Folk remedies for cockroaches in an apartment: the most effective in pest control

cockroaches, insects

17.06.2020

Cockroaches that appear in an apartment not only cause disgust, but can also harm human health. You can find many special insecticides on store shelves, but not everyone agrees to use chemicals when fighting parasites. Such people can be recommended to choose one of the folk remedies for cockroaches in the apartment - the most effective for their case.

When cockroaches appear in an apartment, it is necessary to immediately take measures to destroy them.

When is the best time to start fighting insects?

Cockroaches are nocturnal parasites. Therefore, most often the owner of an apartment finds out about the presence of unwanted “tenants” in it by accident, suddenly going into the kitchen and turning on the light. Just at this moment he notices cockroaches rapidly running away from the table or floor.

The fight against insects must begin immediately, immediately after their detection.

Even if only one individual was noticed, this does not mean that there is only one in the entire apartment. Quite the opposite.

Cockroaches are skilled at hiding. During the day, they sleep in places where no one ever looks: behind cabinets, under baseboards, under wallpaper that has come off the wall. And at night they go out in search of water and food. When there are few of them in the apartment, the cockroach won’t even climb onto the table; the crumbs that have rolled into the corner are enough for him. Therefore, the appearance of insects in prominent places indicates that there is already a whole colony of them. There is not enough food for everyone, so they roam around the apartment, no longer being careful.

There are other signs that allow you to suspect the presence of cockroaches in a living space:

Black spots on baseboards, wallpaper, furniture, dishes. This is parasite excrement.
The appearance of small black or red scales on the floor, similar to the dried wings of a cockroach. This is the chitinous covering of insects, shed by them during molting.
Found in corners on the floor, on top of and inside kitchen cabinets, under the refrigerator and in other secluded places, oothecae are capsules with eggs that the female sheds before the larvae hatch.
A specific musty smell that was previously absent in the room.

Signs of cockroaches in an apartment.
Cockroaches have the ability to reproduce quickly. At one time, a female can reproduce up to 40 larvae, which 1.5 months after hatching are also ready to give birth.

Distinctive features of cockroaches

These pests are very resistant to aggressive physical influences, so they are not as easy to squash with something as it seems at first glance. Moreover, even with an injured torso, once they reach a source of fluid, they are able to recover effectively and, over time, continue normal life activities. For them, water is the key to the excellent functioning of the body; due to the small size of the insect, very little is needed for nutrition and regeneration.

They can go without food for quite a long time; a couple of crumbs of any food are enough for them; they are very hardy and unpretentious in this regard. Sometimes they can even feed on things that are inedible at first glance - soap, shoe polish, paper products.

Due to their curiosity, cockroaches in a residential building actively explore the territory, and therefore they can sometimes be found in the most unexpected places, although their favorite habitat was and remains the bathroom, toilet and kitchen. The fertility of these pests is very high; they reproduce at a catastrophic speed and in huge quantities.

But, despite such vitality and seemingly invulnerability, cockroaches have their own weak points and can be successfully fought against.

Are cockroaches dangerous for people and animals?

You should not take your proximity to cockroaches lightly. They are dangerous. And not only for humans, but also for pets.

The destruction of parasites must be started immediately after their detection, because they:

They carry pathogens that can cause diseases such as hepatitis, tuberculosis, meningitis, intestinal infections, etc., as well as helminth eggs.
They are a source of allergens. The excrement of pests, their shed chitinous cover, and the dried bodies of dead individuals are mixed with dust and enter the human skin or respiratory tract, causing allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, and dermatitis.
They are capable of crawling into human natural openings at night - the nasal or ear canal. They cannot come back out, and the presence of a foreign living body in the ear or nostril causes pain and irritation of the nasal mucosa or the walls of the ear canal.
They can bite a person. This rarely happens, only in cases where the pest is experiencing a shortage of fluid and food. Mechanical damage from bites is not so terrible; what is much worse is that pathogenic bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause a dangerous disease.

Pets can also be harmed by cockroaches. This most often occurs when chemicals were used to kill parasites. Even after death, an insect carries a danger, because many insecticides work on the principle of accumulation. For this reason, the pest’s body contains a poisonous filling, which, when it enters the stomach of a pet, can cause permanent poisoning.

Harm of cockroaches to human health.

Drug safety

Boric acid does not irritate the skin of the hands and does not leave chemical burns on them. This product is used to bait cockroaches, even if there are children or pets in the house. The acid poses little danger and was previously used as a disinfectant, but has since been replaced by other means. Basic caution must be exercised when working with the chemical.

Children under 3 years of age are prohibited from coming into contact with boric acid. Contact with the product should be avoided by women expecting a child, nursing mothers, people predisposed to allergic skin diseases, and those with kidney disease.

If animals get to the bait, nothing bad will happen to them, but it is better to exclude such a situation and remove the product away from children and animals. The powder may cause an allergic reaction. If acid enters the body, the following symptoms may appear:

headache;
nausea;
vomit

Acid powder is less dangerous than other chemicals for baiting pests, and therefore is often used for urgent treatment of premises. What are the properties of the substance?

General measures

The habit of many people to eat while sitting on the sofa while watching TV or in front of the computer screen leads to the appearance of crumbs, food debris and moisture in all areas of the apartment. Therefore, parasites can find food for themselves not only in the kitchen, but also in living rooms. Taking into account this and the fact that pests have the ability to reproduce quickly, a one-time campaign to persecute them will not give the desired result. You can only get rid of them using comprehensive measures.

Studying the habits of insects

Changing the optimal conditions for the existence of cockroaches, coupled with the use of insecticides, will allow us to develop tactics to combat them and achieve their complete disappearance.

In order for your actions to be competent, you need to know what parasites love and fear:

Light. It is a big misconception to believe that cockroaches can be eliminated by keeping the lights on in living areas all the time. Pests are not at all afraid of him. And the fact that they scatter at night from a sharply turned on light bulb in a dark room only indicates that the parasites are moving away from potential danger, which they sense well, and are not rushing around in search of a secluded dark place. After a week or two they will adapt to the light, and nothing else will be achieved other than an increase in the electricity bill.
Microclimate. These are heat-loving insects. The temperature that is considered comfortable for them is the same as for humans: +20…+25 °C. Its drop to +5 °C leads to inhibition of vital processes - hibernation, and to -5 °C - to death. The capsule with eggs can withstand temperatures down to -2 °C. Temperatures above +50 °C are considered destructive for pests. Therefore, in the fight against them, it is advisable to use steam or boiling water.
Food and water. A cockroach can live for a month without food, and a week without water.
Smell. Since parasites do not disdain to live in garbage chutes, they are not particularly selective about odors. The aroma of food attracts them the most. The aromas of some plants or essential oils can repel: geranium, mint, tansy, etc. But they will not help get rid of cockroaches, they will only scare them away. Substances with a pungent odor - gasoline, turpentine - are considered more effective. They work much more effectively than natural scents.
Electromagnetic radiation. Like other insects, cockroaches are sensitive to low frequency electromagnetic waves. Devices created on their basis, such as, for example, the Hawk MT repeller, will force parasites to leave the room, since the waves emitted by the device negatively affect their nervous system.
Nesting. If there are indirect signs of the presence of cockroaches in the apartment or single specimens have been noticed, it means that there are nests in which the pests sleep during the day and from where they come out to hunt at night. These can be secluded places behind kitchen cabinets, under a sink or bathtub, behind a refrigerator or gas stove, etc. Without detecting nests, pest control will be ineffective.

To get rid of cockroaches, you need to find their nest.

No sources of moisture in the house

Water is the basis of life for cockroaches. Without it, they will not be able to survive for more than a week. And the first step in the fight against parasites is to remove all its sources in the house.

To do this you need:

Eliminate any leaks in the faucets.
Wipe sinks, bathtubs or shower trays dry, and plug drain holes. Such actions are especially important before bedtime.
Keep kitchen sponges, wet washcloths and napkins in closed containers, and toothbrushes in cases.
Do not leave water in pet bowls overnight.
Wipe dry all work surfaces of tables and gas stove.
Make sure that the refrigerator tray does not contain water.
Place wet mops and floor rags on the balcony.

Daily removal of trash and scraps

First of all, you need to do a general cleaning in the kitchen, emptying the cabinets of the internal contents and washing them thoroughly. It is also necessary to clean the space behind and under cabinets, refrigerators, gas stoves and microwaves.

It would also be useful to do a general cleaning of the rest of the apartment.

After this, you must follow these rules every day:

Eat food only in the kitchen.
Every time after eating, carefully clear the tables and do not leave dirty dishes with leftovers or cups with unfinished liquid.
Before going to bed, sweep and mop the floor and put away uneaten food in containers.
Discard remaining food from pet dishes, wash and dry them.
Every evening, clean the area where the trash can is and empty its contents. The container itself must be closed with a lid.

To get rid of cockroaches, you need to wash dirty dishes on time.
All these measures will block insects’ access to food and, together with measures aimed at getting rid of them, will help win the fight against cockroaches.

How to deal with cockroaches at home, the most effective ways

Pest control

The most expensive, but also the fastest and, perhaps, the most effective method is to contact a special service that specifically fights insects, rats and other pests.

The price of the service often varies depending on the city. On average, one call to the pest control service can cost from one and a half to four thousand rubles.

Naturally, for many, the mentioned price is a serious disadvantage, because not every person is ready to spend that kind of money (even for such a great purpose).

Home methods for controlling cockroaches

There are also cheaper, so to speak home remedies. If previously they were intended for cockroaches to eat, today it is enough to ensure that the insects simply inhale the product. How to poison cockroaches in an apartment?

All drugs are divided into several groups:

the most popular are gels;
aerosols are used less frequently, although they are believed to have a faster effect on insects;
something between a gel and an aerosol - powder (or, as it is also called, dust);
the cheapest of these preparations are special pencils or crayons.

Let's talk about each of them in a little more detail. Among the advantages of the gel, one should highlight the fact that you do not need to treat the entire apartment and residents will not have to leave it for several days for personal safety.

Gels and aerosols

The gel is applied only in small droplets to various surfaces in those places where cockroaches most often roam. One drop can actually destroy about 500 pests.

However, you will have to wait quite a long time for the result - several weeks. But you will spend a frivolous amount on purchasing the gel (200 rubles). It is especially convenient to use the gel in a hostel.

Aerosols act effectively and quickly, but to treat the apartment you will have to leave it temporarily, taking your household and pets with you. And aerosol products are more expensive than gels.

The advantage of this product is that you will be able to get rid of your little neighbors in just a few hours.

Dusts and pencils against cockroaches

Dusts (aka powders) are relatively inexpensive products, using which no one will have to leave their own apartment even for an hour. But the result will have to wait.

As for pencils, they are cheap (their price is about one hundred rubles). With their help, you can also destroy all the cockroaches in your home, but when using crayons you will need to be both careful and patient.

They are easy to use: you just take a pencil and use it to draw rings and circles around all sources of water - around the bathtub, sink, and toilet, along all the cracks where cockroaches constantly live.

And although some of the listed modern drugs and remedies may not seem very cheap to you, traditional ones sometimes turn out to be even more expensive.

It sounds paradoxical, and yet it is true: in some cases you have to buy a whole list of products, knead special dough, spend eggs, sugar, and other ingredients on preparing these mixtures.

Perhaps you will be frightened not so much by the financial side of the issue, but by how much time you will have to spend on all the manipulations. Yes, if you value your time, it makes sense to use a dust, gel or aerosol.

Cockroach traps

Another method is a trap. This includes both those traps that are sold in stores, and those structures that you can make with your own hands.

What is the operating principle of the device?

Everything is very simple: inside the trap there is bait or it has some kind of aroma (vanilla, for example), cockroaches feel this alluring smell and run straight into the trap. They will no longer be able to get out of it.

Since cockroaches are red and black, you need to purchase different devices.

As a rule, red pests often live in our homes, so it is recommended to purchase a Chinese-made trap for them.

But for black cockroaches these inventions are too small, therefore, Chinese devices are definitely not suitable for them.

Please note that you will not be able to completely get rid of cockroaches using traps - they will only prevent new pests from entering your home. However, if you agree with your neighbors to jointly fight insects, then the results will be much better.

Despite the listed advantages of modern means, one cannot help but recall the folk ones. Next, we’ll talk about them, their advantages and disadvantages.

Categories of Home Remedies for Cockroaches

They are divided into 2 types: repellent and poisonous. Both categories of products have their own characteristics that must be taken into account when using.

Insect repellent

There are several options. The principle of operation of the first is based on the inhalation of unpleasant odors by pests, which repel the parasite and force it to leave the room filled with this aroma. Since there is a risk of cockroaches returning after some time, such “repellent” measures must be carried out constantly.

An alternative to home remedies is the use of special repellers, for example the Hawk MT device, which propagates electromagnetic waves and expels insects from the apartment. This option is preferable, since the device not only allows you to get rid of existing parasites, but also serves as a good prophylactic agent that prevents the appearance of uninvited “tenants” in the future.

Surface etching

The method is based on treating the places where parasites are most concentrated with products containing poisons that penetrate the insect’s digestive system when it eats a bait filled with a toxic substance or directly through the shell, upon contact with the composition scattered on the surface. At home, borax or boron powder is most often used for such purposes.

Boron powder will help get rid of cockroaches.

Smells

What are the red-haired Prussians running from? Cockroaches are very sensitive to odors. The smell of food and pheromones attracts them, but everything else repulses them. Repelling cockroaches with scents is the sweetest thing. It is enough to understand what odors cockroaches cannot tolerate, or what plants they perceive with fear.

Below is a small list of odors that will not delight black and red parasites. Folk remedies, including field tansy and wormwood plants, and geranium flowers, will help to permanently scare them away, at least from the bed.

Eucalyptus oil

Anise herb is a wonderful plant that was popular among the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. It has many health benefits, for example, anise oil helps in the fight against excess weight

But in our case, it is important that anise oil repels cockroaches

Mint leaves

Cockroaches hate mint. Mix eight drops of cypress essential oil and 10 drops of peppermint essential oil with half a glass of salt water. Spray the mixture in and around the infected areas. They, of course, do not die from this, but the smell makes them go away, the further the better.

Cedar is a natural product that repels Prussians because its pungent odor acts as a deterrent. You can ward off cockroaches with homemade cedar chips. Place them in any area of your home where you have seen insects and in places where they live, including under the sink and inside kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

Tansy is another well-known herb that repels cockroaches, as well as flies, ants, fleas, moths and mice.

Honeysuckle

Cockroaches hate the organic compound nepetalactone, which is present in catnip (catnip) and Tartary honeysuckle wood.

Red elderberry

Red elderberry is the most toxic of the three elderberry species. The leaves and unripe fruits of Sambucus species contain the mildly toxic cyanoglycoside sambunigrin, which has a negative effect on cockroaches.

Bay leaf

Bay leaves are effective at repelling cockroaches. It is advisable to crush these leaves and spread them in and around the infested areas. Cockroaches hate their smell and stay away from them.

Clove oil

Clove oil works best against cockroaches when combined with other essential oils, such as citrus oil or peppermint extract. Mix a few drops of these oils with one liter of water and spray the mixture in and around the infected areas.

Neem is effective against cockroaches. Its smell interrupts the insect's hormones and prevents them from reproducing. Studies have proven that neem bait kills cockroaches. Neem bait prepared with neem seed extract kills young cockroaches and prevents egg laying in adult cockroaches.

Make a mixture of one tablespoon of cayenne pepper powder, one clove of garlic and one grated onion mixed in one liter of water. Leave for one hour. Add one tablespoon of liquid soap to this mixture and apply it to all areas in your home where cockroaches frequent. The smell of the mixture will make the cockroaches run away.

If you are wondering: are cockroaches afraid of bleach and bleach, then the answer is yes. A mixture of pine essential oil and bleach has a very strong odor that will help you drive cockroaches out of their hiding places. Keep room windows open as this mixture has a very strong odor. Clean up the area after 20-30 minutes.

A mixture of mouthwash and water can also help you get rid of cockroaches. Essential oils such as menthol, thymol and eucalyptus are effective in repelling cockroaches and also keep your home smelling fresh.

What are the disadvantages of non-professional products?

There are a large number of folk methods of fighting cockroaches. Some of them are useless, and some, for example, freezing, are not always possible to apply. There are also effective ways to help get rid of pests.

But, despite the availability and “naturalness”, non-professional products have a number of disadvantages:

Using substances with a scent that repels cockroaches will not help get rid of them. This measure is good only when it is necessary to scare away “guests” who have wandered in, for example, from neighbors. If the apartment already has a colony of pests, the method is suitable only as an auxiliary option.
Remedies prepared according to folk recipes act slowly. If you need quick results, it is not recommended to rely on them.
Homemade traps and sticky tapes will have to be constantly updated; in addition, their use will only reduce the number of parasites, but will not get rid of them.
Cockroaches quickly develop “immunity” to poison baits made using traditional methods, so you will have to constantly change them to achieve results.
Some unprofessional substances, such as borax or boric acid, are unsafe for the health of apartment residents, especially children and pets. If accidentally ingested, they can cause severe poisoning or even death.

Traps

Traps are the first popular method among the population of independently exterminating annoying and vile Prussians. To make them you will need a jar or cardboard. How to make a jar trap?

Prepare several small 0.5 liter jars.
Wipe the walls of the container with vegetable oil, pour a little beer into the bottom. Beer can be replaced with mayonnaise, honey, sugar and vanilla.
Place jars in the kitchen, bathroom, toilet, rooms - several in each room.

At night, the smell of food will attract cockroaches. They will easily get inside the jar, but the vegetable oil will make it very difficult for them to get out. Every morning you should check the jars for insects. After cleaning the trap, add bait if necessary, and by evening put it back in its original place.

The second trap option is sticky cardboard. Paper can be taken from old packaging of tea, sweets, and cereals. How to make a cardboard trap?

Cut out squares of paper with a side of 10-15 cm.
Cover the perimeter of each square with double-sided tape.
Place the bait in the center of the square. Minced meat, mayonnaise, honey, sugar and vanilla are suitable as bait.
Place traps in the kitchen, bathroom, toilet, rooms - several in each room.

On the way to the food, the cockroach will stick to the tape. But if there are a lot of insects, then some will simply walk over the stuck individuals. To destroy them, you can mix boric acid into the bait. In the morning, traps with insects should be removed, and in the evening, replace them with new cardboard boxes with bait.

Why you should give preference to the Hawk repeller

The Hawk electronic device is devoid of all the disadvantages that are inherent in non-professional devices. It not only effectively fights cockroaches, but also prevents their appearance.

The Yastreb MT repeller does not harm either the inhabitants of the apartment or the environment.

It is easy to use, affordable and does not require additional measures to combat parasites.

The electromagnetic repeller "Yastreb MT" is designed to protect premises from cockroaches.

Advantages of traditional methods

For many centuries, people have been fighting cockroaches. Chemicals and folk remedies are used. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages.

Not everyone agrees to use toxic chemicals at home, choosing folk remedies that are harmless to humans.

Advantages of traditional methods of getting rid of domestic insects:

can be used if the family has small children;
the recipes are easy to make and use, and inexpensive;
traditional methods do not harm people who suffer from allergies;
Use is allowed if there are pets in the room;
does not affect the health of people with chronic diseases, weakened immune systems, and the elderly.

Making poison according to folk recipes with your own hands guarantees quality, which cannot be said about chemicals purchased in stores.

Thanks to such advantages, more and more people are using the advice of folk wisdom when starting to fight cockroaches.

Preparing to apply measures

In order for independent measures to exterminate cockroaches to give the desired result, you need to prepare housing before carrying out them.

Not all folk remedies are as harmless as they might seem. Some of them can cause allergies and even poisoning.

Therefore, if you plan to poison cockroaches with drugs dangerous to human health and pets, then it is better to temporarily transport children and animals to another place during the period of work to exterminate pests.

Other preparation measures are considered mandatory regardless of the chosen method:

Check water pipes and taps for leaks and remove defects to deprive cockroaches of a source of water.
Remove personal hygiene items from the bathroom and keep sinks and the bathtub dry at all times.
Conduct a general cleaning of kitchen cabinets, removing all contents, including dishes. Wipe the inside with vinegar.
Move the lower cabinets, gas stove, and refrigerator away from the walls in the kitchen. Check to see if there are any traces of cockroaches or nests on their back walls.
If the apartment has plastic skirting boards, they must be removed and washed. Wash wooden elements from dust and dirt.
Check the wallpaper that has fallen off the walls for nests, treat the walls underneath with “Whiteness” and glue it on. In cases where repairs are planned soon, it is better to simply tear them off.
Sweep and thoroughly clean floors.

When starting the fight against parasites, you should clean the room.

Boric acid

If you decide to fight cockroaches yourself, then you cannot do without boric acid. In stores it is sold in 10 gram bags. This will be enough to kill 3,000 adults and nymphs.

Sodium salt of boric acid is harmless to humans and pets. But you should still protect the cat and dog from the bait. But for cockroaches this substance is a nerve poison. If boric acid enters the body of an insect, its insides decompose, itching begins, the nervous system is damaged and paralysis gradually occurs. The effect of the drug does not appear immediately; the cockroach has time to return to the nest. By touching other individuals with its paws and whiskers, it poisons even more parasites. Boric acid itself is not attractive to red-haired Prussians. For bait, you can use the following methods of making bait:

Mix a bag of boric acid and half a glass of water in which sugar or honey is dissolved. Pour the resulting solution onto the lids of the jars and place them in the sink in the kitchen and bathroom. When cockroaches get hungry or thirsty, they will crawl to the poisoned syrup.
Prepare a mixture of egg yolk, boiled potatoes, vegetable oil and two bags of boric acid. Make balls up to 2 cm in diameter. Place them on cardboard in places where cockroaches are most likely to appear. It is recommended to use different products every week to make bait. This can be minced meat, regular dough with sugar or honey, fruit puree, porridge with butter, pieces of bread.
Prepare a powder from flour, boric acid salt and sugar. Sprinkle it on cardboard and place it in places where cockroaches are most likely to appear. It is additionally recommended to use the powder to treat cracks and holes in the floor and the space under the baseboard.
Pour boiling water over flour (20 g) and prepare a paste. When it cools down, add 20 grams of boric acid. Mix all the ingredients well, apply the resulting composition to the kitchen baseboards, cover the cracks and holes.
Sprinkle chamomile powder - pyrethrum - in the corners of the kitchen, bathroom and other rooms. It is dangerous to cockroaches, but not toxic to humans.

If you decide to destroy the Prussians yourself, immediately prepare yourself for a long struggle. Traps and bait will need to be changed every day at first, then depending on the number of cockroaches caught. Mass death of insects usually occurs within 2-3 weeks. For maximum effect, you can use different types of bait. For example, place cardboard with double-sided tape in the corners of the room, treat the cracks and baseboard with powder or paste.

Popular household products

There are many methods that are considered popular and allow you to get cockroaches out of your apartment. But, firstly, not all of them work, and secondly, each of them cannot be called universal, suitable for any owner of an apartment infested with cockroaches. Therefore, you need to select an effective option for your case or even combine several methods to achieve the best effect.

Freezing the premises in winter

An old method that people have been using for decades. The principle of its operation is to lower the temperature in the apartment to -5 ° C and below.

To get rid of pests, in winter they open all the windows in the apartment and keep them in this state until all the rooms have cooled down to the specified parameters.

Cockroaches cannot tolerate the cold, so they begin to die.

Freezing a room, despite its “naturalness” and low cost, has many disadvantages:

Suitable only for those regions where winter is cold and the outside temperature is low.
Freezing can lead to damage to the heating system, so you must first protect all radiators, heating and water supply pipes, which is not so easy to do.
If there is at least one warm place left in the apartment, cockroaches will run there and appear again after a certain period of time.
Sudden temperature fluctuations can adversely affect the condition of furniture and doors.

Freezing the apartment is a guarantee that cockroaches will leave the room.
Therefore, complete freezing of a living space is impractical and not always possible. But the method is suitable as a comprehensive measure in pest control if the process of getting rid of them occurs in winter. In this case, all bags, suitcases, boxes in the house, i.e., all suspicious objects in the corners or pockets of which parasites may be hiding, should be placed on the balcony.

Essential oils with a strong odor

Cockroaches go to sources of food and water along the once found path, which they mark with their own pheromones. The pungent odor takes away their sense of smell.

Parasites become disoriented in space and are forced to look for other places to feed and quench their thirst.

Cockroaches cannot tolerate the smell of essential oil:

eucalyptus;
geraniums;
lemongrass;
lemon balm;
cedar;
mint.

There are several options for treating rooms using essential oils:

Add 15 drops of the selected oil to 1 liter of warm water, then wipe the baseboards, floor, areas under the sink, and near the trash can with the solution. Cleaning should be done every 3 days.
Dissolve 10 drops of oil and 2 tbsp in 0.5 liters of warm water. l. vinegar, pour the composition into a bottle with a sprayer and spray it daily in secluded places in all rooms, including in the toilet and bathroom.
Use a cotton pad soaked in essential oil to treat the trash can, ventilation grilles, drains under the sink and in the bathroom (if accessible).
Place oil-soaked cotton balls in all corners, on the top drawers of the kitchen, behind the gas stove, and behind the refrigerator.

When choosing essential oil as a means to fight insects, you must remember that it does not kill them, but only repels them. In addition, the substance can cause allergies in humans, so before using it, you need to make sure that none of the inhabitants of the apartment are hypersensitive to it.

Cockroaches really don't like the smell of essential oils.

Washing floors with water and ammonia

Ammonia acts on cockroaches in the same way as essential oil - disrupting their sense of smell and disorienting them in space.

Unlike aromatic oils, ammonia quickly dissipates, so its smell is not felt in the apartment.

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

Dissolve 1 tsp in 1 liter of warm water. ammonia.
Use a rag soaked in the mixture to treat the baseboards, the area under the sink and near the trash can, and thoroughly wash the floor.
Close the door to the room and do not enter it for 30-60 minutes.
Carry out wet cleaning daily for several weeks.

Ammonia is also a repellent and does not help get rid of cockroaches forever. But it can be used in combination with other folk methods.

Cockroaches cannot tolerate the smell of ammonia.

Scented indoor plants

Another method from the category of repellents. Cockroaches cannot tolerate the smell of some plants, so growing them in pots at home can be one of the options for combating parasites.

Smelling indoor pest repellents include:

Orange or lemon tree. Their pungent odor affects insects no worse than aromatic oil.
Thuja. The esters contained in its leaves and bark will help get rid of parasites.
Cypress. It is also able to repel insects with its aroma.
Tomatoes. If you don’t want to care for your house plants, you can plant tomatoes in pots or boxes. The odor they emit also effectively fights pests.

Copes well with cockroaches and oleander. But since this is a poisonous plant, it is recommended to grow it for those who do not have small children or pets.

Borax instead of boric acid

Borax is suitable for killing pests that crawl around the room in search of food. It is a poison with a nerve-paralytic effect. Cockroaches eat it with pleasure, so it is easy to use it as a poison. We must first identify the “paths” along which pests crawl out to hunt, or the location of their shelters. Then scatter borax there in the form of thin paths.

Borax is an effective remedy in the fight against parasites.

At the same time, you can leave borax powder in places where parasites are most likely to appear: near the trash can, behind kitchen cabinets, stove, refrigerator. To improve the taste of the product, you can add a small amount of powdered sugar.

In this case, two points must be taken into account:

The toxic effect of borax is neutralized by water. Therefore, the main condition is to block access to it and remove all possible sources from the premises.
The poison acts directly on the individual into whose body it has entered. It is impossible to get rid of the remaining inhabitants of the nest, unless they have tried borax. Therefore, this method is suitable for cleaning premises from a small group of cockroaches. It can be used in combination with other methods and as a prophylactic agent.

Ammonia containers

To combat cockroaches, you can also use open containers with ammonia. To do this, you need to take wide but shallow containers, pour ammonia into the bottom and place them around the entire perimeter of the living space. After this, you need to leave the apartment for 2-3 hours.

Hot air treatment

Cockroaches are afraid of high temperatures. Hot steam destroys them instantly. To use this method, you must have a steam cleaner, which is often used to clean surfaces from grease and stubborn dirt.

Hot steam treatment not only destroys the entire population, but also prevents re-infection of the apartment.

The unit has several attachments, thanks to which you can treat even the most inaccessible places:

gaps between the wall and baseboards;
gaps in tiles;
back walls of furniture;
places under the bathtub and sinks;
air ducts

Hot steam treatment is an effective method that allows you to quickly get rid of adult individuals. After 10 days, it is recommended to repeat the procedure in order to destroy the young animals that have grown during this time.

After each exposure, dead cockroaches should be swept up and the floors treated with a disinfectant.

Poison from food with the addition of boric acid

Edible baits with boric acid also help get rid of cockroaches. They are effective even in cases where there is a whole colony of pests in the apartment.

There are many bait recipes, the most common of which are:

With yolk. To prepare the poison, you need to take boiled yolk and 40 g of boric acid. Mix the ingredients together, make small cakes and place them in places where parasites accumulate.
Dough made from flour. Take sugar, flour and acid in equal quantities, mix, add water to form a stiff dough. Next, proceed similarly to the option with yolks.
Starch dough. Mix 200 g of boric acid with 65 g of starch and 70 g of powdered sugar. Add 25 g of vanillin and water, knead into a tight dough.

Boron balls with eggs are an effective means of killing cockroaches.
When using such a poison, we must remember that acid, like borax, is neutralized by water. Therefore, access to sources of liquid should be excluded. But at the same time, you can make special drinking bowls for parasites - place small containers with an aqueous solution of boric acid in the sink itself and under it, next to the garbage bin, in the corners of the room.

Cockroaches will quench their thirst with the poisoned liquid, which will speed up the process of their destruction.

Lures made of plaster or cement

Gypsum, cement or alabaster powder is mixed with flavoring additives - vanillin, powdered sugar - and scattered in the corners and along the walls, near the baseboards. After a pest eats such bait, it will become soggy in its intestines and harden, which will kill the individual.

Surface treatment with vinegar

It belongs to the category of deterrents.

There are several processing options:

Use a rag soaked in pure vinegar to wipe all surfaces in the kitchen, toilet and bathroom.
A solution of 200 ml water and 1 tbsp. l. Spray the areas where cockroaches gather with vinegar.
Wash the floors with a mixture of 1 liter of water and 1 tbsp. l. vinegar.

Carry out the treatment 3 times a week until the cockroaches leave the apartment.

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

Sticky traps near sinks and food storage areas

The principle of operation of such traps is the same: the bottom of the box or just a sheet of cardboard is covered with double-sided tape, food bait is placed in the corners and in the middle - egg yolk, pieces of dough with vanilla, etc., after which the traps are placed next to sinks, near the trash can and food storage areas . Pests will follow the smell of food and stick to the tape. Traps are updated as needed.

Using bleach

Cockroaches cannot tolerate the smell of bleach. It must be used in combination: first wash the floors with a 2% solution, and then scatter the dry substance in places where parasites accumulate.

Dry herbs

A repellent, for the production of which dried leaves of mint, wormwood, tansy, wild rosemary, and bay leaves are suitable. One type of grass or a combination (any one, if desired) is crushed and the mixture is sprinkled on the places where cockroaches hide. Canvas bags with herbs can be placed in corners on the floor or in kitchen cabinets.

Other homemade traps

The simplest option is a trap made from a glass jar. The top of the vessel is coated with vanilla, and beer or honey is poured inside. Cockroaches crawl for a treat, but have no way to get back out.

You can make a cockroach trap from a glass jar with your own hands.

Using the same principle, a trap is made from a plastic bottle. You can also put the bait at your discretion; it doesn’t have to be honey or beer.

Pyrethrum powder

Made from chamomile, it is considered a good natural substitute for borax and boric acid, as it also has a paralytic effect. It can be used in the same way: either scattered dry, or used as part of baits.

Branches of living plants in problem areas

The repellent smell of some plants can be used to get rid of a small number of pests. Flowers or herbs do not have to be grown in pots; you can simply place them in corners or suspected locations of parasites. Branches of geranium, wormwood, honeysuckle, and elderberry are best suited for such purposes.

A mixture of kerosene and turpentine

The method is considered effective, but an extreme option, since the smell of these substances has a negative effect on humans, especially on people with hypertension and heart disease. Therefore, before killing cockroaches, you need to prepare to move out of your apartment for several days or even a week.

When all its inhabitants move out, you need to coat all corners, baseboards, problem areas under the sink, in the bathroom and toilet with a mixture of turpentine and kerosene, taken in equal parts. After a few days, the treatment should be repeated, and before the residents return, a general cleaning should be done.

To get rid of cockroaches, you should treat the room with a mixture of kerosene and turpentine.

Exposure of cockroaches to pungent odor

Strong odors can repel red insects, but not kill them. This folk remedy is more suitable for organizing a protective barrier that will reduce the likelihood of cockroaches reappearing in the house. Prussians can be repelled with essential oils of lemon balm, eucalyptus tree, various conifers, lemon, and lemongrass. They can be mixed with warm water and sprayed onto the surfaces of the house using a spray bottle. An alternative is to use an automatic sprayer for application.

You can prepare bags of dried plants and place them in different places in the room. Particular attention should be paid to the space under the sink, bathtub and other places where cockroaches most often hide.

Why you shouldn’t use all your resources at once

Since it is unlikely to be possible to get rid of cockroaches using only one method, it is necessary to use an integrated approach when fighting pests. At the same time, it is also impractical to use all the means at once. First of all, when choosing the most effective option, you need to rely on the degree of contamination of the room. There is no point in putting the same geraniums in the corners when there are already a lot of cockroaches in the apartment. As well as treating a room with kerosene in which pests have just appeared.

It is necessary to correctly combine methods with each other. It is illogical to simultaneously use repellents and baits filled with poison. And enhancing the effect of the latter with homemade traps would be the right move.

Prevention of re-infection of the premises

When the house is cleared of pests, you should not stop at the achieved result. If insects persist in neighboring apartments, they can enter the cleaned room. Boric acid will help in carrying out preventive measures against the return of Prussians. The following conditions must be observed:

make and place insect bait in far corners;
maintain order in your home.

It is necessary to study the instructions for use of the drug indicated on the packaging. A large number of baits that affect insects are prepared from the powder. When there are a lot of cockroaches in a room, you should resort to store-bought preparations, and then use boron powder to prevent re-infestation of the room with insects.

What do you lean towards?

Prepare your own cockroach poison and distribute it

56.39%

Buy the finished product and apply according to the instructions

29.32%

Call the health service

14.29%

Voted: 133

A few more tips

Despite the fact that many folk remedies for fighting cockroaches do not belong to the category of aggressive chemicals, when using them, you must be careful: work with gloves, protect your respiratory system with a mask or respirator.

When using poisonous baits, it is advisable to remove children and pets from the home.

Concentrations of toxic agents in non-residential premises

Utility rooms in the apartment or those in which residents will not be present for a long time can be treated with more concentrated solutions of pest control agents. You can safely sprinkle bleach in them and treat surfaces with a 10% rather than a 2% solution.

The same applies to ammonia. You can add more than 1 tsp to 1 liter of water. ammonia, and 200 ml. The effect of the product is enhanced by the additional addition of 200 ml of vinegar.

Syringe for hard to reach places

To treat small crevices and inaccessible places, you can use a medical syringe of 50 ml or more, without a needle.

Pyrethrum

We all know what pyrethrum is.
This is a wonderful flower of the Asteraceae family. But few people know that poison for cockroaches is made from this flower. Pyrethrum flower is ground into powder, which is sold in stores. Pyrethrum can be used for more than just killing cockroaches. It is also effective against:

helminths;
ticks;
bedbugs

Benefits of Pyrethrum:

non-toxic;
versatility (can be used to kill other pests);
environmental friendliness (the powder is made from natural raw materials);
the active ingredient of the powder is practically non-addictive in cockroaches;
good value.

Flaws:

exclusivity (the powder can only be purchased in specialized stores);
valid for a limited time;
low efficiency.

How does this powder work? The components of the powder block the transmission of impulses in pests. Therefore, after a few seconds the cockroach dies.

Therefore, our compatriots often use ordinary pharmaceutical chamomile instead of pyrethrum. Naturally, chamomile extract is less effective.

You can also make the powder yourself:

collect flowers;
dry (preferably in the attic);
grind into powder (you can use a blender or coffee grinder for this);
You need to add a little soap before use.

Using pyrethrum is very simple:

First you need to purchase a household spray bottle or spray bottle from the store.
Prepare a solution (add a little water to the powder).
Next you need to refill the sprayer.
Treat the room.

The components of pyrethrum powder block the transmission of impulses in pests

How to prevent a second wave

To prevent cockroaches from returning, appropriate preventive measures must be taken:

Cover the ventilation shafts with fine mesh grilles.
Seal all cracks in the floor.
Monitor the serviceability of plumbing fixtures and repair leaks in a timely manner.
Avoid dampness.
Eat food in one place.
Do not leave leftover food on the table.
Always wash dishes and do not store plates and cutlery in the sink.
Store baked goods in plastic bags.
Make sure that there are no spilled sugar, cookie crumbs, etc. in the kitchen furniture drawers.
Ventilate the premises and keep them clean.
Carry out wet cleaning in the apartment more often; once a week, for preventive purposes, use a 1% vinegar solution to treat kitchen surfaces and floors.
If possible, get house plants whose smell cockroaches do not like.

Houseplants with a strong scent will help get rid of harmful insects.
As an alternative to the last resort, you can purchase a special repeller that will prevent pests from returning back to the apartment.

Using the Hawk MT repeller

Yastreb MT devices cannot kill cockroaches; their action is based on the propagation of electromagnetic waves, which, propagating through electrical wiring, even penetrate the walls along which it is laid. They cause discomfort in insects and force pests to leave the apartment or house.

The device operates from an electrical network and is capable of protecting premises up to 150 square meters from pest attacks. m. One of the undeniable advantages of the device is the presence of 3 modes. The changing frequency of the waves does not allow cockroaches to get used to the action of the device, thanks to which the Hawk MT repeller reliably protects the home from invasion of parasites.

Discussion is closed.

Are traditional recipes effective?

Let us summarize all the above methods. Each of them is effective in its own way, but it is worth dividing the folk methods of removing cockroaches into two groups. Those that work only for a certain time and only repel pests and methods that completely get rid of cockroaches. It is recommended to use two groups at the same time to get the desired result faster.

Perhaps, as an example, we did not give any folk remedies for cockroaches that are too dangerous for humans, and therefore you don’t have to worry about your health.

However, do not forget about basic safety precautions when working near conductive communications or explosive objects.

Do not forget to wear gloves and a protective suit so that the poison does not end up on you and your hands. After performing the procedures, wash your hands thoroughly!

DIY traps and baits

You can get rid of uninvited guests in a modern way - with traps. There are various traps available in stores.

Main types:

adhesive;
electrical;
ultrasonic;
poisonous.

There are different glue traps in stores. But they all have the same operating principle. A special adhesive tape holds the insect on the surface. The tape attracts the attention of insects with a pleasant smell.

Advantages of the trap:

absolutely safe;
easy to use;
does not contain any toxic substances;
can be purchased at any hardware store.

Where to set the trap:

ventilation holes;
near large household appliances (refrigerator, washing machine);
under the sink.

Now let's look at electrical traps. They are very popular. Because they work automatically.

Principle of operation:

the bait emits a smell that attracts pests;
hitting the electric bait, the cockroach is destroyed using an electric discharge.

Advantages of an electric trap:

durability (the device can work for many years);
practicality (does not require maintenance);
The device is non-toxic.

Ultrasonic baits emit ultrasonic waves to repel pests. The device affects the nervous system of insects and causes a feeling of anxiety.

Poison traps are also popular. There is bait inside the poison trap. The bait has a specific smell. The main advantage of poisonous baits is their affordable price.

Reviews of folk remedies

Marina, review of ammonia: I don’t want to use household chemicals that are sold in stores. Still, I think that it is harmful to humans. That's why I prefer all kinds of folk remedies. I have been using ammonia for many years. I use it to clean the floor. This is a product that has been proven over the years!

Gennady, review of freezing: Cockroaches lived in my apartment for several months. I read all the forums on the Internet. I found an effective and safe method - freezing. I decided to check it out. To do this, I wrapped all the metal pipes with foam rubber and rags. Then he opened the doors and windows. I had to leave the premises for a day. The result exceeded all expectations. All the cockroaches are gone.

Advantages and disadvantages

The use of boric acid-based products has both positive and negative sides. The benefits include:

availability of components;
variety of basics;
high efficiency;
absence of harmful fumes and odors;
the lethal effect is combined with a sterilizing effect in both males and females.

There are also disadvantages to using boric acid:

insect eggs are not destroyed;
it takes time to prepare baits;
It takes about 30 days to achieve the effect.