9 remedies to remove cockroaches. What's better: making it at home or using store-bought ones?

Each of us has encountered cockroaches at least once in our lives. Even inside a clean and well-kept house, these unpleasant insects can appear, having moved from neighbors through ventilation grilles and door cracks. They not only cause attacks of disgust with their appearance, but can also become a source of infections.

Over the past decades, many new, effective ways to destroy these insects have emerged.

To get rid of uninvited guests once and for all, you need to understand what cockroaches are afraid of, as well as how they get into the apartment.

Insects can be destroyed using both industrial methods and traditional methods that have been proven over the years. Let's take a closer look at the most popular of them.

Where do cockroaches come from?

If your apartment is constantly kept in perfect order and cleanliness, then indignation at the appearance of insects in such a home is quite understandable.

There are several options in this case:

• They come to you from your neighbors. If the residents of neighboring apartments are not particularly clean, the appearance of pests is quite understandable. Sooner or later they may begin to fight them, and then the insects will be forced to look for a new habitat, that is, they will run to you;
• They can enter a home in several ways - through open windows and vents, through cracks in the ceiling, between the partitions, between the floor and the wall, through a ventilation shaft, through sewer pipes;
• A cockroach can be brought to your house by guests or you yourself, for example, from work . Naturally unintentional. If you have pests in your workplace, be sure to shake out your bag and clothes before going home;
• The cockroach may arrive by mail. Shopping through online stores is very popular now. We buy food, clothing, and household appliances. You cannot know in what conditions the product was stored before entering your home. Perhaps an uninvited guest got into the box with the parcel;
• You can also bring a cockroach from the supermarket along with your purchases. Large stores are ideal habitats for these insects. Therefore, carefully inspect the goods before loading them into the package;

• If we are not talking about a private house, but an apartment building, then cockroaches are also found in the staircases. It is possible that he entered the apartment through the front door at the same time as you entered or left the house;
• In other cases, the appearance of insects may be associated with unsanitary conditions in the premises. With irregular cleaning, a mountain of dirty dishes in the sink, which is regularly left overnight, with the accumulation of a large number of empty, dirty containers for yoghurt, jam, with irregular removal of garbage, storing it for a long time in an open bag or storing filled bags in front door;
• With constant access to water and high humidity. Cockroaches can live without food for more than a month, but they absolutely need water. Therefore, if there is a constantly leaking faucet in the house, you regularly take a shower and leave wet drops on the floor and on the sides of the bathtub or shower, thereby creating favorable conditions for pests;

• If the meal is not tied to the same place. It’s very bad if you or your family are used to carrying food around the apartment and eating in front of the TV or computer. The crumbs will be spread throughout the house, which will undoubtedly please the cockroaches.

Cleanliness in the apartment

To prevent invasion by Prussians, always keep your apartment clean.

• Do not leave food or drinks out in the open overnight.
• Place food in containers or wrap it in plastic.
• Always wash washed dishes, wipe the sink dry, and close the taps tightly.
• Avoid leaks in the water supply system.
• Always clean the stove and walls of dirt and grease.
• Do not leave food in the microwave or oven.

If you notice at least one cockroach, start any method of control with general cleaning.

How to understand that cockroaches have appeared?

Usually, red or black cockroaches appear in apartments or houses. The red ones are smaller in size and elongated in shape, the black ones are larger, with an almost round body.

Many people note that it is much easier to breed black individuals, since they do not lay eggs as often.

Cockroaches are nocturnal inhabitants, so they cannot always be seen during daylight hours. The main signs that your home is infested are:

• Small black dots. If you notice these marks on the baseboards, kitchen countertops or cabinets, it's time to start fighting in the bathroom. Black dots are waste products of cockroaches. Often small scales or pieces of wings can be found next to them;

• In secluded places, for example, in the corners of kitchen cabinets, under the sink, under baseboards, you can often find an elongated oval light brown “larva”. This is a cockroach clutch with future offspring.

The best treat

These insects are often bred to feed fish, reptiles, and spiders. They multiply quickly, eat everything, don’t get sick, and completely survive. Cockroaches are loved by certain types of scorpions, cats, hedgehogs, hamsters, large lizards, frogs, chickens and even ants (they disassemble dead individuals into pieces).

But the most promising direction is cockroaches as a source of protein. In terms of the content of this nutritional component, they are 3 times higher than chicken. In China, they love fried crunchies sprinkled with sugar.

Cockroaches are dangerous

Being around these nasty insects is not only unpleasant, but also dangerous to your health. Scientists have proven that they are carriers of many dangerous diseases, for example, salmonellosis, hepatitis, typhoid fever, etc.

If you leave an open container of food on the table and a cockroach runs over it, or worse, leaves its feces on the food, it can cause poisoning or an upset stomach.

Besides:

• Small scales of the chitinous layer of the cockroach can cause exacerbation in allergy sufferers and attacks in asthmatics;
• The favorite habitat of cockroaches in the kitchen is household appliances, especially those that are not moved from place to place. The ideal device is a washing machine. Inside it is always humid, warm, and there are food remains. Insects live in the body of the device, pollute its insides with the products of their vital activity, which ultimately leads to failure of the equipment. A similar situation can happen with the oven and refrigerator;
• Black dots left by a cockroach on a book or documents important to you are almost impossible to remove without leaving a trace. Similarly, they can ruin a kitchen tablecloth, chair upholstery and other textiles;
• And the worst thing is that an insect can crawl into the ear or nose of a sleeping person. This most often happens to babies.

Review of folk remedies

It is immediately worth noting that folk remedies are less effective than special chemical preparations.

However, in unused cases, they can still give the desired result:

• Borax is a white powder that is safe for both humans and pets, but is a poison for cockroaches. Borax can simply be scattered in suspected areas where insects gather. You can boil one potato and one egg, crush it, add 1 tsp. powder, form small balls and place them indoors. Another recipe is to mix 100 g of borax with 30 g of starch and 30 g of powdered sugar, add a bag of vanillin and a little water. You should get a sticky mass from which you can make balls. When borax gets into the stomach of an insect, it causes poisoning;
• Boric acid is harmless to humans, odorless and tasteless. It has a nerve-paralytic effect, and in large quantities it poisons the pest. There are several ways to prepare a poisonous composition. Mix boric acid, flour, sugar and water in equal proportions, mix thoroughly and form into balls. Grind one boiled yolk and 40 g of acid, distribute into small portions and place around the house. Or simply dilute the acid in a container of water and leave it overnight. Using this method, it is very important to exclude the possibility of obtaining water elsewhere. Thoroughly wipe the sink, bathtub, washbasin, floor around, turn off the dripping tap. Then the cockroach will have no choice but to go to the poisoned water;
• Low temperatures. Cockroaches do not tolerate cold well. Therefore, some sources suggest freezing insects. To do this in winter, when it’s frosty outside, open all the windows in the house and leave them in that state for a day or two. Yes, cockroaches can really freeze, and all you have to do is sweep them up and throw them away. But keep in mind that such a drop in temperature in a living room can lead to wallpaper coming off the walls and heating radiators simply bursting. There is no talk of indoor plants at all. Therefore, we would recommend regular ventilation, leaving the window ajar for several hours. This technique can be used for preventive purposes.

Types of domestic cockroaches, harmful and exotic (bred), their characteristics

More than 4,500 species are now known, of which only 55 species are found in the CIS. And apartments are inhabited by only 3 species: red (Prussian), black and American.

Red cockroaches

Prusaks, or red cockroaches, can fly, but not for long. Adults come in different colors and are up to 1.6 cm long. They live in colonies. Life expectancy is about 6 months from the moment of hatching. They practically never meet without a person.

Males are oblong, wings peek out from under the elytra. Can fly short distances. Females are more rounded, without clearly defined wings. At one time, up to 40 eggs are laid in a capsule, which is worn for 2-4 weeks until the nymphs emerge from it. Nymphs are darker than adults and have no wings. After 2 months and 6 molts, the nymph turns into an adult.

After molting, the cockroach is much lighter, translucent, but this passes quickly, after 1-2 days they darken. Adults live up to 4 months. Over the course of her entire life, the female makes 4-9 clutches in the ootheca, that is, up to 400 eggs from one individual in just six months.

Their homeland is southern Asia, so they cannot tolerate cold at all, so when cooled to -5°C they die, and they feel so good in human habitation. The Prusak is omnivorous; in case of hunger strike, it can even chew soap or plaster. Does not tolerate thirst well.

Black beetle

They are much less common than redheads. They, unlike the Prussians, can live both among people and in the wild, not far from human habitation. They prefer warm, damp places (sewers, mines). The size of an adult cockroach reaches 8 cm. Representatives of this species run fast, but cannot fly.

American cockroach

Large (up to 5 cm), with a red-brown shell. Capable of running up to 75 cm/sec, while changing directions of movement up to 25 times. It flies, but rarely. It is impossible to catch with your hands. They have a powerful mouthparts (they chew through pieces of wood and plastic) and eat everything, even hair and shoes.

Very thermophilic - they die in minimal frost. They live in huge colonies (tens of thousands of individuals).

During mating games, the male runs around the female and flaps his wings. This is due to the pheromones secreted by the lady. After fertilization, the pregnant female first carries a capsule with eggs (up to 2 days), after which she buries the ootheca into the substrate. BUT! The female can lay eggs without fertilization by the male.

Furniture cockroach

Officially recorded only 100 years ago. Similar to Prussians, but smaller (up to 1.2 cm). The body shape and shade may vary, but the main feature is 2 stripes along the body. The color of these pests ranges from bright brown with a red tint to almost black. They run and jump very fast.

They tolerate a lack of water more easily than other species; they love starchy food (any paper, paste). The optimal temperature is about 30°C and high humidity.

Vietnamese (Turkestan) cockroaches

They live in houses, in landfills, and in the wild. Yellow, with a dark brown tint. An important feature of this species is jumping and flying. They consume plant remains and debris from human activities.

Egyptian cockroaches

These pests live in Asia, in the Caucasus and Crimean mountains. The brown color and rounded body shape make this species look like a turtle. Males are winged, females are not. Large (up to 4.5 cm), they live on farms, in houses, and animal burrows. They eat all types of organic waste, including excrement. They can starve for more than 3 months, but the lack of water is critical for them.

At one time, the female lays up to 18 eggs; in total, she can lay up to 5 ovipositions during her life. It takes 2 years from birth to adulthood, during which time it sheds several times. The adult stage lasts another 2 years.

The harm from this type of cockroach is enormous, since after eating the insects, the animals become infected with paratyphoid.

Madagascar cockroach

Giant individuals (up to 10 cm) are known for their hissing. This is how they try to scare the enemy. Unpretentious, omnivorous. These are viviparous insects. They prefer humidity and warmth, like representatives of other species of the cockroach family. They are bred as pets or as food for snakes and lizards.

Rhino cockroach

A large beetle up to 8 cm and weighing about 35 g (only 2 times lighter than a sparrow). Chocolate color. A good digger, excellent at digging tunnels. It is massive (40 g). Consumes parts of plants, but will not refuse particles of dead animals.

Rhinoceroses are clean and do not smell. They do not fly and cannot crawl on glass, so they are excellent for keeping in aquariums.

Chess cockroach

Representatives of this species stand out among their relatives with their beautiful checkerboard colors. Found in India. They grow up to 3 cm. They love warmth and moisture (above 70%), prefer night walks.

banana cockroach

It has an unusual green color. Can fly. Prefers to live on banana plantations, consuming parts of plants and fruits.

Forest cockroach

An inconspicuous inhabitant of wooded areas (up to 11 mm), eats everything it finds (all kinds of greenery, carrion). During the day it hides under the grass or in the roots of bushes and trees. Translucent body of brown-golden color. There is a black spot on the head, the wings extend behind the body. It is not very dangerous for humans, as it cannot even bite through the skin of a finger.

Little car

They got their name thanks to two spots on their head that look like car headlights. They reach 5 cm and prefer not to be seen by people. They grow slowly, love mating games and competition for the female. They don’t fly or crawl on glass, so they often join the ranks of pets.

Dead Head

This large insect (up to 5.5 cm) received its name due to its frightening colors. It eats small insects, and if there is a lack of food, it will not disdain its relatives.

Marbled (ash) cockroach

It comes from Africa, but is found in most countries, as it is very undemanding to conditions and food, and reproduces well. It is also called naufet. The insect reaches 3 cm.

It feeds on raw vegetables, fruits, various grains, flour products, and does not disdain paper and thin plastic. They can eat each other when there is a lack of food. Often grown to feed reptiles and large spiders.

Sarawak cockroach

The difference between this species and others is the ability of the larvae to swim well. They prefer to live close to sources of moisture; in case of danger, they can dive to the bottom and hide there. Otherwise, their habits are like those of other relatives.

Megalobat cockroach

This longhorned beetle is hard to miss - Megaloblatta longipennis is considered the largest representative (9.7 cm by 4.5 cm in width). And its close relative (Megaloblatta blaberoides) has the largest wingspan (18.5 cm).

Lapland cockroach

Brown-brown, with a black dot, reminiscent of dry leaves. Found in Europe and America. Reaches a length of 1.4 cm. Fast, not demanding.

Asiatic

Found in areas with a tropical climate. The closest relative of the Prussian. Prefers to live outside, hiding under a layer of leaves. The population increases in the warm season and decreases in the fall.

Blaberus cockroaches

Large and colorful Blaberus giganteus hides well among foliage and grass. Found in various parts of America. They grow up to 9 cm in length.

Aerosols for cockroaches

If folk remedies are powerless, use special medications.

One of the most popular forms of release is aerosols.
The most famous means of fighting insects is Dichlorvos. However, its disadvantage is that it has a very strong odor. Modern products do not have such a pronounced aroma or may even have a rather subtle and pleasant smell. Before treating a room with any aerosol, you must remove all indoor plants and pets, and after spraying, close the door and cover the gap between the door leaf and the floor with a cloth. After a day, the room can be opened. After this, be sure to carry out wet cleaning. Effective aerosols are:

• "Raptor";
• "Dichlorvos";
• "Regent";
• "Raid"
• "Combat"
• "Get"

Gels

Gels are convenient and advisable to use if it is not possible to leave the room after it has been treated with aerosols.

The gels are colorless, devoid of unpleasant odor and are easily washed off from almost all surfaces.
They are safe for pets. A component is specially introduced into their composition, which gives an unpleasant bitterness when it enters the oral cavity. The composition is applied to the surfaces where cockroaches most often appear in dotted lines or drops at a distance of 10-15 mm. The effect after using the gels occurs only after 7-10 days. The disadvantages of the drug include the inability to treat hard-to-reach places and the entire room as a whole, and ineffectiveness against egg laying. Gels are recommended for use in combination with drugs of a different release form and action. The most popular gels are:

• "Clean house";
• "Dohloks";
• "Raptor";
• "Global".

Houseplants, herbs

Plants have specific odors and have a repellent effect on beetles. The main rule is that they must be in the apartment at all times.

At the same time, it is important to renew herbs (fresh or dry) 1-2 times a week, and water indoor flowers so that they do not wilt

Geranium

Growing geraniums not only pleases home owners with beautiful flowers, but also helps get rid of cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes and other insects. This is due to the specific aroma of the green mass of the plant (because of it, not even all people can grow an indoor flower on a windowsill).

To effectively scare away red-haired uninvited “guests”, it is enough to place the pot in those areas of the room where there are the most cockroaches. It’s even better to place several geranium bushes around the apartment.

Bay leaf

Bay leaves release essential oils into the air, which is why they have a sharp, intoxicating odor. If you keep the laurel open, the aroma evaporates after 3-4 days. People's inventors have come up with a method that allows you to “smoke out” pests from an apartment in literally 2-3 procedures.

What to do:

1. Buy a plant branch at the market - dry or freshly cut.
2. Light a match and direct the fire to the laurel.
3. After it begins to smolder, fumigate the entire room. Do this until the branch fades.

The aroma in the house lasts for about 3 days. Cockroaches will completely leave the area during these days. Repeat the procedure 2 more times a week later, since pest eggs remain in the cracks and on surfaces, from which young animals emerge.

Sagebrush

Wormwood contains toxic elements, but they do not have a detrimental effect on the life of insects. Medicinal herbs only scare away.

What to do:

• hang branches around the apartment;
• put pharmaceutical wormwood (crushed) into gauze bags and place on shelves;
• scatter under baseboards, carpet, linoleum;
• Spray the apartment with the decoction.

How to prepare the infusion:

1. Add 2 tbsp to 200 ml of boiling water. l. dry wormwood.
2. Bring to a boil and leave on low heat for 8-10 minutes.
3. Turn off the stove, cover the pan tightly with a lid, and let it sit until it cools completely.
4. Strain.
5. Treat surfaces with a spray bottle.

The frequency of the procedure is every 1-2 days.

Tansy

Tansy has a similar effect on cockroaches as wormwood. It is used in an identical way, but the decoction recipe is slightly different. You can prepare it in 2 ways:

• Decoction. Pour 90-100 g of dried plant inflorescences into 2-2.5 liters of water and boil for 10 minutes.
• Alcohol tincture. For 500 ml of vodka, take 100-120 g of dried flowers, leave in a dark place for 7-10 days.

Infusions can be used not only for spraying, but also for wiping surfaces.

Traps

If there are few cockroaches in the apartment, they did not have time to give birth and there is a suspicion that some individuals simply snuck into your house, traps will be an effective means of control.

They are very comfortable, safe for animals and children.
The trap is a small box containing poisonous bait inside.
Climbing inside, the cockroach eats the bait, and carries its pieces with it on its paws to its relatives, after which mass poisoning occurs. There are baits with a sticky base . The bottom of the box is impregnated with super-sticky scented glue. The cockroach gets inside, sticks and becomes motionless. All you have to do is throw away the filled bait and buy a new one as needed. Popular traps:

• "Combat";
• "Raptor";
• "Dohlox."

Effective insecticides

When the question arises about how to get rid of cockroaches in the house, the first to come to mind are a variety of popular sprays and aerosols with insecticides inside. They truly remain the most effective means with excellent results. It is enough to use them several times, and the population of cockroaches will decrease significantly.

The main positive aspects of such products in the modern insecticide market are:

• High efficiency;
• Easy to use;
• Possibility to choose from a huge number of offers;
• Relatively low price.

Despite all the positive aspects of this type of product, it is worth noting that a significant disadvantage is the rapid consumption of the aerosol. This is especially true for private homes, where the fight against cockroaches is carried out over a large area. One can of spray may not be enough even for 1 room. Therefore, you have to buy a lot of such products.

One way or another, the most common and in demand products from this group on the modern market remain:

• Raid;
• Get;
• Off;
• Raptor.
• Dichlorvos and others.

Everyone can choose the product that they like best. In terms of efficiency, they are approximately the same.

Crayons and powders

The most affordable are special crayons and powders against cockroaches.

They are convenient to apply, but almost impossible to treat hard-to-reach areas.
It is also not possible to treat the entire room. Both crayons and powders can be used indoors and are harmless to people and animals. But, if there are a lot of cockroaches in the house, these remedies may be ineffective. They can be used as a prophylaxis after treatment with stronger drugs. The following products have proven themselves to be effective:

• "Mashenka";
• "Tornado"
• "Super Fas";
• "Clean house";
• "Phenaxik".

Tenacious insects

Cockroaches are ancient insects that are well adapted to changing external conditions.

They live only 7 months. But they multiply very quickly. You can get rid of them only by thoroughly studying their reactions.

These pests quickly adapt to toxic chemicals and stop perceiving them.

But some natural remedies cannot be tolerated, such as vinegar or kerosene. Traditional methods of getting rid of cockroaches are based precisely on such negative reactions.

Ultrasonic repeller

The repeller is a rather expensive device, which in turn does not kill insects, but only helps create unacceptable living conditions for them.

The device creates an ultrasonic field of a certain radius, safe for people and animals.
However, the effect of such exposure is very controversial. Ultrasonic waves do have some effect on cockroaches, but only when their level becomes noticeable to animals and people. The devices use low frequency ultrasound. This is probably why the instructions for many devices indicate that repellers are recommended to be used in conjunction with other products, and the effect of their use does not occur immediately. In other words, the manufacturer is betting that a certain number of insects have already been poisoned, and the reduction in their number is supposedly a consequence of the use of a repeller. However, some users report positive results. Popular models are:

• "Typhoon";
• "Banzai";
• Zenet;
• "Ixus";
• "Pest Project";
• Air Comfort.

Reproduction

The ability to increase the population of this family is amazing. There are 2 ways - sexual or parthenogenetic, but in any case at least one mating must occur. The eggs are located in a special capsule (ootheca). Females carry this protein “suitcase” at the end of their body (most species), others are viviparous. Cockroaches have complex behavior as parents.

Go through 3 stages of development:

1. Egg.
2. Larva or nymph.
3. Imago or adult individual.

They develop from larvae to adults through molting (up to 8 times). The maturation process for Prussians (red cockroaches) takes several months, while for black cockroaches it takes 4 years.

Example of a viviparous species:

Nymphs of longhorned beetles develop for a couple of months, and black representatives for several years (4 years). During this time, molting occurs (shedding of the old chitinous shell), and the “newborn” individual becomes larger each time. In total, up to 9 molts occur.

Each species goes through certain stages in its development. So, during molting, the cockroach sheds its brown chitinous outfit, remaining in translucent white “underwear”. Therefore, in a couple of days the running white pest will become similar to its relatives. Sometimes whiteness is explained by the use of chlorine-containing preparations, which tend to oxidize and bleach surfaces, including chitin.

Exterminators

The last and most effective measure is to call the appropriate services.

Professional exterminators will carry out high-quality treatment of premises with stronger and more effective preparations.
Most offer at least a one-year warranty. But it is important to understand that all your attempts will be in vain, and the effect will be short-lived if you do not carry out prevention and destruction together with your neighbors .

How to avoid the recurrence of cockroaches?

Once the pests in your home are eliminated, it is very important to create conditions that prevent them from returning.

It is especially important to do this for residents of apartment buildings, where it is very difficult to carry out simultaneous professional treatment against insects.

• Carefully inspect the walls, floors and ceilings of your home for cracks. Through them, cockroaches can again get to you from your neighbors. The voids need to be filled;
• All grilles covering ventilation ducts must have a fine mesh;
• Don't forget about the ventilation duct to which the hood is connected. Often it is not covered with a mesh, so insects can first get into the device itself, and then into the apartment;
• Seal the space around sewer pipes, if any;
• Clean regularly, do not leave dirty dishes in the sink, wipe crumbs off the table, take out the trash more often, buy a trash can with a lid;

• Fix all leaks and make it a rule not to leave the sink wet after washing dishes or the bathtub after taking a shower;
• Place screens on the windows to block the path of uninvited guests;
• If you have a pet in the house, keep its eating area clean;

• A beautiful and popular indoor plant, geranium, thanks to its specific aroma, can repel insects. Place a potted plant in each room;
• Some housewives wash the floor once a week with water and ammonia. Cockroaches don't like its smell. It is enough to add just 1 tsp. alcohol in a bucket of water;
• Instead of ammonia, you can use vinegar. In principle, it is enough to process only the baseboards, and do not forget about the threshold at the front door;
• Also, the threshold and baseboards can be periodically treated with a solution based on essential oils of eucalyptus, cedar, lemon, and mint. It is enough to add 2-4 drops to a bucket of water;
• Cockroaches cannot tolerate the smell of chamomile. Buy dried inflorescences at the pharmacy and place them in places where insects previously accumulated;
• Dry aromatic herbs - chamomile, laurel, wormwood, mint or wild rosemary - can also be placed in separate places. For example, near the trash can, under the sink, in corners, under furniture, in the bathroom.

The article was written for the site.

Tags: Pest control

Prevention measures

It is important not only to get rid of household pests, but also to follow preventive measures. They will help you forget about the existence of cockroaches forever.

Preventive action:

• keep the house clean;
• repair leaking pipes in a timely manner to prevent insects from accessing the water;
• prevent the accumulation of crumbs and food debris;
• hermetically seal all cracks in the floor to prevent cockroaches from getting in from neighbors;
• constantly ventilate the apartment;
• If possible, take furniture, carpets, and things out into the cold;
• close the ventilation with nets;
• adjust door frames to size;
• When cleaning the apartment, use any repellent substances.

It is possible to remove domestic parasites. You just need to do this constantly, purposefully, using thoughtful methods.