There are about 4,600 species of cockroaches worldwide, and at least 30 of them live in human habitats. Besides being unpleasant and unhygienic, they breed rapidly and are notoriously difficult to eliminate. Fortunately, many non-toxic and chemical roach killers are available.
This article covers our roundup of nine solutions for managing the toughest species of roaches and other elements linked to these insects.
Table of Contents
Common cockroaches in human habitats
Non-toxic and chemical roach killers
Keep your living space bug-free
Common cockroaches in human habitats
Several common cockroaches that share human space include brown-branded and smokey brown roaches, which are smaller than American ones. Others are the oriental, Australian, and German cockroaches.
Do roaches spread diseases?
Yes, they do. Most are food-borne diseases, but their waste can cause allergies and asthma. Besides domestic and professional pesticides costing billions of dollars every year, treating the diseases spread by roaches is also costly. Because of the health and financial risks it is essential to maintain a clean home.
Signs of a roach infestation
Cockroaches like easy access to food (trash cans and kitchen cabinets) and water sources (water pipes and drains). Once they have these resources, they look for warm, safe places to live. These include dark corners of rooms, crevices, and refrigerators.
If you see any of the following signs around the home, you probably have a cockroach problem:
- You notice a few random bugs during the day or see them scatter when you switch on a light at night
- Small droppings that look like pepper or coffee grounds are clear signs of cockroach activity
- Oothecae or cockroach egg casings are small brown squarish sacs that contain cockroach babies. You may see them in cracks in walls or hiding places that are seldom disturbed
- Large roach populations produce pheromones which smell musty and dirty
Because cockroaches can make life so unpleasant, it is important to control these pests with an effective roach control program,
Non-toxic and chemical roach killers
A lot of people have children and pets in the home. In this case, the best roach killers are non-toxic products. Others have roach infestations that often require drastic actions to control these insects. In that case, chemical roach killers are often best for indoor roach control and outdoor use. Here, we discuss the best ways to manage the biggest cockroach problems in inaccessible areas.
Non-toxic cockroach treatments
- Diatomaceous earth: This product consists of ancient fossil material crushed into small pieces with sharp edges. As the roach walks over this product, it sticks to the wax coating on its body, which it takes back to its nest. This highly-effective cockroach dust causes dehydration and, eventually, death.
- Borax: Mix white sugar and borax in equal parts. Spread this mixture where you have seen cockroaches. Roaches dehydrate and die after consuming this mixture.
- Baking soda: Small quantities are safe for people and pets but deadly for cockroaches. Mix it with something tasty, like sugar, and scatter the powder in dark areas. When they eat the mixture, it damages their insides and quickly kills them.
- Essential oils: Although they won’t kill roaches, they will repel them. Mix a few drops of essential oils, like citrus, Rosemary, or Oregano, with water in a spray bottle or bucket. Spray the mixture on surfaces or mop floors to deter roaches from the area.
Chemical roach killers
5. Glue strips: Customers can shop for Insect glue boards, tubes, or sheets. These products have sticky substances that trap cockroaches, ants, bed bugs, or spiders on their surfaces. Without food or water, they eventually die. While glue traps for cockroaches are ineffective for infestations, they control several types of bugs in small numbers.
6. Bait traps: These are a good monitoring tool for evaluating roach numbers and are sold in different forms. Some bait stations kill insects quickly. Other roach traps lure these insects inside the container. The contents then cover their bodies, which they return to their nests. Another standard method is to lure bugs into a container and prevent them from leaving.
Customers can buy fast-acting gel bait to apply as spot gel bait using a syringe or pastes with active ingredients like boric acid or abamectin for indoor use. Alternatively, granular bait is best in inaccessible spaces like attics. But never use this with pyrethroids (repellent insecticides), as they make the bait less appealing. For outdoor spaces, place bait stations along walls where cockroaches feel safer moving around.
7. Roach sprays: Use sprays directly on roaches or spray areas they frequent, such as drains, door cracks, or similar areas, as a deterrent. While an aerosol spray is a quick fix for small roach problems, you need professional roach control products to eliminate infestations.
8. Insect growth regulator: A spray with Pyriproxifen kills eggs and nymphs, interrupting breeding capacity. This is another effective way of controlling roach populations. However, the best way to control these bugs is to use this product with one of the others that kills adult roaches.
9. Boric acid roach powder: This product is often sold in powder form and is an effective roach killer but also harmful to people and animals.Scatter the powder in dark areas. It sticks to roaches and kills them quickly when they clean themselves and ingest it. Peanut butter on a paper plate, surrounded by boric acid, is also an excellent roach bait.
Avoid using foggers for cockroaches, as this spray often chases insects deeper into hiding and contaminates wide areas of the house. Instead, use the products above. If you don’t notice any change, contact a professional bug exterminator.
Keep your living space bug-free
Pack all food away at night, wash dishes after every meal, keep the home clean, and empty garbage bins regularly. Good hygiene behavior like this will discourage cockroach problems. But while your home or apartment may be squeaky clean, your neighbors may not be as disciplined in maintaining hygiene.
Consequently, stocking up on insect repellents or roach killers is always a good idea for the effective control of various bugs. You can prepare for a range of bug problems by browsing the Alibaba.com website, including roach killers, to maintain a clean, hygienic, and disease-free environment.
