Summary: When it comes to cockroach control most people will scream “No mercy!” The problem is that some roach pesticides will poison you too! Here are a few non-toxic solutions to get rid of cockroaches.
Cockroaches are small, fast, and adaptable. They learn quickly what foods they can and cannot eat making them resistant to many kinds of pesticide treatments. By far the best way to get rid of roaches is to clean up food spills and fix leaky water pipes or other sources of moisture accumulation. If that doesn't solve the problem here are a few ideas that might.
Diatomaceous earth is a type of sharp edged, brittle soil that irritates the waxy exoskeleton skin of cockroaches. As the tiny particles cut up the outer shell, the cockroach gets dehydrated and eventually dies. Sprinkling some of this on top of cabinetry or behind appliances will help curb the roaches' enthusiasm for your home.
Catnip
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Roaches hate catnip because it has a natural chemical repellent. Make a catnip tea by simmering some catnip in hot water and then spray it where you see roaches. This can be very effective in deterring the little buggers. You might want to try something else if you have cats though because it will drive them more bonkers than it will the roaches.
Keep a spray bottle handy filled with soapy water and spray a roach every time you see one. This is a roach killer, as well. You can even make a game of it based on the number and size of roaches you get. Big American cockroaches are worth ten points; Oriental cockroaches are worth five, and so on.
If you just want to keep the roaches away, but are not too excited about picking up dead, crusty cockroaches then sprinkle dried bay leaves, cucumber slices, or garlic power in corners or behind baseboards. Roaches like rotting food, so these gourmet spices don't appeal to them and might actually send them packing.
Hedge apples are the large sticky, neon green fruit from the Osage orange tree and they are natural roach repellents. Leaving one or two in a room for a
Hedge apples
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couple weeks will repel cockroaches, ants and spiders. They do get moldy and sticky so when the green color has faded to brown it is time to throw them out. The insects possibly drawn to old, moldy, sticky hedge apples is a whole other article.
Non-toxic, sticky cockroach traps placed near warm, dark places where the roaches are likely to travel also provides some level of control.
I hope these tips help you. Let me know how they work out.
Comments
liz duron
28 May 2009, 15:23
I live in an appartment an exterminator came an knoked at my door ask if he
could spray I said yes. Before I could get my children oout of the room he
began spaying. I am talking my children were litterally next to him. He
said he had organic spray. I read not to get on skin or in eyes but thats
all I know of organic pest control.
lizduron7494@yahoo.com
28 May 2009, 15:37
I live in an appartment. An exterminator knocked at my door asked if he
could spray I said yes. Before I could get my children out of the room he
began spraying. My children were literally next to him. He said he had
organic spray. I read not to get it on skin or in eyes but thats all I know
of organic pest contol. Is organic spray harmful to chilren Under 4yrs of
age?
Suzanne Kay
28 Jul 2009, 10:23
I live in Florida and have had my house chemically sprayed by a pest
control company for over 20 years. The only roaches I have ever seen over
the years are the large ones that somehow find a way in the house but this
is very seldom. I have decided to stop the chemical spray and would like
to know if I need to continue to spray or put down something organic on a
monthly basis for prevention even though I don't see any bugs? My lawn guy
is going to put something down around the outside of the house for me. I
realize now that I have been over kill all these years and putting toxic
chemicals in the house for no reason. I have a small grandson 3 years and
2 small dogs so I don't want anything that they could eat or pick up.
Thanks
Faith
12 Aug 2009, 14:30
I am waging war against roaches in my kitchen. I know exactly where they
are- in the top corner of two of my cabinets. I keep diatomaceous earth
covering the top shelf as well as the roof of the cabinet, and I put roach
traps out but it doesn't quite seem to be helping.
Last night I walked into the kitchen and flicked on the light- in the sink
I had somehow overlooked about a dime sized piece of food sitting in the
sink and it was COVERED with bugs, including bugs covered in diatomaceous
earth...
I will try the other suggestions and try to clean up better...
Thanks for this page. :)
Dave
20 Sep 2009, 12:04
I recently saw one coackroach (I think it was one) crawling across my
living room floor. My wife freaked a bit so I decided to buy about 12
coackroach traps and set them up all over the flat in places they would
most likely to be hiding. I went away for the whole weekend on a trip and
when I returned, nothing at all was in the traps. I live in a ground floor
flat and was wondering if it could have just crawled in from outside as
were are very clean and clutter free ???
Mary
17 Oct 2009, 02:58
Tonight my boyfriend and I had an epic battle with a very large cockroach
that was in our living room and ended up in the kitchen as we tried to kill
it. We found and unsealed spot in the baseboard while chasing this thing
down. Having just moved in we didn't have much under the sink to try and
fight him with, but a quick spray of easy off in the crevice brought him
back out, onto the wall, and back on the floor for squishing!
After looking at lots of photos and talking to some people in Texas, I
found out it was a tree roach, something I'd not heard of. Apparently they
are huge and sometimes randomly find themselves indoors where they'll then
search for your water.
I've read a lot of really great articles regarding the hedge apples (and
remember my mom using them when we were kids to keep bugs out) and
diatomaceous earth. As soon as these remedies get here I'll be trying them
out. I'm going to cut 2 of the hedge apples in half for our balcony area
since they're suppose to have a more potent effect when cut open, but they
lose their umf faster this way. Also going to pick up some extra bay
leaves tomorrow and start putting those out in the meantime.
tammy lee
19 Oct 2009, 10:52
can roaches carry mercer
valerie
23 Feb 2010, 03:39
my name is valerie and i've just had a roach raid in my kitchen so i bomd
the house at 336 im the morning while every one was sleep although i sealed
to doors off it was a smart idea any way where do i get the Hedge apples I
never heard of them I'm not a palnt or tree person but I think i want to
try some.
isa
08 May 2010, 11:09
Tammy do you mean MRSA?
This stands for Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is a staph
(Staphylococcus bacteria) that is resistant to the methicillin based
anbatibiotics. Anything that has staph on it may be a MRSA carrier, this
includes humans.
Lisa
16 May 2010, 12:29
I live in Ohio and have never had a roach in 53 years. I built a new house
7 years ago and have had an ant problem for a few years. I have just seen
three roaches in my house this week. I don't know much about what attracts
them other than food, where they hide and how they infest. I found a large
ant hill and was able to destroy it and haven't had the aunt problem since.
The roaches are creeping me out much more than the ants!
Ask the Exterminator
17 May 2010, 14:23
You need to identify the specific roach species in order to know where they
are coming from and how to control them. Collect one and take it to a local
pest control company for a free ID.
Tami
30 Aug 2010, 15:35
I decided to try the catnip as I have two cats and some extra catnip. It
works quite well. Thanks for the great tip!
TexasGirl
01 Sep 2010, 16:09
My boyfriend and I have lived in our house for a little less than a year.
We have seen ONE cockroach in our home in the whole year (apparently
they're common in NE Texas). Now, we have what i have identified as baby
cockroaches living in our bathtub. We're very clean people, and we spray
cleaner at them and wash them down when we see them. But the past week,
every morning there are 1 to 4 tiny (quarter-inch) roaches in there.
They aren't coming from the drain. I think because we have so many ants
outside, fireants and whatnot (again, Texas), they are eating those? I can
get those "hedge apples" (we call them "horse apples" down here), but what
other organic things can I do?
Thank you :)
Ask the Exterminator
01 Sep 2010, 16:12
Before doing anything you need to get the roach species identified. Knowing
the exact type of roach will tell you where they are breeding and that will
lead to their control.
chris
24 Jun 2011, 15:42
I thought diatomaceous earth is a lung irritant and should not be used in
busy places or commonly disturbed areas, or areas you can inhale them.
Ask the Exterminator
24 Jun 2011, 15:56
Right off the label, it says:
CONTROLS: Ants, Cockroaches, Earwigs, Fleas, Mites, Spiders and other
Crawling Insects. FOR USE IN AND AROUND: Businesses, Commercial Areas,
Food/Feed Handling Establishments, Homes and other residential areas,
institutional areas and schools.
Using a hand duster, apply lightly in dry areas where crawling insect pests
are found or may hide, including cracks and crevices, along baseboards,
around sinks, cabinets, refrigerators and stoves and in attics and
basements.
ChrisG
01 Jul 2011, 22:08
Not only does catnip not work but after spraying some strong catnip water I
witnessed cockroaches drinking from it. Bay leaves seem to have zero effect
as well. sigh...
Leanne Bourgeois
30 Aug 2011, 11:53
This is very interresting... I watch Billy the exterminator every week...
and he talks about Pyrethrin spray and bait all the time. I live in
central florida and a 2 year old 2dogs and a kitten. we see to get the
roaches and tiny sugar ant and even ghost spiders( my husband calls them)
Where can I find the diatomaceous earth and hedge apples?? or even the
pyrethrin bait and spray that would be safe for the baby and pets? please
help....
Ask the Exterminator
30 Aug 2011, 15:24
This link will take you to our diatomaceous earth product:
http://shop.asktheexterminator.com/motherearth-d-diatomaceous-earth-8-oz-21
4.html.
Hedge apples are the fruit of the Osage Orange tree. Find that tree and the
hedge apples will be laying on the ground under the tree.
Other products can be found on this website by clicking on "Pest Control
Products" link at the top of this page.
Claudia Kitchen
15 Oct 2011, 16:56
Nice post. It is interesting to read and it is very useful for the readers.
Anyway, thank you for the information. I really appreciated your blog. I
will check this out. Thank you and keep it up.
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Heather
23 Oct 2011, 21:04
My science fair project; "does catnip repel cockroaches better than DEET".
i cant seem to find a good long site on how/what/why catnip would repel
cockroaches better than DEET....HELP
Vern Fulop
02 Feb 2012, 07:26
BAKED HEDGE APPLES--Over ten years ago in Kansas, hedge trees grew near my
house. Someone told me that if I cut the apple in thin slices (be careful
they are hard) and spread them on Alum. foil and bake them in a low 250
degree oven for several hours, they turn dark brown and can then be used
for roach and spider repellent. And sure enough they do! I live in Florida
now where there are many roaches and in ten years, I have only seen ONE
roach in my house. It works: put them under the stove, refrigerator, back
of the closet etc. and you will see. To keep pets from getting to them,
just put in a netlike bag. IT WORKS!
