If you want to get rid of cockroaches, you may have to deal with all kinds of cockroaches such as cockroaches, palmetto bugs (large cockroaches), or giant cockroaches that like to gather around water sources. Even though these insects are different species, all of them are attracted to food and water so the best way to prevent their arrival is not to leave food and water uncovered. However, if cockroaches have invaded inside or outside your home, you will have to do various things to get rid of them. This includes cleaning up debris in the area, carrying out house repairs, storing and covering food, and chemically disinfecting it.
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Method 1 of 4: Eliminating Food and Water Sources
Step 1. Find and remove all food sources that the cockroaches can reach
Check areas around the house, such as the kitchen and dining room, for food that cockroaches might eat. Make sure you also look for food sources that are inside and outside the home.
- For example, if possible remove any leftover pet food as cockroaches and other insects can also live on that food. If possible, schedule your pet's feeding time so the cat or dog can finish the food right away so you can pick up and wash the bowl.
- Sources of food that are outside the home can be meat and organic matter (derived from living things) in compost containers, rotting vegetables and fruits in the garden, and trash cans that are not tightly closed.
Step 2. Put the food in a closed container
If possible, place fresh food in the refrigerator. Foods that cannot be refrigerated should be stored in airtight containers, such as jars or other containers that can be tightly closed.
- Even if there is only a small opening in a container, cockroaches might get into it. Make sure that the container used is completely airtight.
- If the infestation of cockroaches is severe, you should immediately transfer the newly purchased food to an airtight container. For example, when you buy a box of cereal, open the package and immediately place the contents in an airtight container.
Step 3. Wipe down the countertop as often as possible to remove any crumbs
Cockroaches can live on small crumbs left in the kitchen. When you're done cooking, be sure to clean your cutting boards and countertops immediately. Do not leave leftover food there because it can be used as food by cockroaches in the house.
When cleaning crumbs, make sure you also clean kitchen utensils, such as toasters, food processors, blenders, grills, and other areas where food particles are high
Tip:
Wipe kitchen surfaces with a rag that has been moistened with an all-purpose cleaning solution to help sweep up all crumbs and food debris.
Step 4. Eat food in only one room
If food is placed in a certain room, you can clean up crumbs after eating more easily. For example, try to eat on the kitchen table so that food crumbs are just scattered in the area. The kitchen counter will also keep food crumbs from falling to the floor. This will also limit the infestation of cockroaches in the area so you can get rid of and eradicate them easily.
- Removing food crumbs on a hard floor is much easier than crumbs that fall on the carpet. So, try to eat food in a room that is not carpeted.
- Children are also not allowed to eat snacks in the room or in front of the TV. They tend to leave food that cockroaches can eat.
Step 5. Place the trash and compost in a tightly closed container
Use indoor and outdoor trash cans that have tight lids. If you're also composting, make sure the container isn't open or accessible to cockroaches. In addition, throw the garbage outside the house every day when there is a cockroach infestation.
- Trash cans and compost bins can be used by cockroaches to eat and breed.
- Even if you only leave the bin uncovered for a short period of time, cockroaches can get into it and eat. This will provide lots of nutrients to these insects and encourage reproduction.
Step 6. Drain or remove standing water in the house
Cockroaches cannot live more than a week without water. If you want to get rid of them, block the insect's access to water. Some objects that can provide a water source for cockroaches include pet drinking water containers, glasses, and pot mats.
- You should remove all these sources of water as soon as cockroaches invade your home environment.
- If you can't get rid of your pet's water bowl because it's still in use, you can take it out at certain times and store it at night.
Step 7. Remove all standing water outside the house that is around the cockroach nesting area
If there is a water source around the house, cockroaches can breed there and then enter the house. You can avoid this by inverting the bird bath, empty pot, or other container that can hold water during the rainy season. Also, cover any holes in the ground that can hold water and where stagnant water won't seep in quickly.
- Also get rid of all objects outside the house that can hold water (such as tarpaulins and buckets).
- If you have a hot tub or swimming pool, don't drain the water just to get rid of cockroaches. Instead, clean the pool every day and make sure the chemical levels are right at all times.
- If cockroaches are only outside your home, it can be difficult to remove all water sources, especially during the rainy season. However, remove the water source as much as you can to make the area less attractive to cockroaches.
Method 2 of 4: Cleaning Areas Attracted by Cockroaches
Step 1. Clean up the mess, trash and dirt that is in the house
Cockroaches, palmettos, and other types of cockroaches usually live in places that are rarely cleaned and moved. To get rid of cockroaches, clean all items that are rarely touched and remove anything that could be a place for cockroaches to live. Some of the places that need to be cleaned include:
- Stacks of newspapers: Put newspapers in the recycling bin every week. Make sure the recycling container can be closed tightly.
- Food containers: Clean food containers immediately after you use them. Leaving them unwashed for even one day can increase the number of cockroaches that come into your home.
- Old cardboard: This is a favorite hiding place for cockroaches and shouldn't be placed in your home if you're facing a roach infestation.
Step 2. Remove debris near the perimeter of the house
Some types of cockroaches breed outdoors and then enter. So, it is very important to get rid of any piles of leaves, sticks, pieces of wood, or lawn debris that are near or stuck to the walls of the house.
Check the foundation area of the house for holes or crevices, and make sure there are no areas for cockroaches to breed nearby. Patch holes and crevices to prevent cockroaches from entering your home
Step 3. Wash or vacuum a soft surface near the cockroach infested area
If there are a lot of cockroaches swarming near the rug or carpet, clean the rug and carpet immediately. Also vacuum the surfaces and crevices of upholstered furniture, such as sofas and chairs.
Cockroaches can get food from crumbs that fall in the gaps in the furniture. So you'll need to vacuum all the gaps to clean any food residue that may have fallen inside
Step 4. Vacuum the house every day when there is a cockroach infestation
This suction can remove food sources and cockroach eggs that can develop into new insects. It is very important to vacuum the space used for eating food (eg dining room). This will reduce the amount of food for cockroaches around the house.
If there are children eating in the house, it's a good idea to vacuum every time they finish eating (if possible). This will clean up any food they drop in the house
Step 5. Wash rugs or carpets with a special carpet shampoo at least once a year.
By washing carpets and rugs regularly, cockroach eggs trapped in the fibers can be removed. This will help stop the cockroach's regeneration process as no new insects hatch. It can also clean cockroach food that may be trapped in the carpet fibers.
You can buy or rent a carpet cleaning machine and do the cleaning yourself. Alternatively, you can also leave this task to a professional carpet cleaner
Method 3 of 4: Making Repairs at Home
Step 1. Repair leaky faucets inside and outside the house
Check all faucets by opening and closing them to see if they are leaking. This includes faucets in bathrooms, kitchens, and outdoors. Immediately make repairs to leaky faucets. Almost all leaky faucets can be repaired easily by replacing the gasket (a kind of ring to prevent leakage). However, sometimes the faucet is worn out and needs to be completely replaced.
- Cockroaches can survive for a long time if they get a continuous source of water.
- Also look for leaks under sinks and behind appliances. Leaks in hidden places can be ideal breeding grounds for cockroaches.
Step 2. Find and repair any gaps around windows and doors
Cockroaches can enter the house by flattening out and crawling through the very small gaps around windows and doors. Fill in the gaps with caulk, foam, or other filling material to keep cockroaches from getting in. You may also need to replace windows or doors if the gap cannot be fixed.
- There are several ways to seal gaps around windows and doors. Some of them are using expanding foam (hard foam that can expand), thin wooden slabs, or metal flanges.
- If there are gaps under the outer door, try installing a draft sweep (a type of rubber pad) under the door.
Step 3. Cover any holes in the insulation and walls
By doing so, cockroaches will not be able to enter the house and nest there. Check all walls, including the basement (if you have one) and entry points for plumbing and utilities, as well as cracks and damage to the building. Check each surface with a flashlight and see if there are any areas where you feel any airflow from the outside. If you find a hole, fill it with a filling, expanding foam, or other filling material.
- Pay special attention to the walls that are used for pipe entry into the house. This location is often not tightly closed and can be used as a way into the house by cockroaches.
- By patching holes in the concrete, the accumulation of water will also be reduced which makes it difficult for cockroaches to survive.
Step 4. Install the screens on the doors and windows
Cockroaches can enter through doors and windows that are wide open, but do not have screens. This can be avoided by installing the gauze tightly. Make sure the screen doesn't move when you open the window. Also put screens on doors that you often leave open.
- First measure the width and height of the window/door so you can get the screen that fits. After that, head to a hardware or hardware store to purchase a screen size that fits your door/window.
- If you don't have a screen that fits your door/window, you may need to buy one online.
Tip:
Once the screen is in place, you can open doors and windows to create circulation in the damp area. Cockroaches love damp areas. Installing screens and keeping the house drier and well ventilated can prevent cockroaches from getting in.
Method 4 of 4: Getting Rid of Cockroaches Using Chemicals
Step 1. Find a nesting place for cockroaches
This can help you to get rid of cockroaches quickly and purposefully. Pay attention to places where cockroaches frequent, and then check for hidden cracks or cracks in those areas.
If you can't pinpoint the exact position of the nest, wait until the evening to look for it. After the room is dark for a few hours, turn on the lights and pay attention to where the cockroaches are running as they run. This place should be the target of extermination
Step 2. Sprinkle borax or boric acid around the roach nest if you can find one
If the area is dirty, such as an unfinished basement, sprinkle one of these materials on the ground. When the area is ready, place the material on a cardboard or container. When cockroaches walk on them, the sodium tetraborate present in the borax or boric acid will seep into the feet and kill them.
- Borax is slightly safer than boric acid when used indoors. However, borax should not be swallowed or inhaled. Keep borax and boric acid out of the reach of pets and children when you use them to kill cockroaches.
- Borax can be found in supermarkets or hardware stores.
Tip:
Cockroaches will avoid clumping borax. So you should use very fine powdered borax.
Step 3. Pour 2-4 cups (500 ml to 1 liter) of distilled vinegar down each drain
Cockroaches often live in sewers because they provide an excellent source of water and shelter. If there are cockroaches in the drain, you can kill them, or at least make the drain unusable for cockroaches by sprinkling vinegar down each drain.
- Do this every day until the cockroaches are gone.
- Don't forget to take care of the drains in the dishwasher, bathtub, toilet, and sink.
Step 4. Place the trap in an area where there are a lot of cockroaches
You can use glue traps or box traps with poison in them. Cockroaches are attracted to both types of traps and die after being trapped in them or when they stick to the glue board. If there are dead cockroaches inside, throw them in the trash can outside the house.
- Most box traps have poison in them. All you have to do is follow the instructions given to install it.
- If you want to place it outdoors, make sure the manual mentions that the trap can be used outdoors.
- There are various traps available in the market. Look for cockroach traps in supermarkets or hardware stores.
Step 5. Call an exterminator to get rid of the cockroaches and prevent their invasion
If cockroaches are infesting your home, you may need to use a stronger chemical. Call an exterminator and ask them to inspect your home. If your home is deemed to be in need of pesticide treatment, you may need to leave the house for a few hours to several days, depending on the chemicals used by the exterminator and the severity of the cockroach infestation.
- Exterminators will usually visit your home several times. First visit to address the problem, and a week or two later to confirm if the cockroaches are gone. Many exterminators came to the house a few more times later (a few weeks later) to see if the cockroaches were coming back.
- Once the cockroaches have been exterminated with pesticides, clean all areas of the kitchen and other exposed surfaces before you use them again as usual.
