Besides being able to transmit diseases, the presence of cockroaches can cause allergic reactions (sneezing, watery eyes, nasal congestion, headaches, etc.) that are found even more frequently in people with asthma.
Most of the time, roaches will not disturb you while you're sleeping. Humans are dangerous to cockroaches because, of course, most people will kill them if they get the chance, so roaches usually don't like to get close to us. But, they can and sometimes will bother sleeping people.
Cockroaches Cause Rashes
If a cockroach crawls on you at night, you could wake up with a rash on your skin. This is due to an allergic reaction. These rashes aren't dangerous but they can be unsightly, particularly if they appear on your face and neck.
To keep roaches out of your bedroom, you would take the same steps that you would to keep them out of other parts of your home, including: Keep your sleeping quarters free of food and moisture. Reduce clutter. Regularly empty your trash.
Boric acid is a powerful natural home remedy for getting rid of roaches overnight. Mix equal amounts of boric acid, flour, and sugar until it becomes a dough-like consistency. Place small pieces where the roaches can feed on them.
Citronella
Citronella not only works great for repelling mosquitos but also cockroaches. While the candles don't work well against roaches, you can use citronella oil as a deterrent. You can mix it with water and use it as a spray or simply wipe down areas with the diluted mixture.
Cockroaches do not avoid light because it harms them. In fact, it's only because they are unable to hide or evade predators when they are in open sight. For this reason, they will not dare to venture out when the light has been turned on in your home.
Vinegar is a natural household ingredient that can repel and kill cockroaches. Fill a spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and water, and then spray it directly onto the roaches when spotted. The strong odour and acidity of vinegar can be effective in eliminating them instantly.
These cockroaches prefer areas where they can snack on garbage and other decaying organic matter. Crawling around garbage means they carry all of this bacteria (e. coli and salmonella) around with them where they travel. They transmit these diseases and pathogens onto food and clean surfaces around your home.
Generally speaking, cockroaches can invade our homes at any time of the year, with the warmer months being their chief breeding season. According to entomologist Graeme Smith, “cockroaches are much less active when the weather gets cool, but,” he adds, “they don't necessarily die out.
Signs of cockroaches in your home include dead bodies; eggs or eggshells (which are small, brown and oval-shaped); droppings (which are dark and powdery like ground coffee); and a strong, musty odor that doesn't go away. The best method of roach control is to be proactive in preventing them.
It's a fact that cockroaches are afraid of humans and other mammals or animals that are bigger than them. They see us as predators and that fear triggers their instinct to scatter away. However, they dislike strong and distinctive scents such as citrus, peppermint, lavender and vinegar.
Symptoms of cockroach allergy can include: Nasal congestion. Ear infection. Sinus infection.
Roaches are most active at night, during which time they forage for food and mate. Outdoor cockroaches in the northern United States enter a period of hibernation in winter, experiencing a suspended state of development in autumn. When spring arrives, they resume their activity.
The results of the investigation on what color will repel the greatest number of cockroaches, indicate that red light repels a greater number of roaches than the other five colored lights and the control group of no light. Green light deterred the second most roaches followed by white, yellow, and blue.
Each species of cockroach has their own estimated lifespan but on average, cockroaches live for about one year. Factors such as food supply, habitat and climate affect lifespan. American cockroaches can live for about one year while German cockroaches are estimated to live for about 100 days.
All About Vinegar
Unfortunately, it doesn't actually kill these problem insects. It's more of a cleaning tool than anything else, and it won't actually help eliminate your roach problem. It can, however, help deter roaches and get rid of germs in the kitchen when used as a cleaning agent.
Distilled vinegar does not kill or repel roaches, making it completely ineffective. Distilled vinegar will help keep your kitchen clean, giving cockroaches less to snack on. However, roaches can live for months at a time without any food at all, and they will eat almost anything to survive.
Eucalyptus essential oil has a fresh fragrance that, surprisingly, seems to confuse or alarm cockroaches. This stuff is strong and you'll only need to mix a few drops with water and spray it around the cockroaches' hotspots to repel them. Research has also shown that eucalyptus essential oil is toxic to roaches.
Boric acid: Used correctly, boric acid is one of the most effective roach killers. It's odorless, has low toxicity to pets, and since it isn't repellent to roaches, they will not seek to avoid it, crawling through it repeatedly until it kills them.
Spray cypress and peppermint oils under and around your bed.
These essential oils tend to naturally repel roaches. Mix 8 drops of cypress oil, 10 drops of peppermint oil, and 1 cup (240 ml) of water in a spray bottle and then spray this mixture wherever you've seen roaches.
If you spot one of these pesky insects, it's best to call your local Terminix technician right away to get rid of the cockroaches. There are, however, some steps you can take to prevent a cockroach infestation.