Cockroaches are a pain for many people. You can get a cockroach infestation without even knowing. Worst of all, they are hard to kill, and many household bug products don’t seem to work.
To know if you have a cockroach problem, keep an eye out. Once you find one, there are always more in hiding. Common places to find cockroaches include the walls, cupboard, near appliances, furniture and along the skirting boards.
Once you find the nest, you will be surprised how many cockroaches there are. A single cockroach nest can host hundreds of cockroaches.
Once you start noticing cockroaches or even find the nest, you need to get rid of them quickly. It doesn’t take long before they create a real problem, and household methods can’t seem to keep up.
If you are in this situation, here are the five ways you can get rid of your cockroaches early.
To get rid of cockroaches early, you should:
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Set up cockroach baits and traps
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Use a cockroach bomb
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Spray the nest
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Make a baking soda/sugar mixture (pet and kid-friendly)
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Make an essentials oils spray
Before you get rid of your cockroach problem, see if you can identify what type of cockroach you have. Is it a German cockroach, an American cockroach or an Australian cockroach? Each cockroach lays a different number of eggs. German cockroaches being the worst, followed by Australian than American cockroaches.
1. Set up cockroach baits and traps
Baits and traps are perhaps one of the easiest and most effective home methods to kill cockroaches. When consumed, they kill the cockroach, eggs and interrupt their breeding cycle.
The best part is the cockroaches will take the bait back to their nests and infect the other cockroaches.
To use cockroach baits effectively, you should
- Place the baits around your hot water system
- inside cupboards (away from children and pets)
- Under the sink
- Underneath the fridge
- Underneath the washing machine
- Underneath other large furniture such as lounge and TV cabinet
Cockroach baits are generally effective for three months. They are also generally easy to use, clean and fumeless.
When using baits and traps, make sure they are not in locations that are accessible by kids or pets.
2. Use a cockroach bomb
Alternatively to baits, you can use a cockroach bomb to get rid of the critters. Cockroach bombs are great when you don’t know the nest’s exact location. The downsides of a cockroach bomb are that they are harder to use, leave traces for up to three months which is not ideal for people sensitive to chemicals and fragrances, and you generally have to leave the area for two hours after use.
Before using cockroach bombs, make sure you read the instructions. Generally, the cockroach bomb will require you to leave the area for two hours as it settles down. Once the two hours are up, you should open the windows and doors to ventilate the area.
Similar to baits, cockroach bombs are dangerous around children and pets. Ensure that they also vacate the area and that any toys are removed or sealed.
3. Spray the nest
We are all familiar with cockroach and bug sprays. They are a great way to kill a cockroach that you can see. They are also fast-acting and can even provide a protective barrier depending on the one you buy.
The main downside of a cockroach spray is that the fast-acting nature means they generally die before getting back to the nest.
4. Make a baking soda/sugar mixture (pet and kid-friendly)
It’s incredible the number of different ways you can use baking soda. Baking soda is a staple for the kitchen, cleaning and now it has another use. Baking soda is excellent at killing cockroaches and can be used around children and pets.
To make the baking soda mixture, place 50% baking soda and 50% sugar, honey, golden syrup or another type of sweetener in a pot or container of your choice. Then, similar to the baits, place this mixture in the places where you suspect the cockroaches are living.
5. Make an essentials oils spray
Essential oils such as tea tree oil, cypress, citronella and peppermint are great at killing cockroaches. These oils make a natural and chemical-free spray that you can use similar to a bug spray. All you need is the oil and a spare spray bottle to put it in.
If you find yourself with a cockroach infestation that is to hard to handle, call Ivey’s Carpet Cleaning & Pest Control. We are Fraser Coast’s best pest control service. Call now on 41224148 or book a quote.
