Organic Cockroach Control

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

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

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.