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How to make cockroaches go away


How to Get Rid of Roaches

Few things are more frustrating than a roach infestation. These persistent pests will make themselves at home in your kitchen, bathroom, and other living spaces as they search for food. Unfortunately, they multiply fast and can spread diseases. If you’re tired of living with a cockroach infestation, then let's figure out how to get rid of roaches for you!!

Most Common Cockroaches in the US

When dealing with a roach infestation, it is important to know what type of roach you are dealing with. There are a few different species of roaches that are present here in Florida, but the most common are the German cockroach and the American cockroach. These two are what you'll most likely deal with the most.  

German Cockroach

The German cockroach is light brown and usually 1/2” – 5/8” in size. This is the most common type species of cockroach worldwide, and Florida is no exception. They're easily identified by the two dark, parallel stripes on their backs. They typically live in warm, humid places where food is easily found and readily available, so infestations are likely found in both residential and commercial kitchens. Like most cockroaches, they're difficult to kill, so having an exterminator on your side is helpful when getting rid of them.

American Cockroach

American cockroaches are darker and bigger at 1-1/2” to 2” and are the most common among the residential infesting roaches. These roaches are typically reddish-brown and have a figure 8 pattern on the back of the head. This species does have wings and can fly short distances. They can also bite, but their bites are harmless unless they become infected. You may first notice an infection of American cockroaches by seeing their droppings around your house. These droppings are small and have characteristic ridges on the sides.

What Attracts Cockroaches to Your Home

No matter the type of pest - whether it’s roaches, ants, termites, or rodents - they’re all most likely searching for food and water sources which they can easily find in your home. Roaches, in particular, are drawn to warm, humid climates like Florida.

Roaches are attracted to: 

1. Dirty dishes in the sink

Dirty dishes in the sink often have leftover food on them, which is exactly what cockroaches are looking for. Roaches are either in your home for one of two reasons: they're seeking shelter or they want food. Letting dirty dishes sit in your sink gives these pests food to go after.

2. Crumbs on the floors or counters

Leaving crumbs on your floor or counters is another source of food that cockroaches will be attracted to. The goal is to cut out any opportunity for these pests to find food in your home. This means wiping down your counters and sweeping the floor when you notice crumbs. 

3. Garbage

Garbage is yet another source of food, so be sure to take your garbage out consistently and keep your garbage can sealed so there are no access points. Some garbage bags even claim to give off a smell that wards off pests. 

4. Pet food on the floor

Pet food on the floor is a big cockroach attraction that is often overlooked. If you have a pet that often doesn't eat all of its food and leaves it lying around for later, you may want to invest in a sealable bowl or simply put the bowl up high where it's not easily accessible. 

5. Excess moisture

Cockroaches need moisture to survive. Dripping faucets or cracked shower doors are some of the most common things attracting cockroaches in residential homes. If you have a source of excess moisture in your home, make sure it's taken care of!

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How Roaches Enter Your Home

Roaches are attracted to your home for a variety of reasons (listed above), but attraction is only the first part. They have to actually be able to get INTO your home to wreak havoc. The most common way these sly pests enter your home is through cracks and crevices in doors, windows, and other areas of your house.

Here's how roaches enter your home:

1. Cracks and crevices 

Cracks and crevices in your windows and doors are some of the most common ways cockroaches will find their way into your home. The biggest problems we see with homeowners are doors that haven't been sealed properly or windows that don't close all the way.

2. Holes in vents and pipes

Another common way these pests will make an appearance is by coming through your vents and pipes. This is especially common with older vents that may have holes or that don't properly seal. Make sure you check your vents when you switch them out and keep an eye on leaky pipes under your sink for any potential entryways.

3. Hitching a ride onto items

While not as common, cockroaches have been known to hitch a ride onto things like old furniture if you're moving it into your home. Make sure you check that old table for pests next time you move it from your garage to your dining room. 

How to Get Rid of Roaches

If you want to get rid of cockroaches in your home, there are a few different effective methods.

Here's how to get rid of cockroaches in your home:

1. Thoroughly Clean Your Home

This may seem like a given, but roaches are attracted to dirt and filth because they’re always on the lookout for new sources of food. The easiest way to get rid of roaches is by making sure your home is clean. Make sure to do the following:

2.

Use Store-Bought Roach Traps

One effective method of eliminating roaches is the type of trap found in supermarkets or home improvement stores. The device uses a scent or other bait to attract roaches. When they investigate the bait, roaches become caught in a sticky substance, effectively trapped inside. One option is a glue trap to get rid of cockroaches. These roach traps are effective because the roaches get stuck in them so you can get rid of them. While effective, this isn't the best way to kill an entire cockroach infestation or nest, just if you have a few in your home. It can take up to two weeks to see results, so traps should be checked for dead roaches periodically.

3. Use Store-Bought Baits

Another common way to get rid of roaches includes utilizing store-bought baits. Chemical baits disguise insecticide as a food source. Roaches ingest the insecticide and return to their nests, where they die. Other roaches eat them, spreading the poison to the rest of the nest. Place chemical baits near garbage cans and underneath sinks and cabinets in kitchens and bathrooms.

4. Spray Liquid Concentrates

Another product available in stores is a liquid concentrate designed to deter roaches. Once diluted, the liquid can be sprayed into cracks and crevices and other areas where roaches like to hide. You can also mop the floor and wipe counters with the solution!  If you're wondering how to get rid of roaches overnight, this will be one of your best bets!  

How to Get Rid of Roaches Naturally

If you want to get rid of roaches naturally, there are a handful of methods we recommend.

Here's how to get rid of roaches naturally:

1. Boric Acid

Boric acid is one of the best home remedies to get rid of roaches naturally. Mix equal amounts of boric acid, flour, and sugar to make a dough. Set balls of dough around the home where cockroaches can feed on it. The flour and sugar will attract the roaches while the boric acid will kill them. Simply place the dough where you know roaches are normally present, or under your refrigerator, stove, and the backs of cabinets and drawers. The boric acid will kill the roaches that will then become food for other roaches. While this is extremely effective at killing roaches, boric acid can be extremely dangerous for pets. If you have a furry friend around your house, do not try this at home.

Benefits of using boric acid:

2. Baking Soda

Baking soda, similar to Boric acid, is deadly to cockroaches. If you want to use this method to get rid of roaches, combine baking soda with something they would be attracted to, like sugar or onions. Place this mixture in high traffic areas and wait. You'll start to see dead roaches once they start eating the mixture. 

Benefits of using baking soda:

3. Citrus

While citrus doesn't kill cockroaches, it does deter them. If you want to take preventative measures before the cockroaches appear, mix citrus acid with some water and add it to high-traffic areas. Cockroaches will steer clear of this area as they don't like the smell. You can even leave a few citrus peels around your kitchen so the smell lingers.

Benefits of using citrus:

Pro Tip: Call a Licensed Exterminator

The truth of the matter is roaches are persistent creatures – even following all of these DIY tips, you may still have an infestation. If you have given these tried-and-tested tricks a try and it hasn’t helped, you probably need a professional exterminator to treat your home. Contact Anti-Pesto today for a free quote. 

An Important Note: DIY solutions are not guaranteed to work, especially against pests like cockroaches that can breed and multiply quickly. If you're serious about getting rid of a roach infestation fast, it is always best to work with a trained and licensed exterminator. 

How to Prevent Cockroaches

There are lots of methods used to ward off roaches, and we will discuss a few of the most successful strategies many people use to make their houses less hospitable for these cringe-worthy bugs.

Here's how to prevent cockroaches:

1. Nix Newspapers & Cardboard Boxes

Roaches adore cardboard boxes and newspapers. If these items are lying around your home, you’re inviting roaches in the vicinity into your home. Roaches love to breed in these items, so it is best to clear all newspapers and cardboard boxes out of your home. 

2. Clear Out the Clutter

One of the best strategies for roach control is to make sure your home is kept in tip-top shape, especially when it comes to items that are just lying around. Keeping your house free of clutter means there are less places for roaches to hide out during the day. With no cover for their midday scurrying, these bugs will have to work harder to hide their presence.

3. Seal Cracks & Install Door Sweeps

Roaches gain entry to homes by crawling in under doors and cracks in your home’s foundation. You may not even notice the easy access areas as they can be hard to see, but a professional should be able to identify entry points for you. Problem areas include:

We recommend you inspect these problem areas at least once a year and if you do notice cracks and holes, make sure to seal them. You can use caulk to seal small ones, while steel wool and foam are best to fill larger gaps, especially around pipes. For bigger openings around chimneys or attic vents, you can use a fine wire mesh to create a barrier.

learn more about how pests enter your home

4. Regularly Inspect and Fix any Plumbing Issues or Leaks

Moisture is a huge attractant for bugs – just like humans, they need water in order to survive. Oftentimes homeowners have leaks or water problems that attract bugs and they don’t even know. If you do notice leaks or plumbing issues, get them fixed as soon as possible. It's not a bad idea to regularly inspect the faucets, sinks, refrigerators, and appliances in your home to make sure they aren't leaking or producing excess moisture.

5. Don't Feed the Roaches 

If you leave treats like an uneaten dog or cat food lying around, you are bound to attract a bug or two. We recommend using a dog food dispenser and/or removing any food your pet doesn’t eat right away from the floor so that roaches don't have easy access to food sources.

Pro Tip: Get Professional Help

Because roaches are such a problem pest here in Florida, prevention can only get you so far. The truth of the matter is, most homeowners are going to deal with a roach infestation in their home at some point. While there are many things you can do to make your home an inhospitable environment for bugs, nothing prevents a pest infestation like employing professional exterminators from Anti-Pesto. 

Pest Control as Low as $31/Month

Here at Anti-Pesto Bug Killers, we offer the highest-rated pest control in Tampa, Lakeland, Largo, St. Petersburg, and the surrounding areas. Our pest control programs start as low as $31/month and can protect your home from a variety of pests all year long - including roaches! If you are tired of sharing your home with roaches, our experts can help you.

This blog was written by Howard Bright, Owner of Anti-Pesto Bug Killers.

10 Effective Ways to Get Rid of Roaches and Keep Them Out

You probably know the feeling — the stomach-dropping moment when you hear a faint scuffle on your floor and look up to see a large, dark roach scuttling across your room or kitchen. No bug infestation is a particularly fun experience, but roaches somehow take things to a whole new level.

Scot Hodges, vice president of technical services for Arrow Exterminators, says cockroaches fall into two categories: domestic or peridomestic. 

Because of this difference, Hodges likes to classify the arrival of peridomestic roaches as either an infestation or invasion. 

How to identify types of roaches Getty Images; Rachel Mendelson/Insider

Hodges says being able to identify different roach species, as well as if they're domestic or peridomestic, will help you understand how and why roaches might be entering your house in the first place and which methods to try first.  

How to get rid of roaches The best way to get rid of roaches is through exclusion, or by eliminating reasons for them to invade a house as well as ways for them to get in. RHJ/Getty Images

Hodges says there's no singular silver bullet approach that will completely eliminate roaches from a house, but rather a combination of many to help deal with the problem. These methods help mitigate small invasions. An exterminator should be called in the event there's a larger issue.

Exclude roaches from your home 

The first line of defense when combating roaches is to "use the pest's biology to outsmart it," according to Amy Cross, the project coordinator at the National Pesticide Information Center. In other words: eliminate any causes for why they might be entering the house. 

Here are a few important roach resources to secure:

Food: Roaches need food to survive, and if it's available in your home, they'll try to stick around. Wipe or vacuum up any crumbs on floors, tables, and counters. Don't leave food unsealed in your pantry. To ensure it's out of reach of pests, store open pantry foods in airtight containers. Roaches also eat substances we don't consider food, such as hair, soap, and toothpaste. Try to keep your home clean and store away any potential items that roaches may try to feast on.  

Leaks: Water is another resource that supports roach life inside of your home. If you have any leaky pipes or areas where water pools or drips, such as underneath sinks or in basements, roaches are likely to congregate there. To drive away roaches, fix any leaky pipes and replace leaky faucets. Repair any other places where outside water can enter your home, such as a leaky window or roof. If your basement is moist, try using a dehumidifer or sump pump.

Hiding spots: During the day, cockroaches often hide in dark areas. Stacks of cardboard boxes, newspaper, and other clutter can make perfect hiding spots for roaches. Break down the boxes and recycle them instead of harboring a potential roach hideout in your home. 

Points of entry: Close up points as many points of entry as possible. This could include affixing a door sweep to cover the crack between the bottom of a door and the ground, or sealing up any holes in the foundation of a house.  

Outdoor foliage: Hodges also says to maintain clean gutters, and to keep a vegetation-free zone with your landscaping by eliminating any foliage hanging over a house and not adding mulch when it's not necessary. 

Collect and dispose of roaches with glue strips

Glue strips are one of the safest and most effective solutions for killing roaches, says Hodges. 

Glue strips are sheets or tubes covered in a sticky substance and they can quickly catch cockroaches within 24 or 48 hours. While Hodges says these won't work for large infestations, they can help with monitoring the severity of a roach situation and indicate the severity of an issue. 

Important: If the glue strips catch a bunch of roaches, you have a large infestation and should consider calling in a professional exterminator. 

Bait and kill with boric acid

Boric acid is a stomach poison that roaches don't have any resistance to. A roach must consume the boric acid for it to work. 

However, it does come with a few caveats, as both Cross and Hodges point out. First off, Hodges explains it's a slow-acting agent and takes a while to actually kill roaches. On top of that, Hodges states people often panic and use more than necessary.

"The rule that we use when applying any type of a dust insecticide is that if you can see it, you've put out too much," Hodges says. "If the roach sees that big old pile [of boric acid], they're just going to walk around."

To attract roaches to the boric acid, mix it with equal parts sugar and water. Put the mixture in an open jar and place it where you've seen roaches. After roaches consume the mixture, they'll eventually die.

Hodges also encourages people to exercise caution, as boric acid can be toxic in large doses according to the National Pesticide Information Center, and to make sure they're following the instructions on the label when it comes to application.

Note: If you can't find boric acid, you can also use Borax.

Sprinkle some diatomaceous earth

Diatomaceous earth works as a scratching agent or abrasive meant to get spread out on a surface that insects will then run across. The diatomaceous earth will then damage or stick to the exoskeleton, causing them to dry out. 

Similar to boric acid, this option is slow working and oftentimes is applied by people in overly large quantities or incorrectly. 

According to Hodges, using too much can sometimes cause itchy or sore throats with homeowners, and Cross also points out that overapplication can render diatomaceous earth ineffective since the roaches will see it and just crawl around it.

Important: Cross advises against using bug bombs or foggers. The mist often doesn't get into the small spaces and crevices where cockroaches are hiding. Additionally, some species of cockroaches are becoming resistant to some insecticides in many roach foggers, such as pyrethroids.

Add baking soda to your arsenal

Baking soda is another common household substance that you can add to your pest-fighting arsenal.

Mix baking soda and sugar to bait the roaches. When they eat the baking soda and consume water, it will cause their insides to bloat and expand, which kills them.

However, baking soda alone is not as effective as boric acid. But you can combine them.

A 2013 study found that pellets made from a combination of three parts boric acid and one part baking soda were effective at killing roaches, with an average death time of 5 hours after ingestion.

Repel roaches with essential oils

Essential oils can be helpful if you're dealing with a few roaches entering your home from outdoors. 

You can create a spray with at least 2.5% essential oil mixed with water, then spray it around areas where roaches might enter or where you've seen them. 

Here are several essential oils proven to be effective against specific roach species.

Try an insect growth regulator

If you have domestic roaches, such as the German cockroach, or if you think roaches are reproducing in your home, purchase an insect growth regulator product, such as a spray formulated with Pyriproxifen. These products focus on roaches at the egg and nymph stage, often rendering them unable to reproduce or mature into adults, and thus reducing the population. 

Insect growth regulators are best used in tandem with products that kill adult roaches, since they often do not work on fully grown roaches and can take several months to have any noticeable effect.

Use a syringe to apply gel baits

Products that bait roaches with a gel applied via syringe make it easier to cover a wider variety of hard-to-reach areas. Covering more surfaces also makes it more likely that roaches will come across the bait. 

Experts recommend applying small dots of the gel in areas where roaches may forage or enter and leave, such as in corners, under cabinets, and near cracks and edges. It's better to use small dots in many areas, rather than large globs in just a few areas. 

Baits can take one to three days to kill roaches, allowing them time to potentially infect other roaches, as well.

Step on it

When you see a roach, step on it. That's one less roach you need to worry about in your home. 

After stepping on a roach, disinfect the area with antibacterial cleaner to avoid spreading any pathogens the roach may have been carrying. 

Quick tip: If you're afraid that stepping on a roach will release all the eggs being carried on its body, worsening a roach problem, then fear not. According to Hodges, the moment a roach is killed, then all the egg capsules will die along with it. 

Pull out the poison and traps

Sometimes you have to pull out the big guns. Roach poison and roach traps are easy to come by and sometimes instantly effective. Here are some of our top recommendations for killing roaches:

Best roach killer Target; Amazon; Home Depot; Alyssa Powell/Insider

We test and recommend the best roach killers. Find our recommendations linked throughout the story, or check out our favorite products here: 

 

Insider's takeaway

While it's better to leave large roach infestations to the professionals, there are certainly mitigation techniques that can be used to eliminate roaches and keep them from returning to a home. 

Closing up cracks in a house and getting rid of anything that might be attracting roaches in the first place is the best line of defense, and glue strips are also a highly recommended option when it comes to efficiently catching roaches.

You can also try natural methods such as diatomaceous earth or essential oil sprays. But if you continue to see roaches in your home, you might need to invest in chemical methods such as syringe-applied gel baits, insect growth regulators, or roach-killing sprays.

Megan Wahn

Home & Kitchen Reference Fellow

Megan was previously a fellow for the Home & Kitchen Reference team. She is based in New York, and has also worked as an assistant producer at WUGA-FM as well as a content editor for The Oultaw Ocean Project. She also interned with HGTV Magazine in 2019 through the American Society of Magazine Editors summer intern program.  She graduated from the University of Georgia. 

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We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

How to get rid of cockroaches in an apartment forever

December 22, 2021 Likbez Do it yourself

At night you went into the kitchen for a bite to eat, but instead of a cake, you found only crumbs and mustachioed swallows rushing in all directions? Congratulations, it's cockroaches! But you should not be afraid, but read: how to make traps, what to buy at the pharmacy so that the insects leave, and how to wash the floors so that they never return.

How to understand that there are cockroaches in the apartment

  1. Black dots. If small dark balls appeared on dishes, kitchen shelves, wallpaper, alas, they were left by cockroaches. This is what their products look like.
  2. Specific smell.
  3. Clutches with eggs in corners and crevices. If you find them, you can, of course, be glad that your apartment has officially received the status of "cockroach-friendly", but this also means that the insects will have to be removed twice. First, the main number of pests will be destroyed, then the hatched offspring. nine0012
  4. Personal meeting. Cockroaches are curious and sociable creatures, therefore, if you do not pay attention to the alarm bells described above, sooner or later they themselves will make contact. Most often, black (up to 3 cm in length, kitchen) or red (up to 1.3 cm in length, Prussians) cockroaches start up in houses.

Why did they come to you

  1. You have a lot of delicious food. Cockroaches also like to eat. Only if you are eating sandwiches in front of the computer, they are content with little: leftover crumbs. And they also have enough open garbage bags or buckwheat scattered in the kitchen drawer. nine0012
  2. You have plenty of water available. A good dinner should be washed down. Therefore, puddles at the sink and a leaky shower cabin will come in handy.
  3. Your neighbors have plenty of food and water. No matter how hard you try to exterminate pests, all efforts can be broken by the stubbornness of your dirty neighbors. If you can’t agree with them, it’s enough to seal your own home: eliminate cracks and cracks.
womanadvice.ru

Effective remedies for cockroaches

Folk methods

Boric acid is the strongest poison for cockroaches. Getting into the digestive tract of an insect, it affects its nervous system. The cockroach is paralyzed and dies of suffocation. It is best to use boric acid in powder, you can buy it at any pharmacy.

Ammonia has a strong smell that cockroaches don't like. Therefore, they tend to leave the premises treated with this substance as soon as possible. To get rid of cockroaches, add ammonia to your water to clean floors, shelves, walls, and ceilings. nine0003

Freezing. Cockroaches are cold-blooded creatures. They cease to multiply and weaken at temperatures below +7 °C. However, this method can only be applied in winter, preferably in hard frost. It is enough just to leave the windows wide open for a day (or better for two). It is necessary that all rooms freeze to -10-15 °C.

Trap will help if there are not so many cockroaches. It can be made at home. A jar with a wide neck, a deep enameled or glass bowl, grease the inside with oil, fat or petroleum jelly, and crumble the bait on the bottom: cookies, bread, sugar. Insects will be drawn to the smell of delicious, and then they will not be able to get out. You can also use a plastic bottle as a dangerous container: cut off the neck and, turning it over, insert it back like a funnel. nine0003

Leave the trap overnight in the kitchen or bathroom and in the morning be sure to kill the pests. They can be poured with boiling water or sprayed with insecticide.

Chemicals

The market is rich in various specialized products: from sprays and crayons to nanotechnology lamps and traps. The main thing when working with such things is to carefully follow the instructions and do not forget about gloves and a protective mask.

How to get rid of cockroaches forever

If you live in a private house, it will be enough to thoroughly poison insects once, and then regularly take preventive measures so that in the future insects do not come to visit. nine0003

But if you are a happy homeowner in an apartment building, you can't do without actions coordinated with your neighbors. Agree with all residents and carry out pest control at the same time. Otherwise, it may happen that a cockroach landing from another floor will again and again enter your neutralized apartment.

Preventive measures

  1. Keep your home in order. One single cleaning is not enough to destroy pests, it is necessary to clean it regularly. Store food in airtight containers, remove crumbs from the table, and keep an eye on areas where pets eat. It would be a good idea to audit kitchen drawers for spilled cereals. It is advisable to wash the dishes immediately after eating, and not store them in the sink with the remnants of the meal inside. nine0012
  2. Take out the trash. Do not keep trash in a cabinet under the sink or store overflowing bags at the front door. Get in the habit of regularly walking to the trash cans (or the garbage chute), and put a container with an airtight lid in the kitchen.
  3. Repair leaks promptly. Whereas cockroaches can survive for weeks without food, they cannot live even a day without water. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly check potentially dangerous places (toilet bowl, sinks, pipe joints) for leaks. In addition, do not forget to dry the surfaces in the bathroom after active bathing. Well, it’s better not to abuse the sailor’s way of washing floors (this is when a bucket of water is poured onto the deck at once). nine0012
  4. Repair cracks. If your neighbors are not clean, take care of the inaccessibility of your apartment. Examine the walls, ceiling, corners of the room: there may be cracks. They deserve to be patched up. And close the ventilation holes with a special fine mesh through which insects cannot crawl.

Are you worried about whiskered pests? How do you protect your apartment from cockroaches? Share your tips in the comments.

step-by-step instructions with expert advice

Most pest control experts will tell you that if you see a cockroach in your apartment, there's a good chance it's not alone. This brethren breeds very quickly, but hides cleverly. It is enough for a female cockroach to lay a special capsule - an ootheca, in which there are 30 - 40 eggs, and in a couple of weeks you will have a ready-made colony.

In our country, there are mainly two varieties of cockroaches: red cockroaches - among the Prussians, and black ones. Redheads are most often found in houses, they are smaller, more thermophilic and, fortunately, live many times less than their black counterparts - about six months. The second can live 2-3 years. nine0003

Causes of cockroaches in the apartment

Cockroaches can get into the apartment in two main ways: either they are brought in, or they come by themselves. You can bring in cockroaches with old furniture or things that you took from an apartment where there were mustachios. You can bring them from the store, so purchases should be washed thoroughly. Cockroaches can "come" to pets. But most often the insects come by themselves, especially if you have the right conditions for them.

They usually enter apartments from neighbors who lead a marginal lifestyle, as well as from basements or entrances equipped with a garbage chute. Tenants of high-rise buildings suffer from the invasion of these insects more often. In many ways, the reason is precisely in the garbage chute, and if waste is also taken out intermittently, then this is just a paradise for cockroaches. nine0003

When it starts to get cold, cockroaches move to where it is warmer - to apartments. They especially like kitchens, because it is also humid there, you can find food waste - their main delicacy. If you have a pet - a dog or a cat - cockroaches will register even more willingly, because where a pet is, there is its food, which is easy for a cockroach to find.

Effective ways to get rid of cockroaches in an apartment

There are several ways to get rid of cockroaches in an apartment once and for all, but it is important to understand that the choice of method depends on the size of the problem. In other words, if there are still only a few insects, you can try to deal with them on your own by buying a poisonous gel or a trap. If there is already a whole colony of them, it is better to call specialists, otherwise there is a high risk that you will only temper uninvited guests with purchased insecticides. nine0003

Caulk all the cracks and carry out a general cleaning

Efficiency: average

The Prussians love unsanitary conditions and garbage, so the first step towards getting rid of cockroaches in the apartment once and for all is a general cleaning. This should not be a one-time action, you will have to clean up all the time, you need to be especially careful about food waste. At a minimum, remove food from the tables so that cockroaches cannot feast on it.

But it is not enough to create uncomfortable conditions for them, and cockroaches can live for quite a long time without food. If they make their way to you from the outside, you need to cut off these paths: caulk cracks, hang a ventilation grill, make sure that there are no openings in the bathroom and toilet through which they can come. nine0003

However, not all passages can be covered. If you have an alcoholic neighbor who carries all sorts of junk home, it will not be difficult for cockroaches to come from him through the door or loggia. So, probably, we will have to look for joint ways to solve the problem. Similarly, if cockroaches crawl from the basement or garbage chute. In this case, getting rid of them in the apartment will not work without the help of the management company. According to part 1.1 of Art. 161 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation of the Criminal Code are required to maintain the common property of the owners of the house in accordance with sanitary and epidemiological standards, which means they must starve out insects in the basement and entrance. nine0003

Boric acid

Efficiency: medium

Boric acid is really poison for cockroaches. This tool can be easily bought at a pharmacy, and it costs less than fifty. Boric acid works well if you get cockroaches to eat it. To do this, you can mix the powder, for example, with bread and leave overnight in open places. The cockroach will feast on it, and then bring poison to its relatives.

Funds from the store

Efficiency: medium

You can find a variety of insect control products in stores, such as traps. The principle of their action is as follows - inside the trap is an appetizing bait for a cockroach. It is poisonous, therefore, by eating it or simply hitting it with its body, the cockroach receives a dose of poison and becomes its source itself. It is assumed that the poisonous Prussian returns to the colony, where it infects everyone and dies itself. This is a good option if there are still few cockroaches.

- If you see a cockroach at home or in an apartment, the best thing you can do is buy special traps / houses for cockroaches on the same day or the next and place them throughout the apartment. Traps are sold in packs of 5, which is enough for a small one-room apartment. If you have a house or a large apartment, take 2-3 packs. Most of the traps are installed in the kitchen, preferably behind the kitchen unit, behind the refrigerator, in the toilet and bathroom next to the riser. In the rest of the rooms - in the corners, behind the furniture (where you see fit), - advises exterminator Dmitry Grachev .

These traps do not have a chemical smell, so they do not cause discomfort. But if there are a lot of cockroaches in the apartment and their ranks are replenished from the outside, it will be difficult to overcome them with traps alone. The same goes for gels.

Exterminators

Efficiency: high

- If you see small individuals along with ordinary cockroaches, then this means that your apartment is already a breeding ground for insects, and the best thing to do is still use the services of professionals - explains exterminator Dmitry Grachev .

One of the most effective methods of getting rid of cockroaches in an apartment in the arsenal of exterminators is a cold fog generator. With its help, toxic substances are sprayed around the room, penetrating into the most inaccessible nooks and crannies. Not a single individual can escape from such a fog.

But this approach also has disadvantages. For processing with cold fog, the owners will have to leave their apartment for a while. Specialists will make it look like a gas chamber for cockroaches. After such treatment, you will have to carry out a number of manipulations - wash surfaces, dishes, wash clothes - everything on which the poisonous fog has settled. nine0003

Aerosol spraying also helps to get rid of cockroaches in the apartment. It acts in a targeted way: they spray baseboards, crevices, hard-to-reach spaces in the bathroom and in the kitchen - only those places where cockroaches can live. This is less effective than fog, but it will also cause less trouble for the owners.

- In any case, the problem of cockroaches must be discussed with neighbors from above, below, on the floor. Because it is the inconsistency among the residents that contributes to the fact that insects, after they have been poisoned, can return to the treated apartment. The residual effect of any drug, no matter how expensive it is, is two months, notes exterminator Dmitry Grachev .

Popular Questions and Answers

How can you tell if there are cockroaches in your apartment?

The surest way is to face one of them. If you see a cockroach in the kitchen, do not panic, try to find out if there are other relatives in the apartment.

To do this, check all the nooks and crannies: look behind the baseboards, in the gaps between furniture and walls, in the bathroom. It’s not a fact that you will be able to find something, because cockroaches are great at hiding and prefer to go out only at night. nine0003

— In addition to a live cockroach, wings or parts of their chitinous cover, for example, on a table in the kitchen, as well as empty or full ootheca or their waste — small black grains, can be a cause for concern, — Irina, director of the cleaning company Chisto, explains Komarova .

What harm do cockroaches cause?

Cockroaches can spoil life in several ways. Firstly, they like to arrange housing for themselves in electrical appliances, where it is warmer, so it is not difficult for them to spoil the equipment. nine0003

- These insects on their paws carry any infection - mold, pathogenic bacteria, and so on. All this can migrate to your table, dishes, food. There is direct harm to health. In addition, cockroaches provoke allergies and even asthma. Many have probably heard that they can crawl into their ears, which is also very unpleasant, Irina Komarova clarifies.

What deters cockroaches?

- Among the folk remedies that are believed to repel cockroaches, we can mention dry herbs (tansy, wormwood), ammonia, vinegar. However, it is important to understand that scaring away is not the same as getting rid of. If the cockroaches in the apartment have already divorced, you cannot expel them with one wormwood, you need to act comprehensively: call exterminators, close all the cracks from where insects can enter the apartment, and start cleaning regularly,” says Irina Komarova.

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