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Fact vs. Fiction: Home Remedies for Roaches
Fact vs. Fiction: Home Remedies for Roaches Chandler az
Pest Control
20 Mar 2023

Fact vs. Fiction: Home Remedies for Roaches

You may think home remedies work on pests, but the fact is, they’re often very ineffective. This is especially so with cockroaches, which are very stubborn and can’t be eradicated easily. There are a lot of myths out there about home remedies for roaches, so we thought we would dispel some of those myths and get to the truth. Here are some myth busters from our cockroach exterminators in Mesa.

In short, home remedies for cockroaches that are proven to work, at least in part, include:

  • Boric acid
  • Diatomaceous earth
  • Sugar and baking soda
  • Isopropyl alcohol
  • Cucumber slices
  • Soaps and detergents

Home remedies that have not been proven to be effective include:

  • Coffee grounds
  • Bay leaves
  • Dryer sheets
  • Lemon juice

True Home Remedies for Cockroaches

Boric Acid

Boric acid and sodium borate salts, AKA Borax, happen to be natural pesticides and can work effectively as a home remedy. This white powder or dust will destroy the linings of the cockroaches’ guts and attack their nervous systems. It damages their exoskeletons and causes them to dry out.

Wherever cockroaches are active, sprinkle some boric acid powder. When they crawl through it, it will stick to their bodies, then when they groom themselves, they will ingest this poisonous powder. You can also mix it into the food you set as bait. They will eat it, go back to their nest, and die. Just be careful not to sprinkle this in areas where pets or kids can access. In fact, if you have kids or pets, it’s best not to use this remedy at all.

Diatomaceous Earth

Also known as DE, diatomaceous earth is white powdery substance comprising ground-up fossils of diatoms, which are single-celled marine algae with jagged, razor-sharp edges. When roaches eat DE, the microscopic particles will scrape away the outer layer of the roaches’ exoskeletons, and then they will die from dehydration.

Baking Soda and Sugar

Some say baking soda and sugar works like a charm, while others say it doesn’t. It’s worth a try. Mix baking soda with sugar as bait. The baking soda acts like an insecticide and reacts with water to form carbon dioxide. When cockroaches ingest this, baking soda forms gas inside its body and it can’t get rid of it. Because the roach can’t release the pressure, it dies.

Isopropyl Alcohol

You can try spraying cockroaches with isopropyl alcohol, but roaches are notoriously fast and often scurry away before you can douse them well enough.

Cucumber Slices

You can leave small piles of cucumber crushed up around the areas you have seen cockroaches. However, this roach repellent method can take a long time and isn’t always effective.

Soaps and Detergents

You can try laundry detergent, fabric softener, or dish washing liquid, and spray each roach with it. But like the alcohol, it can be ineffective and time consuming to spray each one individually.

False Home Remedies for Roaches

Coffee Grounds

Some say coffee is toxic to cockroaches, but a 2020 study published in the International Journal of Science and Healthcare Research has dispelled the efficacy of this treatment.

Bay Leaves

You can try sprinkling bay leaves in your garbage cans or kitchen cabinets to repel roaches, but there is no conclusive data that suggests this really works.

Lemon Juice

Clean your house with lemon juice and water. Because lemon contains limonene, which repels cockroaches, you would have to apply it in its essential oil form at a very high concentration for it to have a chance at working.

Dryer Sheets

Some say dryer sheets have anti-pest uses but again, there’s no evidence to say they repel cockroaches in particular.

The Best Way to Rid Your Property of Roaches

The above methods may not always work at getting rid of a cockroach infestation, but you could try these suggestions to prevent them or keep them at bay until a cockroach exterminator in Phoenix can make it to your house.

  • Remove Sources of Food and Water: Remove access to food by using sealed, reusable storage containers, and don’t leave standing water around. Fix leaks under sinks right away.
  • Seal Entry Points: Install door sweeps and use steel wool to stuff gaps around piping.
  • Declutter: This will reduce places in which cockroaches can hide, making it easier to spot them when they invade.
  • Clean and Vacuum Regularly: Cockroaches eat hair, nail clippings, paper, skin flakes, and plastic bags. Keep counters clean and regularly wash and vacuum your floors.

Contact Cockroach Exterminator Chandler/Gilbert AZ

If you are concerned about a cockroach infestation in your home or business, contact us at 480-550-9220 for a free quote and inspection on cockroach extermination in Phoenix.

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