In the bathroom and garage, using strong-smelling disinfectants like vinegar or bleach can help keep these pests at bay. One of the most powerful options for repelling cockroaches through scent is essential oils, such as eucalyptus or tea tree oil.
Most familiar to householders are boric acid and diatomaceous earth. For controlling cockroaches, boric acid tends to be more effective.
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 have a strong sense of smell. Using natural scents works best to deter roaches. Plants such as eucalyptus, lavender, and mint are smells roaches hate.
The best way to keep cockroaches away permanently is to make the home less inviting. Make sure to keep the home clean, clean up food messes, take out trash at the end of the day, seal any cracks or gaps around windows, doors and the foundation, and fix any issue that might lead to high moisture content within the home.
Pine-Sol and Fabuloso are strong, all-purpose household cleaners. Similar to bleach, these products kill roaches on contact. Some homeowners suggest spraying Pine-Sol around the outside of your house to keep cockroaches away.
Home remedies like diatomaceous earth, baking soda, boric acid, citrus, essential oils, and borax can be effective ways to get rid of roaches. If you want to take a more aggressive approach to eliminate roaches, glue traps, bait stations, and liquid roach deterrent concentrates are all excellent options.
Lemon. The idea behind this DIY roach control option is to clean your home using a solution of water and lemon juice, as cockroaches cannot stand the scent of lemon.
Windex is toxic to most pests, especially spiders. Spraying window cleaner directly onto small insects like ants or mosquitoes will kill them within a few moments. For cockroaches, window cleaner can make them temporarily unconscious so that you can squash them.
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.
Bleach can be a useful tool for keeping roaches from visiting in the future. It is an effective and common cleaning agent in many homes, and the pungent aroma of the chlorine it contains is familiar to just about anyone. Turns out, roaches can't stand the overwhelming smell, either!
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.
advion Cockroach Gel Bait
This industrial-grade roach-eliminating set from advion is our top pick for the best roach killer currently available on the market. Made in the USA, the formula in this insecticide can efficiently tackle residential or commercial areas with a high infestation problem.
In that scenario, you can buy what are called desiccant dusts—like diatomaceous earth, a non-toxic substance you can find on Amazon—and that will dehydrate the eggs, thereby killing them.
Natural Remedy: Soap and Water
Similar to the fabric softener approach, a natural remedy for killing cockroaches is a mixture of water and soap, dispensed from a spray bottle. If you see cockroaches in the open, the spray can kill the pests on sight.
Bleach When you think about What Kills Cockroaches Instantly, then bleach is definitely the answer.
Sprinkle the diatomaceous earth around areas where roaches travel and frequent. The sharp particles of diatomaceous earth damage the waxy, protective exoskeleton of the roach, causing it to dehydrate and die, typically within 48 hours of contact.
Lemon and lemongrass essential oils specifically will drive any cockroach away due to their strong scent of limonene, which smells like nothing else on earth! Add a couple of drops of citrus or peppermint essential oil to a few cotton balls, and lay them around where the roaches in your home congregate.
Some factors that can attract cockroaches to clean houses include: Moisture. Leaking sinks and appliances create conditions in which roaches thrive, since they offer a readily available source of water as well as the warm, sheltered spaces that provide the ideal harborage for cockroach nests. Untidy landscaping.
However, this is a process that can take several weeks. There are different factors that affect how long it takes cockroaches to die after treatment. The species of roach involved makes a difference. For example, it can take up to five weeks to completely rid your property of German cockroaches following treatment.
To help keep these trouble areas roach free, spray them weekly for basic prevention and every 3-4 days if you're currently experiencing a heavy roach problem. If after two weeks, you're not seeing the results you want, simply adjust to a more frequent spraying schedule. Don't forget to spray and seal entry points.
You will have to reapply pretty frequently so the fragrance doesn't wear off. Since cockroaches are nocturnal, your best bet is to reapply each night before you go to bed. That way, when the roaches are most active, your peppermint oil repellent is at its strongest.
A concoction of baking soda and sugar is an effective cockroach killer and controls the multiplication of these pests. Sugar acts as a bait to attract cockroaches and the baking soda kills them. You just need to identify their hideouts and sprinkle this mixture in those corners.
If your home smells like mildew, but you don't find any leaks or mold, it may be a good idea to check for termites. Cockroaches have a telltale smell that's uniquely oily and musty. Unless you've encountered an infestation before, odds are you won't recognize this odor until it's too late.