater die.
Advantages and disadvantages of boric acid
Among the positive qualities of boric acid are the following:
- boric acid is safe for both humans and animals;
- there is no unpleasant odor in the apartment, characteristic of herbs and chemicals;
- boric acid has a detrimental effect not on one cockroach, but on the entire colony.
And secondly, an insect can neutralize the effect of boric acid by drinking water. Therefore, before using it, it is necessary to block their access to water.
Freezing
Cockroaches are cold-blooded insects, so air temperature is important for them. They hibernate at +5°C, and when the temperature drops to -5°C they die within half an hour. An increase in temperature affects them in the same way: cockroaches will die if the air in the apartment rises to +28°C.
Ammonia
The smell of ammonia repels baleen insects. Therefore, adding it to the water for washing floors, rubbing furniture, windows and countertops with it, you can get rid of them for a long time.
How does light affect cockroaches?
There is a popular belief that cockroaches are afraid of light, because when it is turned on, they scatter. However, scientists associate this factor with the instinct of self-preservation: insects associate light with the approach of a person. And yet they choose dark places, including basements, as habitats.
But this is not a complete list of what cockroaches are afraid of. It turns out they don't get along with mice. Since mice are omnivores, they are not averse to tasting the Prussian. It turns out that other pests help get rid of these pests.
Smell of flowers
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Plants that usually attract attention with their blooms can become a tool to rid your home of unwanted insects. Such plants include:
pharmaceutical camomile
Chamomile has proven itself well as a medicine. The plant is also effective for expelling cockroaches. For this purpose, not the whole plant is used, but only its flowers. They are dried, crushed, and then laid out in different places in the room.
Tansy
Freshly picked and also dried tansy is used - a plant whose smell causes cockroaches to flee, its smell is so undesirable. In order for the use of tansy to give the best results, it must be prepared in the summer, when flowers appear on the plant.
It is at the moment of flowering that tansy is most fragrant. The collected flowers are used to prepare an infusion (for 1 liter of cold water - 1 tablespoon of flowers), with which the room is sprayed.
Preventing the appearance of cockroaches in the apartment
Preventing the appearance of cockroaches in an apartment is much easier than dealing with an already widespread colony of insects. To keep pests away from your apartment, you can use the following recommendations:
- if the apartment is located in an old-style apartment building, where there is a common ventilation system and a garbage disposal, it is necessary to seal the ventilation holes in the room with a fine mesh. If possible, sealing should be achieved at the entrance and exit points of sewer and heating pipes to the apartment;
- all food, including bulk products, must be kept closed in airtight containers;
- All food debris, including crumbs, should be promptly removed from work surfaces, tables and floors. You need to wash dishes immediately after eating or cooking, without leaving “mountains” in the sink;
- if there are animals in the house, it is necessary to constantly clean the places where they eat, wash food and water bowls;
- To collect waste, you should use buckets with a tight-fitting lid that will not allow insects access to the waste;
- Most of all, cockroaches need moisture, so it is necessary to wipe dishes, countertops and the sink, which will discourage insects from living in your apartment.
Sources
- https://dachniy-ray.ru/chego-boyatsya-tarakany-i-kak-ot-nix-izbavitsya/
- https://ouborke.ru/chego-boyatsya-tarakany-v-kvartire
- https://oklop.ru/chego-boyatsya-tarakany-v-kvartire-kak-otpugnut-i-vyvesti-vreditelei
- https://domovod.guru/borba-s-vreditelyami/tarakany/chego-boyatsya-tarakany.html
- https://BezTarakana.ru/tarakany/v-dome/top-10-chego-boyatsya
- https://tekstil-doma.ru/sredstva/chego-boyatsya-tarakany-v-kvartire-narodnye.html
- https://BezTarakana.ru/tarakany/narodnye-sposoby/kakogo-zapaha-boyatsya-i-ne-vynosyat
- https://stroy-podskazka.ru/tarakany/zapahi-ne-lyubyat/
- https://KlopVred.ru/tarakany/chego-boyatsya-tarakany/
- https://nasekomius.ru/sredstva/chto-otpugivaet-tarakanov/
- https://felisov.ru/tarakany/chto-lyubyat.html
- https://nasekomius.ru/eto-interesno/primanka-dlya-tarakanov/
- https://parazitdoma.ru/tarakany/chego-boyatsya-tarakany
What smells attract cockroaches?
Food scents can be used if cockroach traps are placed in the room. It is not always easy to find the most optimal place to attract insects en masse. This is where the smell that lures cockroaches can help.
Insects, of course, react to particles of any food, but there are products that are most effective for these purposes.
What to put in a trap to attract cockroaches? To do this, you can use a piece of onion, banana peel (which has just been separated from the fruit), an overripe pear, an apple, or another fruit that emits a sweetish aroma.
You can put some bread in the trap; its smell also attracts cockroaches. Using these products and duct tape, it's easy to make a homemade trap. You just need to lay out the tape cut into pieces with the adhesive surface facing up, and put a little bait in the middle of the tape.
Are cockroaches dangerous for people?
Cockroaches are of little danger to people.
Is it true? Common known fears are associated not so much with their unpleasant appearance, but with the fear of contracting some disease from them. Many people with a good imagination see how these insects climb through sewers and trash cans, and then crawl onto the table, into bread bins, into cabinets with food and dishes. After all, they probably pick up tons of bacteria with their paws in the sewer, and then bring them into the house. In fact, this is nothing more than speculation. Although theoretically this is possible. Because individuals living in a private house or apartment, as a rule, rarely leave the confines of the room where they currently live. This is confirmed by numerous studies. If pathogenic bacteria get onto the product, it will be in very minimal quantities. Until now, there is not a single known case of people becoming infected with an infection brought into the house by cockroaches. Cockroaches are very dangerous due to their allergens. Their chitinous cover contains several dangerous allergen proteins. It is to this shell that people with allergies react. It is believed that a certain part of rhinitis in children is associated precisely with the shed chitinous covers of cockroaches. Or with particles of dead insects. Which, when destroyed, fall into the dust, and then, along with the dust, are inhaled by humans. As a result, an allergic rhinitis develops. If the cause of this runny nose is not identified in time, then such rhinitis can become chronic. Give complications and provoke bronchial asthma.
A shocking fact is the processing of cocoa beans in tropical countries. Or rather their processing. Apparently they don't worry much about sanitary standards there. This is how, when making chocolate, particles of cockroaches end up in the finished product. The consumption of which provokes a food allergic reaction in people. Which manifests itself in the form of various skin diseases, urticaria, dermatitis and other diseases.
Moreover, scientists say that most allergic reactions to chocolate are most likely a reaction to insect particles that got into the finished product during the processing of cocoa beans. According to the sanitary rules of these countries, 100 gr. chocolate products are allowed to contain up to 60% microspores, particles of cockroach bodies visible to the naked eye. Unfortunately, all this is not considered some kind of gross violation. And it is allowed for sale. Moreover, such unexpected gifts are contained in both cheap and expensive chocolate. Since they are made from the same raw materials.
By coincidence, it may turn out that cheap tiles may contain much less of such particles.
Cockroach larvae are actually the most dangerous part of the entire cockroach population in an apartment. They are the ones who bring the largest amount of various contaminants into your home from entrances, garbage chutes, sewers and other not very clean places.
It is the larvae of domestic cockroaches that are the source of the most powerful allergens.
Perhaps because of them, someone in your family has to constantly put drops in their nose. It is because of them that allergic chronic rhinitis develops. Young children are especially sensitive to these allergens.
Is it possible to use odors to get rid of cockroaches?
Among all the aromas that cockroaches smell, there are odors that repel them. They are usually quite sharp and distinct. Now you know which odors insects cannot stand in the vicinity.
The correct selection of natural or chemical products that emit unpleasant odors for cockroaches will help get rid of uninvited guests and protect your home from their appearance.
At the same time, you need to keep in mind: having received odor poisoning, cockroaches try to weaken its negative impact with the help of water. Open access to it can ruin all your work.
Are insects afraid of the cold?
Are these insects afraid of the cold? Since cockroaches are cold-blooded, they are very susceptible to temperature changes. So, when the temperature drops to +5 degrees, these pests hibernate, and when the ambient temperature reaches -5 degrees, they die completely.
Also, domestic cockroaches are quite sensitive to high temperatures. So, if you pour boiling water over the lair of these pests, the adult individuals will immediately die. That is why this method is recommended to be used together with other folk remedies against these parasites.
conclusions
If you notice a cockroach in your apartment or office, do not despair! You can get rid of insects, including using odors.
However, the maximum effect can only be achieved by maintaining cleanliness, timely removal of debris, and regular wet cleaning using ammonia.
But if you need to sanitize a neglected room in which massive colonies of cockroaches live, you need to act comprehensively.
Smells alone cannot achieve complete destruction of insects: odors do not affect insect eggs.
In this case, you need to use special chemicals, and to consolidate the effect when cleaning, regularly add aromatic agents to the water.
Herbal preparations with a strong odor will help in the future as a prophylactic agent. This will make your home a cockroach-free area.
Ultrasound and electromagnetic rays
An ultrasonic repeller uses high-frequency sound to send cockroaches into a state of panic. Human hearing does not perceive such an impact, and pests cannot tolerate sound vibrations and leave the home.
There is an opinion that the reduction of pest colonies in modern cities is associated with the widespread appearance in human homes of microwave ovens, the principle of operation of which is based on electromagnetic influence.
The most popular models of repellers with ultrasonic and electromagnetic action:
- Typhoon. According to the manufacturers, it will rid your apartment of cockroaches in 4 weeks of work. It is expensive - from 1500 rubles, but gives quick results.
- Rexant. Compact and easy to use, safe for humans. Average price – 600 rubles.
- EcoSniper. A universal device for repelling most household pests, including ants, mice, bedbugs. Cost – from 1000 rubles.
- Tornado OTAR-1. Easy to use, but only needs to be installed in an open space - even a light fabric curtain becomes an obstacle to its operation. Costs 900–1000 rubles.
- Riddex. Covers an area of 200 m2 with electromagnetic action. The most affordable - from 200 rubles.
- Pest Reject. Magnetic resonance device, advertised, but inferior to competitors in performance characteristics. Costs from 300 rubles.
Photophobia
Experts have long answered the question of why cockroaches are afraid of light. When you suddenly flip a switch in the kitchen or bathroom, insects literally disappear into thin air. In fact, for cockroaches that have survived all sorts of apocalypses, bright light poses no danger. They quickly build a logical chain - after a bright flash, death from a slipper will probably follow, and this is something to be afraid of.
The cockroach often does not wait for the light to turn on. At a considerable distance, it picks up the vibration of the floor created by an approaching person and runs away. Insects react in a similar way to the movement of the owner of the room or the sounds he makes. If a person freezes for a few minutes, he will be able to see the cockroaches that have reappeared.
There is another explanation why cockroaches are afraid of light and do not settle in well-lit places. Moisture is retained in a dark room for a long time. They are necessary for insects for the active functioning of their life systems. Sunlight or bright light reduces the concentration of water vapor in the surrounding area.
Factor eight: ammonia
Cockroaches fear the smell of ammonia like fire. As far as we know, ammonia is an ammonia solution and can be purchased at any pharmacy. To carry out preventive work against insects, you need to take one teaspoon of ammonia and dilute it in 1 bucket of water. This solution is used for wet cleaning in the apartment. This is a fairly effective method, but it cannot be used often.
Ammonia has a very pungent odor that is difficult for even humans to withstand. Even after wet cleaning, the smell of ammonia can be felt for a long time. While cleaning, it is better to use a respirator and keep the windows open. It is acceptable to carry out such cleaning once a week.
Are cockroaches afraid of ultrasound?
High-frequency radiation that is not perceived by human hearing is very unpleasant for cockroaches. They cannot kill these insects, but they will force them to look for more comfortable living conditions. It is on the basis of this feature that all kinds of ultrasonic repellers that are offered on the market today are designed. Their developers promise that unwanted guests will leave your home within a few days or a few weeks.
But you shouldn’t be deluded by such promises if you live in a multi-apartment high-rise building. After living with neighbors, they will certainly return as soon as you stop turning on the device that drove them out.
A few more folk methods
Cockroaches are afraid of many things in an apartment: sharp sounds of the microwave and the whistle of the kettle, flashes of light, temperature changes. But these are temporary phenomena to which insects quickly adapt. The constant presence of irritating chemicals is completely intolerable for adult specimens and larvae.
What smell are cockroaches afraid of?
- 10% ammonia solution. The unpleasant, pungent odor of ammonia affects the respiratory center of insects and forces them to avoid treated surfaces. What is the best way to use it? Add a couple of tablespoons of ammonia solution to a bucket of water to wash floors.
- Bleaching. Most of all, cockroaches are afraid of odors, which not only cause them discomfort, but also reduce their ability to reproduce. The use of bleach when treating surfaces causes insects to quickly leave the premises.
- Acetic acid. Aromatic means for preparing marinades has a negative effect on cockroaches. Adding 3% vinegar to water for washing floors (2-3 tablespoons per 10-liter bucket) will not only disinfect your home, but also rid it of insects.
You can not only repel, but also destroy cockroaches by mixing equal parts of sugar and baking soda. The insects will eat the sweet bait, and after a while the resulting bubbles with carbon dioxide will kill the adult insects.
An effective way to repel cockroaches from indoors is to use essential oil. Adding a few drops of anise, mint or juniper extract to the water for washing floors will not only fill the apartment with aroma, but will also repel insects from it. Medicinal herbs have the same effect: thyme, sage, rosemary. Harmful insects cannot stand the smell of fir - by installing a Christmas tree indoors, a person suddenly eliminates the problem with an insect infestation.
Cockroaches are afraid of the smell of herbs and spices, so they will voluntarily leave their favorite private house or apartment. In such conditions, insects cannot reproduce, so they leave the apartment in search of a more favorable environment.
It is not difficult to find a handy remedy in your house or apartment that the mustachioed pest is afraid of. But when using it, you should be careful, wear gloves and a medical mask.
Cockroaches settle in an apartment if they like the living conditions:
Killing cockroaches with fog - what is it?
Cold fog
Exterminating the Prussians is not an easy task. To clean an apartment, it is sometimes necessary to carry out several treatments.
This takes time and requires certain financial costs, especially if professional exterminators get down to business. That's why a technology was invented that allows you to exterminate cockroaches at a time.
First, let's try to understand the concept of “cold fog”. We are talking about the use of aerosolized disinfectant solutions. This kind of treatment makes it possible to distribute the insecticide as evenly as possible throughout the infected room. Its drops will settle on all surfaces, including the ceiling.
An aerosol cloud is produced by a generator. It is a mobile, small-sized device. In the cloud it produces, insecticide particles are no larger than 80 microns in size. The temperature of the produced “fog” corresponds to the ambient temperature. That’s why the technology has such a name.
Advantages of the technology:
- The operation of the generator makes it possible to use various types of insecticides.
- Small droplets of the solution remain in the air for a long time, after which they settle evenly on the surface. Complete settlement occurs within four hours.
- The precipitate formed from the solution, after settling, can be observed not only on open, but even on almost inaccessible surfaces. In addition, the cloud covers the entire room.
- The aerosol does not harm the health of domestic animals and humans.
- The use of a generator makes it possible to significantly save insecticide and allows you to get rid of cockroaches without extra costs.
On a note! When a generator is used in a residential area, its operation significantly increases the humidity level. Therefore, it would not be superfluous to first protect from its effects those objects that are afraid of water. Perhaps this is the most important disadvantage of this method of controlling household pests.
Most often, such disinfestation is carried out by specialized companies. But there is nothing complicated in this procedure. Therefore, you can do it yourself. However, buying rather expensive equipment just for one processing would be an unwise decision. So the choice is yours.
Hot fog
This technology involves not only spraying, but also heating the solution produced by the generator.
The method consists of producing smaller particles of insecticide (from 5 to 30 microns in total). Such a cloud stays in the air much longer and completely settles only after 10 hours.
When using the technology, the room is not humidified as much as with “cold fog”. This method has less negative impact on objects that cannot tolerate moisture, and allows you to completely destroy adult insects and egg laying after the first treatment. But this technology is not suitable for all rooms.
Use of chemicals
Chemical repellents for insects Another thing that cockroaches are afraid of is the pungent smell of chemical solutions. These include:
- kerosene;
- ammonia (ammonia);
- petrol;
- vinegar;
- enamel paint;
- bleach solution;
- diesel fuel.
Why is it difficult to scare an insect?
Cockroaches have existed on the planet much longer than representatives of the human race. They have become so adapted to surviving in extreme situations that it is difficult to imagine what insects are afraid of. The ability of cockroaches to quickly restore their population even when exposed to a strong dose of radiation or aggressive chemicals is well known. Moreover, they quickly get used to poisons and highly toxic compounds. If insecticides re-enter the body of insects, then the cockroaches get off with only a slight illness. The next portion of poison will not bring any harm to adults and their larvae. But there are various methods and folk remedies for repelling harmful insects, which will not destroy them, but will make their existence in the room unbearable.
Method of eliminating parasites using boiled water and freezing
Arthropods can be exterminated in different ways, involving the use of various methods:
- Freezing. The method represents the destruction of cockroaches by cold. It is rational to use in sub-zero weather. You should open the windows for several hours. Not only beetles will die out, but also moths, fleas and bed bugs.
- Using dry ice. The method is used by sanitation specialists. Dry ice is not used often, due to the fact that the drugs are too expensive.
- Steam treatment. Cockroaches die from hot steam. A steam generator is used, the steam mode is more than 60 degrees. Using equipment, treat cracks and hard-to-reach places. The insects will disappear in a matter of seconds; they will not survive under such conditions.
- Heating the room (relevant for warm regions).
We suggest you familiarize yourself with: Clean house chalk for cockroaches If the summer is too hot, the temperature outside is above 40 degrees, you can get rid of arthropods using hot air. You need to open the windows to the apartment for several hours; high degrees will lead to death for cockroaches.
How to apply cold
Cockroaches are very afraid of the cold; it is recommended to use low temperatures to kill them. Let's now figure out how to do this:
- First of all, remove children, pets, and plants from the house.
- Open all windows completely.
- To prevent damage to radiators, pipes or other heating devices, they should first be insulated with special materials.
- Arthropods are afraid of low temperatures and die almost instantly, so it is better to carry out the procedure no longer than an hour if it is -10 to -30 outside. Apartment owners should not be afraid that the larvae will survive; they will freeze, just like adults. If freezing is carried out in warm regions, then it is better to increase the duration of the procedure for an accurate result.
- At sub-zero temperatures, a large number of beetles die, so after the process you should thoroughly rinse the room, collect dead individuals, and throw them away immediately.
Cockroaches have difficulty withstanding temperatures that are below their comfort zone. They begin to freeze at a temperature of 5 degrees, so their main accumulation is in the kitchen and bathroom, where the temperature is above 20 degrees. They can be killed by exposure to cold, so baiting is usually carried out in the winter season.
As practice shows, cockroaches are afraid of high temperatures, as well as cold. Therefore, you can get rid of them using the opposite method. For this:
- Prepare the room where processing is planned, remove animals, plants, objects that do not tolerate high temperatures;
- If the heat outside is above 40 degrees, then open all the windows and let the hot stream fill the room;
- If you plan to work with a steam generator, then prepare the equipment, wait until steam is generated, degrees above the survival temperature of the individuals;
- Go through all the cracks and hard-to-reach places.
Treatment with high temperatures is no less effective than working with cold. Cockroaches cannot stand it and die quite quickly. Based on feedback from people, steam helps destroy not only adults, but also larvae. The reproduction process will stop instantly.