There are several ways to get rid of roaches from your home. The easiest way is to call pest control professionals to eliminate them. They will come to your house and inspect your property thoroughly before deciding what needs to be done to get rid of the cockroaches. If needed, they will deploy traps or chemicals to eradicate the infestation.
Your method of choice when removing cockroaches through home remedies should be healthy for the environment and your health. Installing sticky traps, purchasing bait stations, using insecticidal sprays, and studying do-it-yourself pest control methods are all things you may do to get rid of cockroaches.
Many of the pest control options available on the market are expensive. You could use the following homemade recipe to get rid of cockroaches:
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- One cup of borax
- One cup of cornmeal
- Half a cup of flour
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
Stir all the ingredients together, then sprinkle the solution in the places where roaches are active, such as behind refrigerators, in cabinets, and closets. Every so often, change the solution with a fresh one. The insects will pass through it, consume it, and perish, just like that. Keep in mind to keep your kids and pets away from the powder, as the mixture will help you control the levels of an infestation.
How do I know if I have cockroaches?
Here are the most common signs of a cockroach infestation. If you are observing these in your home, you must take action immediately to prevent worsening a small infestation.
1. Droppings
In contrast to the ordinary German cockroach, which leaves behind little brown stains and pepper-like granules the size of coffee grounds, other, larger roach species can produce grains of rice-sized droppings. Roaches are notorious for leaving their droppings wherever they go, but they pay close attention to places like cabinet tops, refrigerator and stove bottoms, and floor corners. Whenever cleaning up droppings, wear gloves.
2. Musky odour
A single cockroach is unlikely to leave behind an offensive scent that is overpowering enough for you to notice, but several of them will make the air surrounding your house or place of business smell worse. Some have noted the odour as musky or garbage-like. The odour will get significantly worse if the infestation is allowed to spread. While deceased cockroaches also release aromas due to their decomposition, this scent is mainly connected to living cockroaches.
3. Egg casings
A cockroach generally lays 20–50 eggs in each long, hollow, light brown egg casing that it leaves behind; the egg casing is simply left in place after the eggs hatch. If you notice casings around refrigerator bases, around leaky pipes, or in food cupboards, you should act quickly to manage the cockroach problem before it gets out of hand. A German cockroach mother will carry her casing around with her until the eggs are about to hatch, so you may occasionally find a casing that still contains its eggs. You can get rid of casings by flushing them down the toilet.
4. Allergy symptoms
Many people are allergic to specific proteins found in the exoskeletons and droppings of cockroaches. You may have roaches in your home if you’ve experienced any of the following symptoms without a clear cause. These signs consist of:
- clogged nose
- difficulty breathing and wheezing
- periodically experiencing stiffness and weight in your chest
- red and itchy eyes
It may also be an indication of roaches if you have asthma and have recently had to use your inhaler more frequently at home. Proteins from roaches are a frequent asthma trigger. Since even one or two roaches can trigger an allergic reaction, symptoms are frequently present before the bugs are visible to the homeowner.
5. Chew marks on packages
In times of need, cockroaches will eat things like wallpaper paste because they are not picky eaters. However, when food is easily accessible, they will be drawn to it first. Roaches may be on your premises if you see gnaw marks and food missing from plastic and cardboard packages, especially ones that contain sweet items. Particularly, the bigger ones are capable of eating right through packages.
6. You’ll see them
Often a night, if you turn on the light or if you wake up in the early morning, you might see them scurrying across the floor.
Two cockroach species are thought to be predominant in the UK, which you should watch out for.
Oriental Cockroaches
The dark brown Oriental cockroach can grow to be 30mm long.
German Cockroaches
The yellowish-brown German cockroach is typically 12mm long.
Why are there cockroaches in my house?
Three things are sought after by cockroaches when they enter your home: food, shelter, and water. They have also mastered the capacity to enter your home through even the smallest cracks. They may enter through dryer vents, holes in the outside walls, or even openings between the walls and flooring.
Firstly, roaches require moisture to survive. Therefore, even the cleanest homes can become infested with them without an accessible water supply, such as leaky faucets and pipelines.
Secondly, food supplies will be sought after by roaches wherever they can be found. These hardy pests will consume just about anything despite your best attempts to keep your kitchen clean. But they may seek out crumbs, kitchen bins, or pet food dishes for a snack.
It would be best if you also watched out for roaches in your garden. A roach-infested garden is one step away from a roach-infested home. A garden may be equipped to provide food, water, and shelter to a cockroach. Cockroaches are drawn to areas with standing water, such as gutters, flower pots, and bird baths. Food and shelter are provided by compost and wood piles. Bins for recycling and trash make a great source of food too.
Where do cockroaches hide?
German cockroaches are more likely to be found in your bathroom, kitchen, or any other area where food is stored or produced. They prefer humid environments with temperatures between 21 and 26 °C. These roaches may squirm into cracks and crevices to conceal themselves close to food, water, and heat sources. You might start to find them in other areas of your house, such as bedrooms and closets if their populations get too high.
On the other hand, Oriental cockroaches are typically found in dark, damp, and cool (below 28 °C) places like wood piles, trash cans, garages, and basements. They also inhabit metre boxes, sewers, and drains, as well as areas covered with ivy and other vegetation. Because of their toughness, these roaches may thrive in colder climates. Oriental cockroaches can be found inside buildings, under appliances, in gaps between the floor and skirting board, and in sink cabinets (particularly if there are leaks in the pipes).
How long do cockroaches live?
Oriental cockroaches develop slowly; the time it takes a nymph to become an adult can be about two months. However, their lifespan is limited to about 180 days. Meanwhile, after becoming an adult, a German cockroach normally lives for five to seven months. German cockroaches can go up to a month without eating, but they die after two weeks without water.
What is the purpose of cockroaches?
In restaurants, hospitals, warehouses, offices, and structures with facilities for handling food, cockroaches can be a serious pest. They release a chemical that can leave stains, spread disease, and emit unpleasant scents. They are also capable of destroying paper and cloth. However, they play vital roles in the environment.
- Food for parasitic wasps. Parasitic wasps solely eat cockroach eggs, and they are wholly dependant on cockroaches to survive. If cockroaches go extinct by accident, parasitic wasps won’t survive and will undoubtedly follow suit.
- Food for birds and mammals. Many other living things rely heavily on cockroaches as a food supply. Cockroaches are preyed upon by several birds. Additionally, small insectivorous animals like rats and mice, as well as in warmer countries, reptiles like the geckos feast on cockroaches. Although, unlike parasitic wasps, they do not completely depend on cockroaches for survival, their numbers would surely decline if roaches were to be completely eradicated.
- Nitrogen source. Cockroaches are a significant source of nitrogen in forests, which is necessary for the ecosystem and for the growth of trees. Roaches eat nearby wood, leaf litter, and organic stuff that has decomposed. When cockroaches eat them, this material holds a lot of atmospheric nitrogen, which is then released into the soil (through their feces). The nitrogen is then ingested by plants and trees, aiding in their growth. Roaches’ impact on forest health and indirect disruption of all species’ life cycles depends on their extinction from the planet. The nitrogen cycle, nutrient recycling, and the buildup of trash, residue, and dirt in the surrounding areas will all be affected by the extinction of roaches.
- Nutrient recycling. Roaches perform a more important function in the ecosystem than providing food for other living things. The consumption of leaf litter and other plant materials is a speciality of forest roaches. The microorganisms in their stomachs assist them in digesting the deteriorating plant matter that is indigestible to other animals. The organic matter is broken down by roaches and then dispersed throughout the forest, where the local bacteria eat it. In tropical areas, several cockroach species also aid in pollination.
Why do cockroaches smell so bad?
The stench of cockroaches is musky. Although it’s typically undetectable to people, this changes if a cockroach colony is allowed to grow unchecked. You will be able to smell an infestation when it reaches high numbers. This smell will get stronger the longer the roaches are permitted to stay in your home.
Roaches smell awful because of their pheromones, the scent of death, and the unhygienic conditions in which they thrive. Roaches use chemical odours to indicate the whereabouts of plentiful sources of food, water, and refuge and to attract mates. Additionally, they emit a death odour that alerts nearby roaches to the danger. Cockroaches like to live in places that already smell bad, like places with a high prevalence of moisture, mould, mildew, and other unpleasant odours. They might not be responsible for these unpleasant smells, but it’s easy to think they are because the smell and the infestation are colocated.
How to prevent cockroaches from entering your home?
There are various ways to keep roaches away, and here are a few of the most popular tactics employed by many individuals to make their homes less inviting for these creatures.
- Seal cracks and other possible entrances – Roaches enter homes by squeezing through gaps in the foundations, walls, and under doors. Since they can be difficult to observe, the easy access points might even go unnoticed by you, but an expert should be able to point out the entry points for you. When summer heat drives them to look for cooler hiding places or in the fall to survive the winter, cockroaches are most active in their attempts to enter inside spaces. They access dwellings through gaps and fissures in foundations, doors, and windows. By keeping the bugs outside in the first place, you can avoid an infestation. So, fill all gaps around windows and doors, in walls around pipes and cables, ensuring they are completely shut.
- Get rid of food scraps – As mentioned earlier, roaches are attracted to food remnants, even the tiniest crumbs that you could miss at first sight. Give your floors a thorough cleaning regularly with a broom and a vacuum. To clean the below appliances, lift them away from the wall. Keep an eye out for spills on the kitchen floors—clean counters frequently with an all-purpose cleaner to eliminate crumbs. Because roaches are more active at night when no one is present, make it a routine to wipe off food area counters every evening. Keep all eating in the kitchen or dining room to limit crumbs from spreading throughout the house.
- Clear newspapers and cardboard boxes – Newspapers and cardboard cartons are food for roaches. If you leave these things around your house, you’re laying out a buffet for the local roach population. It is therefore recommended to get rid of all of your newspapers.
- Declutter – Making sure your home is kept in top condition, especially when it comes to goods that are just lying around, is one of the greatest methods for roach control. The less clutter you have in your home, the fewer hiding spots for roaches during the day. These bugs will have to work harder to conceal their existence as there is no cover for their midday scurrying. Create storage areas for small appliances and other items that clutter the countertops where food is prepared to simplify your environment. Donate the stuff you seldom use to charity, and you’ll appreciate how much easier cleaning is without having to move things about. The fewer things there are on your countertops, the fewer places there will be for food scraps to hide and, therefore, the less food there will be for cockroaches.
- Regularly inspect leaks and other plumbing issues – These bugs attract moisture because, like people, they require water. Homeowners frequently have leaks, and damp will draw pests without them even being aware of it. Getting leaks and plumbing problems rectified as quickly as possible will reduce the lure of these pesky pests. Checking your home’s faucets, sinks, refrigerators, and appliances daily to ensure they aren’t dripping or producing too much moisture is a good idea.
- Store food in sealed and durable containers – Many food items are housed in cardboard and thin plastic, which cockroaches can chew. Food should be moved into solid, sealed containers if you suspect a roach infestation. All products in thin packaging, including cereal, flour, and chocolate chips, are vulnerable. Food can be kept in its original packaging but stored in solid plastic bins for quick and simple protection on a broad scale.
- Use a dehumidifier to dry moist areas – We mentioned earlier that roaches are attracted to water sources. Look for moisture and condensation in basements’ corners, under sinks, and behind toilets. To dry the moist regions, use a dehumidifier or find the reason for the moisture and have it resolved.
What diseases do cockroaches carry?
Cockroaches are often associated with filth and unsanitary conditions. Because of how they feed and nest, they can gather a variety of pathogenic organisms, which they then spread to the food and surfaces on which they crawl and feed. Indirect transmission happens when people consume or come into contact with cockroach-contaminated objects.
Oriental and German cockroaches can harbour dangerous pathogens. Salmonella and E. coli are some popular examples.
Salmonellosis
Cockroaches are known to spread the Salmonella bacteria, which can result in salmonellosis, an illness in people with symptoms similar to food poisoning. Cockroaches are known to transmit the infection, just like rodents can.
Cockroaches are thought to pick up the germs through consuming infected food, according to research. They deposit the Salmonella through their vomit and faeces after it has been in their digestive tract for a month or longer.
Human symptoms such as diarrhoea, fever, and vomiting usually appear 12 to 72 hours after infection (to name a few). After four to seven days, recovery normally happens without much in the way of medical attention other than fluid replacement.
E. coli infections
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacterium frequently discovered in the human intestine. Although the majority of the bacteria strains are benign, some of them can seriously contaminate food.
The typical signs of an E. coli infection are stomach discomfort and diarrhoea. Less frequent symptoms include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Nausea
- Muscle pain
Symptoms often last three weeks and don’t normally necessitate any medical attention.
Other diseases that cockroaches can transmit are:
- Typhoid fever
- Campylobacteriosis
- Dysentery
- Listeriosis
- Dermatitis
- Leprosy
- Gastroenteritis
Numerous allergic conditions, such as urticaria (a skin condition), rhinitis, bronchitis, and asthma, might develop from contact with cockroaches. Those who work in laboratories that grow cockroaches for research are especially vulnerable to these ailments.
Some people have a phobia-level aversion to cockroaches and experience uneasiness when around the pests.
How common are cockroaches in the UK?
The UK is thought to have a lower cockroach population than many other Western nations due to its frigid and severe weather conditions. Based on the British Pest Control Association (BCPA) National Survey in 2016, this trend graph will show how many cockroach pest control call-outs were made across The United Kingdom and Northern Ireland from 2010 to 2016.
In total, 5,904 calls for cockroach removal were made to the 292 local authorities that provided a pest management service in the UK overall during 2015–16. The number of callouts made for England, Northern Ireland, and Wales declined from 2010 to 2016. Meanwhile, Scotland was the only country to have an increase in cockroach call-outs from the previous year (from 127 to 458).
