Folk remedies for cockroaches: how to get rid of them at home

Danger of cockroaches for humans and pets

Many people do not attach much importance to the appearance of cockroaches in their apartment, believing that insects are not capable of causing significant harm. In fact, they can cause a lot of trouble to a person.

To understand why you need to immediately take measures to destroy the population, information that cockroaches:

They carry life-threatening microorganisms. The body of the insect is small and very smooth, thanks to which the pest is able to easily crawl into small crevices. First, they crawl through sewers and basements, feeding there on human excrement, bird or rat droppings. Then they make their way into a person’s home, bringing on their paws and body those harmful microorganisms and bacteria that were present in the waste. There are more than 10 diseases that cockroaches can transfer to food and household items. These include:

tuberculosis;
tetanus;
meningitis;
rubella;
leprosy;
diphtheria;
hepatitis;
polio.

Infected with helminths. On its legs and body, a cockroach is capable of carrying not only bacteria, but also worm eggs, which will certainly get into food if the insect comes into contact with them.
"Living foreign body syndrome." This is the medical name for cases when an insect makes its way into small openings in the body. A special type of cockroaches, the Prussians, are capable of such pseudoparasitism. Their body is small in size and they are predominantly nocturnal, which means they are able to get close to you when you are sleeping. Having climbed into the ear canal or nostrils of a person, they cannot get out in the opposite direction, which causes pain and irritation of the nasal coverings or the walls of the inner ear. In this case, you should not remove the insect yourself. It’s better to immediately call an ambulance or run to the nearest emergency room.
Allergens are tolerated. By excreting excrement and shedding their chitinous cover, cockroaches are able to infect humans with dangerous allergens that enter the respiratory tract along with dust. They are especially dangerous for young children. To minimize the risk of infection, be sure to wet clean at least once a week.
The black type of cockroaches, with a large population, has a smell of rot and dampness, which permeates the entire apartment.
They might bite. Cockroaches are not considered parasites that feed on human blood. However, if insects lack food or water, they are able to feed on the outer epithelium of a person, eating the skin around the lips, eyes or ears. In addition to severe mechanical damage from bites, harmful bacteria on the pest’s body can enter the human bloodstream and infect with dangerous diseases.

Pets can also be harmed by cockroaches. If you fought a pest with the help of chemical reagents, after eating an infected individual, the animal may become poisoned. Cats are especially susceptible to such poisons. You should not leave pets in the apartment if you decide to use toxic substances in the fight against insects.

How to kill cockroaches using industrial means

Before getting rid of cockroaches, you need to find out in what ways and why they appear in the apartment.

Methods of entering the apartment can be as follows:

cracks in window and door frames, cracks in walls.
Ventilation ducts.
Things from the street, furniture from stores, parcels.

The fact that single cockroaches appeared in the apartment is not so bad. The real trouble comes when the insects begin to multiply.

The main prerequisites for the emergence of new individuals are the following factors:

access to water. The need for liquid in insects is much higher than for food. Dripping faucets and condensation on pipes can become a source of necessary moisture.
Access to food. Food for cockroaches can include crumbs left on the table, scraps in the trash can, and even dinner leftovers burned on the stove.
Warm. A suitable indoor temperature, in the presence of other resources, stimulates active reproduction in insects.

If the owner of an apartment notices insects of different sizes and colors in the house, it means that the insects have settled in the room a long time ago and have already begun to breed. It's time to learn ways to combat cockroaches in your apartment and get rid of unpleasant guests forever.

Aerosols against cockroaches

These are express preparations designed to immediately kill insects within sight. The most popular means are: “Dichlorvos”, “Combat”, “Raid”, etc.

Aerosols can also be used for systemic treatment - they must be sprayed where cockroaches are expected to live: near baseboards, cracks in door jambs, in ventilation holes. After completing disinfestation, the room must be ventilated.

If there are still cockroaches in the apartment, the procedure should be repeated several times.

Insecticidal powders

These products are scattered in places where insects are expected to live. The most well-known insecticides are Pyrethrum, Phenaxin, Fas, etc.

Powders have the same disadvantage as aerosols for cockroaches - high consumption of substances and high volatility of drugs.

Therefore, products compressed in the form of crayons are more popular. They are much more economical and safer for humans, since they do not dissipate in the air.

Among other things, chemical preparations in the form of crayons can be applied not only to horizontal surfaces, but also to vertical ones, for example, walls or the frame of a headset. Thus, the efficiency of treatment increases and getting rid of cockroaches occurs faster.

The most popular crayons for cockroaches are “Mashenka” and “Clean House”.

Gels against cockroaches

These are the most modern and effective remedies for cockroaches.

Their popularity is due to the following factors:

Security. The gels are slightly toxic, so fighting cockroaches will not harm humans.
High efficiency. They are capable of very quickly destroying the population even if the apartment is heavily infested.
They have a long residual effect. Thanks to the fatty oil base, which does not dry out, the preparations do not lose their effectiveness for 2 months.
Economical. They are applied in small drops in a dotted line along the entire perimeter of the room.

As a rule, the gel consists of 3 main components: an oil base that prevents the product from drying out quickly, an insecticide that has a poisonous effect, and a fragrance that attracts insects.

Depending on the active ingredient, gels can be:

intestinal. They have a toxic effect when ingested into the stomach of an insect.
Contact. Cockroaches die upon contact with the drug.
Combined (enteric-contact).

It is important that many gels have a cascade effect - after contact with the drug, infected individuals destroy their relatives at the nesting site. It is convenient to apply drugs of this kind using a syringe.

Some of the most effective insecticide gels include Dohlox, Kombat, and Domovoy.

Traps against cockroaches

It is quite difficult to remove cockroaches using traps if they have managed to form a large population. But these devices cope well with single individuals who occasionally penetrate into the apartment from neighbors. In other words, traps are a good, long-lasting, preventive remedy.

Depending on the design and principle of operation, these devices are divided into mechanical, electrical and poison traps.

Mechanical

Mechanical traps are devices that trap cockroaches and prevent them from moving around the apartment. The simplest example is a cardboard backing with a sticky backing.

Most often, residents take factory-made devices, however, making a simple trap with your own hands is also not difficult.

The manufacturing scheme is quite simple:

Take a glass jar and coat the inside of the wall with vegetable oil or Vaseline.
A cardboard strip is secured to the outside of the jar's neck.
A treat, such as sugar syrup, is placed at the bottom.

Before getting rid of cockroaches at home, you should determine the habitat of the cockroaches (under the bathroom, next to the trash can), and place a jar there. Insects crawl along the cardboard, as if along a path, following the smell of food, and then cannot get out along the slippery walls, so they remain at the bottom.

Residents can only periodically inspect the trap and clean it of any trapped cockroaches.

The disadvantages of such a device are low efficiency and unaesthetic appearance of the trap. Only those individuals that can climb into the jar will be destroyed.

Electrical

The fight against cockroaches is possible with the help of electric traps that kill insects with a discharge of current.

Such devices are quite effective, however, they have a number of disadvantages:

high cost of the device;
the device requires a network connection;
It is not recommended to place such traps in high humidity (exactly where cockroaches most often live).

As practice shows, electric traps are in little demand.

Sometimes on store shelves there are ultrasonic devices that do not destroy, but repel insects. Their effectiveness is low, and their cost is quite high.

Pest control experts do not recommend such products for controlling cockroaches.

Traps with poisons

Factory-made poison traps are very popular due to their simplicity and availability. A resident who has purchased such a device will not have to rack his brains about how to kill cockroaches.

All he needs to do is place traps where insects may appear: under the bathtub, behind the toilet, next to the trash can, which must be periodically disposed of as they become filled with insects.

Poison traps are a small box with a toxic treat placed in the middle. The cockroach eats the poison and dies a few hours later, having managed to infect its relatives.

Traps of this type are affordable and remain effective for six months.

Video

How to get rid of cockroaches. Medical advice

Advantages and disadvantages of traditional methods

There are many effective folk methods of fighting cockroaches. They are all good in their own way and have a number of advantages:

preparing poison or traps does not require special skills;
unlike chemical repellents, they are not dangerous to humans and pets;
many methods can be used by allergy sufferers;
are affordable and sold at any pharmacy or hardware store.

However, each of them has distinctive features that may make the method ineffective or not suitable for you.

Basically, all folk remedies are aimed at repelling, and not at destroying cockroaches.
Borax and boric acid do an excellent job of killing pests, but can cause poisoning if they enter the body of a person or pet.
The freezing method is only good in the cold season. In the summer, you will not be able to lower the room temperature to the level necessary to kill pests. In addition, the method is not considered fully effective, since cockroaches can return in the warm season.
Strong-smelling products such as geranium, essential oils, kerosene or ammonia will not cost much. However, their effect is limited only by the time they emit an odor. Once it wears off, the cockroaches may return.
Alabaster and gypsum work well at killing insects, but require your constant monitoring, since if the trap gets wet, it will become ineffective.

How to get rid of cockroaches

Having noticed uninvited guests in the apartment, they immediately take measures to remove them. The simplest action is to call specialists from the sanitary-epidemiological service or any other service that provides the service of exterminating domestic parasites. You will have to pay for a private call, but the quality of the work performed is guaranteed by the contract.

You can deal with the problem yourself by purchasing special means to combat cockroaches at home: aerosols, powders, pencils, gels.

Finally, there are many traditional, proven, effective methods to combat cockroaches in an apartment.

Ammonia

Ammonia has a pronounced pungent odor, which irritates the respiratory system of cockroaches, disorients orientation by disrupting the sense of smell, and can also cause chemical burns if it gets on the insect’s cover. Advantages of using ammonia:

is not an insecticide;
the pungent odor quickly disappears;
it is cheap and sold in every pharmacy;
a low concentration solution is not harmful to humans;
there is no need to remove dead individuals, since ammonia simply scares them away and does not kill them;
does not require much effort to process;
can be used in conjunction with other methods.

The product repels cockroaches with a smell and does not kill them, so it may not be effective against a large population. Also, the effect of ammonia is limited to 30–40 minutes, so be patient, as the weed will last a long time. There are several options for using ammonia against cockroaches.

Wet cleaning

Carry out wet cleaning in places where cockroaches accumulate using a rag soaked in ammonia solution. When cleaning, follow these steps:

Dissolve 1 hour. spoon of ammonia in 1 liter of warm water.
Soak a rag in the solution and wipe all possible and hard-to-reach surfaces.
Leave the room for a while.
Do the same cleaning every day for several weeks.

Impregnation with repellent

For a more effective effect, place a soft cloth soaked in ammonia in hard-to-reach places, under the sink, behind the stove and furniture. If possible, plug up the cracks in the walls with the same rags.

Repellent containers

The method assumes that after installing the traps you will leave the apartment. Taking safety precautions, pour a small amount of ammonia into wide, open containers and place them around the perimeter of the entire room. Then be sure to leave the apartment for a while. You can also pour the poison into the sink drain so that the pipes and sewers become saturated with the pungent odor.

Syringe for inaccessible places

Use a syringe or spray bottle to get into nooks and crannies.

Increased concentration for non-residential premises

A room where you may not be for a long time can be treated with a concentrated solution of ammonia. Just change the dosage of alcohol when diluting the solution from 1 teaspoon to 200 ml. You can enhance the smell of ammonia by adding 200 ml of vinegar to the finished poison.

Borax for cockroaches

Borax has proven itself to be an effective and cheap remedy in the fight against cockroaches. Sold in hardware stores and intended for soldering metals. The sodium salt of boric acid, once in the intestines of the insect, has a paralytic effect, as a result of which the individual dies.

The essence of the method

For the bait to work, it is not enough to simply scatter the powder in the habitats of the pests. To ensure that the poison gets into the insect's intestines, borax is usually mixed with aromatic products. Roll into balls from the pre-prepared mixture. Prepare the mixture from borax powder with the addition of:

boiled or raw yolk;
potatoes;
sugar with flour.

Place the made balls in secluded places, behind cabinets and under the sink. The main thing in the method is to block the insects’ access to water, since if an individual eats the poison and drinks it, the effect of the borax will be weak.

Effective folk remedies for cockroaches in the apartment

Cockroaches are the oldest and most resilient pests in the world. Despite the fact that there are fewer of them in cities, they are not yet on the verge of extinction. Their lifespan is only 7 months, but they reproduce quite quickly, i.e. in a short time they can simply fill the entire apartment.

It is quite difficult to get rid of such an unpleasant neighborhood. Cockroaches very quickly get used to various chemicals and stop reacting to them. Yes, and the use of poisons is not always safe for people or animals. But they are not picky eaters and this can be taken advantage of.

There are many effective, harmless folk remedies to combat Stasik in the apartment. They are time-tested and are guaranteed to help get rid of uninvited guests. The only disadvantage of such methods is the duration of use.

Before you seriously undertake extermination, you should thoroughly clean the house , hermetically seal cereals and bread, and securely hide all food products.

Important! During treatment, care must be taken to ensure that insects do not have access to water. Even a small drop left on the sink after washing dishes can ruin all your efforts.

Boric acid

Boric acid does not differ in action from borax. You can buy it at every pharmacy. You can fill containers with acid and place them around the perimeter of the kitchen. Just like with borax, boric acid can be used to make ball traps by mixing the substance with yolk, potatoes or vanilla. If desired, you can add strong-smelling products to the mixture, for example, minced meat or sunflower oil.

Application of essential oils

Essential oils that emit a strong aroma are good at repelling cockroaches. The pest will be disoriented by the strong smell and will not be able to find food or water by smell, as a result of which it will leave its previous habitat.

What oils scare cockroaches

Oils help get rid of “unexpected guests”:

vetiver;

citronella;

lemon balm;

geraniums;

eucalyptus;

mint;

cedar;

lemongrass.

You can buy any of the esters at a pharmacy or perfume store.

How to use oils against cockroaches

There are several options for preparing a cockroach repellent from essential oils.

Add 15 drops of ether to 1 liter of warm water and use the resulting solution to clean the room, paying special attention to baseboards, areas under the sink and near the trash can.
Add 2 tbsp to half a liter of warm water. spoons of vinegar and 10 drops of ether. Spray the resulting mixture in secluded corners and hard-to-reach places.

For the methods to work, repeat the cleaning and spraying procedure at least 3 times a week.

Proven folk remedies for fighting cockroaches

When cockroaches appear in an apartment, you must immediately take measures to get rid of them. Moreover, this is exactly the case when it is better to destroy cockroaches rather than expel them from the apartment. They will leave, but they will appear at other residents and will terrorize them, causing harm to food products, as well as to people's health. To successfully combat these insects, you need to follow some rules:

Maintain living conditions in the apartment at an appropriate sanitary level. Moreover, the approach should be comprehensive: it is necessary to maintain cleanliness not only in the kitchen, but also in other living areas. It is advisable to get rid of old, unnecessary trash.
The ventilation system must be equipped with grilles with sufficiently small cells.
Seal all cracks through which pests can enter the apartment.
Store food only in the refrigerator or in special containers and do not leave unwashed dishes after eating.
Promptly repair leaks in pipes or taps, cutting off access to water.

Traditional methods of fighting cockroaches. Death to cockroaches! +7(499)391-16-31

DIY traps

As a rule, such traps are made without extra time and money. To ensure effective use, it is advisable to check traps every day.

Simple traps:

From a can . Although the trap is simple, it is effective. It is enough to take a half-liter jar and pour a little jam, honey or other bait into it. It is better to lubricate the inside of the jar with vegetable oil. You need to place an object next to the jar so that insects can easily reach the neck. If cockroaches get inside the jar, they will no longer be able to get out.
From double-sided tape . A fairly simple, but also effective trap. Tape is glued to a piece of cardboard or other material. A bait in the form of a drop of jam is placed in the center. On the way to the bait, the insects will simply stick. The more such traps, the greater the likelihood of destroying all pests.

Plants

People have long used strong-smelling plants to protect their homes from various types of insects, including cockroaches. The presence of flowers such as geranium in the apartment protects against cockroach invasion.

As a rule, the following is used for repelling:

Mint.
Sagebrush.
Eucalyptus.
Bogulnik.
Melissa.

These plants are classified as medicinal, so you can purchase them at any pharmacy or prepare them yourself if you wish. Before using, it is better to dry them under cover, although freshly prepared ones can also be used. Small bouquets are made from raw materials and placed in places where pests appear. A good option is to place bouquets under various things where barbels can hide.

On a note! The smell of a certain type of chamomile, called pyrethrum, is not tolerated by many insects. The powder from this plant has been used since ancient times. It is simply scattered over problem areas. In combination with other preventive measures, this option produces tangible results.

Poisoned baits

Placing various poisoned baits gives good results in the fight against insects. The main advantage of these simple remedies is their availability and safety, especially if they are prepared according to folk recipes.

The most effective baits:

Bait 1 , based on boric acid, is used by many in the fight against cockroaches. This treat is not harmful for humans and pets, but cockroaches die from it. To prepare the substance, simply boil an egg and separate the yolk from the white. The yolk is mixed with boric acid. To form balls you will have to add a little water. The balls are placed in places where insects appear. In addition to the fact that the cockroaches themselves will try this destructive remedy, they will also bring it for their relatives who are in the nest. As a result, it is possible to destroy the entire colony of longhorned beetles.
Bait 2 , based on boric acid powder itself. It is enough to scatter it in places where cockroaches appear. In case of contact with boric acid, insects die, but not immediately. During this time, while they are alive, they have enough time to infect other relatives.
Bait 3 , based on borax. This is a white powder that needs to be mixed with powdered sugar, mashed potatoes and vanilla. It is used in the same way as in the case of boric acid.

If you have pets or small children at home who are quite curious and put everything in their mouth, then it is better to place the bait in places inaccessible to children and pets. As a rule, the bait is placed in the kitchen, in cabinets or in the space between furniture and the wall. No one will get there for sure.

Boron_balls_from_cockroaches - What_to_poison_cockroaches_in_the_apartment?

Application of essential oils

Bright, persistent aromas have a negative effect on many insects, and cockroaches are no exception. Essential oils that have a fairly rich aroma can drive cockroaches out of human homes.

Methods for preparing repellent solutions:

Option number 1 . Take 1 liter of cool water and add 15 drops of any essential oil. As a rule, extracts from mint, eucalyptus, lavender, fir, geranium, lemon balm, lemongrass, etc. are used. Problem areas are treated with a spray bottle. The treatment is carried out until the pests leave the apartment.
Option number 2 . Take 500 ml of water, 2 tbsp. spoons of vinegar and 10 drops of any essential oil. The spray prepared in this way is used for its intended purpose: problem areas are sprayed with it. This composition is sprayed three times a week to ensure positive effects.

On a note! If family members who are prone to allergies live in the apartment, then it is necessary to check the body’s reaction to essential oils. To do this, it is enough to treat a small area and monitor how the body reacts. If there are no allergic reactions, then you can start treating the entire area.

Using Vinegar

How to proceed:

Take a piece of cloth or a foam sponge, soak it in vinegar and wipe the areas where insects appear. The following areas are subject to treatment: baseboards, floors, areas under the bathtub and sink, as well as next to the trash can, etc.
The active ingredient is prepared, consisting of 500 ml of warm water, 2 tbsp. spoons of vinegar and 1 tbsp. spoons of ground red pepper. The components are mixed and poured into a spray bottle, after which the product is sprayed in places where barbels appear.

Cold against cockroaches

As far as we know, insects are attracted to food and warmth, so cockroaches cannot tolerate the effects of low temperatures and quickly die. Cockroaches hide in various things, so just taking them out into the cold for a while will kill both the adults and the eggs they lay. Unfortunately, it is not possible to take everything out of the apartment, just as it is impossible to set the temperature in the apartment to sub-zero, although the method is quite effective.

Vinegar

Every family has vinegar in their kitchen cabinet. If you notice signs of cockroaches in your apartment, you don’t even have to run to the store. Both essence and simple table vinegar will do.

Advantages and disadvantages

Vinegar is a strong-smelling acid, so it repels cockroaches well.

Pros:

non-toxic to humans;
excellent for prevention;
if the recommendations are followed, it is very effective;
It's inexpensive.

Minuses:

the acrid smell, although not harmful, is inconvenient;
surfaces need to be treated as often as possible;
individuals do not die, but only go to their neighbors.

How to use

To scare away Prussians, the following treatment methods are used:

Soak a rag in undiluted vinegar and wipe all surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom. Pay attention to what the surfaces being treated are made of. Some materials, such as varnish or paint, can deteriorate when exposed to acetic acid.
Mix 1 tbsp. a spoonful of vinegar with a glass of warm water and add a few drops of essential oil to the mixture. Spray the resulting solution into the cockroaches' habitats using a spray bottle, paying special attention to hard-to-reach areas.
Wash the floors with a non-concentrated solution, diluting 1 tbsp. a spoonful of vinegar in 1 liter of water. Don't forget about nooks, floors behind furniture, stove or refrigerator.
Pour undiluted vinegar into containers and leave in suspected insect habitats. You can also pour acid down the sink or bathtub drain.

Repeat surface treatment and floor washing at least 3-4 times a week, then cockroaches will leave your apartment for a long time.

Methods of application

Are cockroaches afraid of vinegar? Vinegar is often used against pests . You can use both 9% table and essence.

They rub it on baseboards, floors near walls, cracks, and ventilation. A homemade spray based on water, vinegar and red pepper has worked well.

This mixture is poured into any bottle with a fine spray and treated walls, floors, kitchen cabinets, thresholds, and baseboards. You can pour vinegar into the kitchen sink and wipe the work surfaces with it.

Essential oils of geranium, eucalyptus, lemon balm, mint, lemongrass, lemon, citronella, cedar or vetiver help get rid of harmful insects well . It is enough to dilute a few drops in a glass of water and wipe the places where they may appear.

A spray based on water, vinegar and cedar or mint oil is ideal. You can easily make it yourself: for 0.5 liters of water - a spoonful of vinegar and 2-3 drops of oil. Walls and floors in the house are treated with this solution. Or you can simply drop a few drops of any essential oil behind the baseboards, in the cracks, on the kitchen table, cabinets.

Important! The use of strong-smelling solutions does not kill pests, but only has a deterrent effect. Essential oils against cockroaches are good to use in conjunction with poisonous baits, as well as contact preparations (for example, Regent or Fas).

Instead of vinegar or oils, you can use ammonia for cockroaches: a small amount (1 teaspoon) is diluted in a bucket of water and the floors in all rooms are thoroughly washed. The same product is used to wipe the sink, treat the trash can, toilet and bathtub.

The definitive way to get rid of cockroaches is to completely freeze out the apartment . These heat-loving insects cannot tolerate low temperatures. In winter, getting rid of them is as easy as shelling pears, because they die already at t – 8-10C. For final destruction, 3-4 hours are enough.

Attention! Before carrying out the procedure, it is necessary to carefully cover the heating radiators and pipes with any heat-insulating material to avoid rupture of the radiators.

How to fight cockroaches in an apartment using folk remedies? Another universal remedy is Pyrethrum .

This drug based on chamomile flowers is used against bedbugs, cockroaches, and ants. It is safe for humans or pets.

The principle of preparing poisonous baits is the same as in the case of boric acid. Some craftsmen advise sprinkling dry Pyrethrum powder on areas where insects accumulate.

It is worth noting that cockroaches are not the only pests in houses and apartments. It happens that a person is bothered by ants, bedbugs, fleas, moths, wood lice and dust mites. From the materials on our website you can find out what these insects are and how to fight them.

of cunning traps with bait inside have been invented . For example, you can take a small glass jar, pour a little beer or honey into the bottom, and grease the edges of the container with Vaseline or sunflower oil. Leave 2-3 of these traps overnight. In the morning all that remains is to destroy all the insects that come across.

A strip of double-sided tape is glued onto a wide piece of cardboard. A drop of honey is placed in the middle of the cardboard. In the morning, a lot of Prussians will stick to the trap.

If there are a lot of cockroaches in the apartment, then you will have to resort to more aggressive folk methods of fighting cockroaches - treating with kerosene or turpentine . It is enough to lubricate the baseboards, corners of cabinets, and bedside tables with them to rid your home of unpleasant guests.

Professional exterminators recommend combining the use of different compositions and methods. For example, use both traditional methods and the chemical Cucaracha in hard-to-reach places.

Why are cockroaches afraid of light? They are nocturnal pests, so traps and poisoned baits must be laid out at night.

As a preventative measure, it is necessary to keep the apartment clean, wash dishes promptly, and regularly take out the trash. And to forget about cockroaches forever, you should get a geranium. Its pungent smell will prevent harmful parasites from appearing in the house.

Getting rid of cockroaches using the traditional method requires a lot of time and effort. It is advisable to carry out such procedures together with neighbors to avoid the reappearance of insects.

If traditional methods do not suit you, then you can use proven chemicals:

aerosols and sprays: Raptor, Clean House, Raid, Executioner;
gels: Global, Dohlox;
traps: Combat, Forsyth;
crayons: Mashenka;
powders: FAS.

Let's draw conclusions. We talked about various folk remedies for cockroaches at home. Now you know how to get rid of cockroaches in an apartment forever using folk remedies, even if they are flying cockroaches)

Cockroaches and low temperatures

It is known that cockroaches and Prussians cannot withstand very low temperatures. Their threshold is -8 degrees; in severe frosts, adults and larvae die. Just 2 minutes of ten-degree frost is enough for the insect to die. The method is really effective, but it is worth considering that in an ordinary apartment it is unlikely to be able to create “freezing conditions”. The method is more suitable for owners of private houses. If cockroaches are disturbing the lives of not only you, but also your neighbors, you can try to unite and turn off the central heating for a while and jointly destroy the cockroaches in the entire house.

First of all, choose a frosty day, with the thermometer reading below -8 degrees. Open all windows and doors and leave the room to ventilate for 3-4 hours. During this time, the frost will destroy the entire population of cockroaches in the house. If you are freezing in an apartment, take care of the safety of radiators and pipes by wrapping them in warm or heat-protective fabric.

Houseplants

Potted plants can also repel pests. The essence of the method is to repel cockroaches with the scent of aromas that Prussians cannot stand.

What plants are cockroaches afraid of?

Some of the most effective indoor plants are:

Ironwood or thuja not only perfectly freshens the air, but also has a repellent effect on cockroaches with the esters contained in the bark and leaves.
The orange tree, with a pungent odor no worse than the peels of a fresh orange, will repel pests.
Cypress is evergreen and repels insects with its refreshing aroma. It is especially effective if placed near a container of water.
Lemon smells great to humans, but is harmful to insects.
Homemade oleander is a poisonous plant that is good at repelling Prussians. You need to wear gloves to care for the flower and keep it out of the reach of children.

We use geranium branches

One of the most popular plants that can repel cockroaches is geranium. It is not necessary to put the flower in a pot. Simply place geranium branches in suspected insect habitats. The fragrant aroma of the branches will drive the population away from your apartment. Unfortunately, geranium will not cope if there are already a lot of cockroaches. In this case, it is better to use it as an additional prophylactic agent.

Ways to fight

You can remove cockroaches from your apartment forever in various ways: using folk methods, special industrial chemicals, or turning to the help of professionals who will sanitize the premises. Using improvised means will be cheaper, so we’ll talk about them first.

Traditional methods

The easiest way to rid a room of uninvited guests is freezing . Of course, this can only be done in the cold season, and at the same time you will have to think about how to preserve indoor plants and where to move for a few days. But in general, the method gives good results, because pests do not like the cold - at temperatures below +5 ℃ their life processes slow down, they lose the ability to reproduce, and at sub-zero temperatures they die altogether.

You can clear your apartment of insects simply by opening the windows for 1-2 days in frosty weather.

In cold winters, turn off the heating and leave the windows open for 1-2 days. Make sure that the temperature is below zero in all rooms of the apartment, otherwise the insects will wait out the “frost” in a secluded place and then scatter around the house again.

A well-known remedy for controlling cockroaches is boric acid . Once in the insect's body, it destroys its nervous system. It is best to purchase the substance in powder form; you can find it in any pharmacy.

You can use the product in different ways:

The easiest way is to scatter it in places where uninvited guests have been noticed - in corners and along baseboards, near sources of moisture. Cockroaches just need to walk through the powder, so it gets onto their paws, and then into the digestive tract;
You can prepare an acid-based bait by mixing the product with egg yolk, flour, sugar or mashed potatoes. Pests will not be able to pass by such a treat if they find it near their homes.

A good technique in the fight against uninvited guests is the use of ammonia when washing surfaces in the house. The pungent odor of the liquid repels insects, and they can leave their habitats. You need to add a couple of drops of ammonia to the water you use to wash the floor, and also soak a rag in the liquid, which you use to wipe the walls, cabinets and other surfaces in the kitchen. Denatured alcohol, turpentine and kerosene can be used in the same way.

By adding just a couple of drops of ammonia to the water when washing the floor, you can quickly and easily get rid of cockroaches

Folk methods of fighting also include making simple traps . Making them yourself is not at all difficult: you need to prepare a container into which the insect will climb, but will not be able to get out. You can use jars and various bowls, the main thing is to lubricate the inside of the sides with oil so that cockroaches cannot climb them. An ordinary plastic bottle is also suitable for such purposes; you need to cut off the neck and insert it inside the remaining wide part.

Making a simple trap from a plastic bottle is not difficult at all.

As bait, bread, sugar, or simply leftover food are placed on the bottom of the traps and the structure is left in places where insects were previously seen overnight. In the morning, black and red pests that come across need to be neutralized, for example, by pouring boiling water over them.

All folk remedies are not only accessible, but also safe for human health. When using them, it is not necessary to remove children and pets from the apartment. But, on the other hand, the above methods cannot be called radical. To achieve a positive effect, you will need to spend quite a lot of time, and it is quite difficult to guarantee the result. Special chemicals will help get rid of the problem much faster. Let's talk about them next.

Special chemicals and other means of control

You can find many special products on sale, the use of which is harmful to insects. They are produced in the form of aerosols, powder, tablets, chalk, gel and other forms. The instructions of many of them promise a quick victory over the invaders, but in reality it is rarely possible to get rid of all the insects at once. The product may kill the adults, but eggs will remain from which new cockroaches will hatch, and the problem will have to be solved again.

There is a solution: when you visit the store, purchase a drug based on fipronil . This poison is transmitted from one insect to another, and also infects the offspring, which leads to the rapid death of the population.

In an apartment building, it is necessary to poison cockroaches at the same time as the neighbors, not forgetting about treating the entrance, elevator shaft and garbage chute. In private, special attention should be paid to the attic and basement during the procedure.

According to reviews, an effective product that contains fipronil is Dohlox , produced in the form of a gel. It is convenient for them to treat hard-to-reach places, gradually squeezing the mixture out of a special syringe. The advantage is that the drug is safe for pets and people.

Special traps are effective in fighting insects

You can quickly get rid of cockroaches using special Combat Superbait traps . The insect falls into a trap, becomes infected with a poisonous substance and then transfers it to its brood and other individuals. The population dies completely within 1-3 days.

Another safe and effective remedy is Globol paste . Insects cannot adapt to the composition, so you can use it constantly, and one tube is usually enough to completely clean the apartment.

Many people are familiar with the “Mashenka” chalk , which is absolutely safe for humans, as well as pets, and harmful to cockroaches. Among its advantages are low price and ease of use.

Among aerosols, the most popular are Dichlorvos and Raptor . The first is quite toxic, but quickly kills and repels pests. The second is no less effective, but at the same time has a pleasant smell and is safer for people.

repeller - will help drive pests out of your apartment . It emits sound waves that are intolerable to insects. The device is designed for a specific area and is absolutely safe for everyone living in the house.

Specialists will treat the room with special substances that will destroy all insects

If you have tried all the means, but still have not been able to defeat the cockroaches, contact a specialized company and order a pest control service . Professionals will perform quick and high-quality treatment of the premises.

Homemade traps

If you don't want to use strong-smelling products or poisons, homemade traps are an excellent alternative. Unfortunately, homemade devices do not provide a 100% guarantee of the destruction of the entire population, since not all individuals will reach it. The method works great in combination with other means.

Trap options

There are several options for homemade devices for catching cockroaches. The method is based on luring the Prussians with an aromatic substance and making it impossible for the cockroach to return. You can use a deep container, the neck of which is lubricated with a fat-containing substance, as well as cardboard with double-sided tape.

How to make a cockroach trap with your own hands

To make a trap from a jar you will need: a 0.5 liter jar, beer or honey, Vaseline or vegetable oil. Pour some beer or honey into the bottom of the jar, then coat the neck and sides of the container with Vaseline. The insects will smell the fragrant product and crawl into the trap. In this case, they will no longer be able to get out.

A similar trap can be made from cardboard. You will need: a piece of cardboard, double-sided tape, honey or other aromatic product. Apply tape to the entire surface of the cardboard, and pour a little honey into the center. Cockroaches will flock to the fragrant treat and stick to the tape.

DIY cockroach traps

Cockroaches love honey and beer, so homemade traps based on these products give excellent results. Pour one of the treats into the bottom of a half-liter jar, grease the neck with vegetable oil or Vaseline. The trap is ready, you can place it in plain sight

(for cockroaches) place. A piece of cardboard or something similar is placed against the jar so that insects can easily get inside. Prussians who fall into a trap will not be able to get out of it.

In the fight against cockroaches using folk remedies, double-sided tape is used. Glue a small piece onto a horizontal surface, and drop a little liquid honey or jam in the center. Insects who want to try the treat will stick to the tape.

What is pyrethrum for cockroaches?

Powder made from a special type of chamomile - pyrethrum - fights cockroaches properly. Pyrethrum is harmless to humans, but harmful to cockroaches. You can buy the substance at a pharmacy or specialized department.

Sprinkle the product indoors or prepare baits similar to borax balls. When the powder enters the body of an insect, it has a paralytic effect, resulting in the death of the individual.

How to get rid of cockroaches using folk remedies

Most pest control products can be found in every home.

Boric acid

The drug is toxic to people and animals and is quite capable of leading to the death of harmful insects. Most often, places where they accumulate are treated with this folk remedy for cockroaches. Some of the Prussians will die, but the rest will find another corner in your house.

To outwit the “raiders”, you need to disguise the poison. Traditionally, a thick dough is kneaded from flour, granulated sugar and boric acid, rolled into balls and laid out around the perimeter of the room. Other, no less effective ways of masking boric acid have been invented.

Fill a shallow container with clean water, add a few drops of acid, and mix. Place it near the sink overnight. It is very important that there is not a single source of liquid in the apartment. The insects will quench their thirst from the trap, and after a while they will die.

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The next method of getting rid of cockroaches using boric acid is perhaps the most effective. Prepare mashed potatoes, stir raw chicken yolk into it, add a small amount of acid. The smell of balls or cakes formed from the resulting mass attracts the Prussians, and they, suspecting nothing, feast on the poisoned dish.

It doesn’t matter which of the three methods with boric acid is chosen, the first results will become noticeable no earlier than after 3 weeks.

Borax

Borax is used similarly to folk remedies for cockroaches with boric acid, that is, simply by mixing it with mashed potatoes, yolk and forming bait balls. Other mixture:

a glass of borax;
2 tablespoons potato starch;
2 tablespoons of powdered sugar;
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar.

After mixing the listed components, roll into lumps. Place them where insects are most often seen.

Freezing

If the question of how to fight cockroaches using folk remedies comes up in the winter, cold is used to fight them.

Turn off the heating.
The windows are opened wide.
Leave for at least 4 hours.

It is clear that the method is used only if the radiators and pipes are protected by a thermal insulation system. Otherwise, you will have to solve another, no less serious problem - pipe rupture due to a sharp temperature change.

Ammonia

The acrid smell of ammonia is not liked by cockroaches, so the product is used to get rid of an unpleasant neighborhood. To do this, add a few drops of ammonia to a bucket of water and thoroughly rinse the floor with the solution and wipe the surfaces. The procedure is repeated twice.

This folk remedy for cockroaches in an apartment repels them, but does not kill them. The insects will leave, and after a while, if the causes of the pests are not eliminated, they will return to the same territory.

Geranium branches

Not just an effective, but a beautiful folk remedy for fighting cockroaches. The plant has a strong odor that Prussians cannot tolerate. They do not live in rooms where geraniums grow.

Plaster or alabaster

To combat cockroaches in an apartment, you can even use bulk material. Gypsum, alabaster are powdered minerals. They are mixed with any bulk products (flour, granulated sugar, bread crumbs, cereals) and left overnight, when insects are most active. In the Prussian's body, the gypsum (alabaster) will harden, which will lead to the death of the insect.

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Kerosene

One of the oldest folk methods of fighting cockroaches, still used today due to its effectiveness. Wearing thick rubber gloves, treat the surface of the baseboards, the floor under the sink, and other places where insects are most often noticed with liquid. Repeat the procedure for several days in a row. An alternative to kerosene is turpentine, denatured alcohol.

Attention! Before removing cockroaches using a flammable liquid, it is important to make sure that there are no sources of fire nearby.

Essential oils

The smells of cedar, eucalyptus, lemon, mint, lemon balm, and vetiver are pleasant to humans, but unbearable to Prussians. Add a few drops of any of the listed oils to the water and treat the habitats of mustachioed insects using a spray bottle or a rag. To make the remedy for cockroaches in the apartment even more effective, add a little vinegar.

Bay leaf

The aromatic seasoning also helps to remove pests: the smell of fresh laurel is unpleasant to them. You can also carefully set fire to the bay leaf and walk around the apartment with the smoldering twig (this will release the largest amount of essential oil).

Pyrethrum

This name hides the powder of chamomile inflorescences. Also an effective folk remedy for cockroaches at home, which destroys them. Place the bait under the carpet, near the trash can, and in other places where insects are spotted.

Elderberry branches

The smell of the plant repels pests. To ensure that insects disappear from your chosen living space, elderberry branches or flowers are laid out around the room.

Vinegar

This universal product eliminates unpleasant odors, disinfects surfaces, and also successfully fights harmful insects. Mix vinegar with water and add a little red pepper to enhance the effect. The resulting liquid is poured into a spray bottle and all accessible areas are treated, including kitchen cabinets.

Bleach against cockroaches

Bleach is usually used to kill fungi or disinfect rooms. However, it has been noticed that cockroaches are afraid of bleach and run away when they smell it. Simply scattering the substance is not enough. Buy a 1–2% solution and treat the room. The strong smell of bleach should repel pests. The substance may have a negative effect on some materials such as plastic or metal.

Cleanliness in the apartment

To prevent invasion by Prussians, always keep your apartment clean.

Do not leave food or drinks out in the open overnight.
Place food in containers or wrap it in plastic.
Always wash washed dishes, wipe the sink dry, and close the taps tightly.
Avoid leaks in the water supply system.
Always clean the stove and walls of dirt and grease.
Do not leave food in the microwave or oven.

If you notice at least one cockroach, start any method of control with general cleaning.

Precautions when using cockroach repellents

Not all of the products described are safe for humans. Be sure to take precautions when using certain substances. For example:

When using ammonia, ensure air flow into the room where the treatment will be carried out. Protect your body with an apron, your hands with rubber gloves, and your respiratory system with a mask or thick gauze bandage soaked in water.
Use borax baits with extreme caution. Make sure that homemade traps are not accessible to children or pets.
When treating a room with vinegar, wear rubber gloves to avoid damaging your skin.
When using bleach, carry out the treatment with gloves and special clothing. Residents and pets should leave the apartment for a while, as the vapors of the substance irritate the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract.
It is necessary to treat surfaces with kerosene or turpentine while wearing a mask and rubber gloves.

Preventive actions

To prevent the reappearance of “uninvited guests”, take preventive measures:

try to avoid the appearance of dampness and mold in the apartment;
ventilate rooms more often;
repair leaks in the water supply system in a timely manner;
keep clean not only in living rooms, but also in storage rooms;
throw away garbage promptly;
store food in the refrigerator or closed containers;
place several pots with strong-smelling plants around the apartment;
Make sure there are no cracks in the walls.

Cockroaches are tenacious insects that are able to adapt to various living conditions. Pests especially love warm and damp places. They can live for a long time without food, but they won’t last long without water. If you have Prussians, begin to act immediately and use several methods of destruction or scaring away at the same time. Don’t forget that the key to a successful fight is cleanliness in the apartment.