Cockroaches are among the most repulsive and inconvenient pests to encounter. The mere thought of a cockroach can give you the creeps. Cockroach hatred is understandable. It’s terrifying that some cockroaches have wings and can fly.
Cockroaches aren’t just disgusting to look at; they also spread disease and favor squalid, dark corners of your home. But the worst part is that insects like roaches produce many offspring at once and develop rapidly. In the event that even one cockroach is left behind, the infestation will quickly spread and become impossible to control. This article provides a concise overview of cockroach control methods.
WHAT KINDS OF ROACHES ARE MOST COMMON?
Before you go looking for that creepy crawlies, let’s take a look at the most commonly found roaches.
Cockroaches from Germany
One of the most common kinds of cockroaches also grows quickly. They are about 0.5 inches long and have two dark stripes down the middle of their bodies. They are light brown in color. They like to live in places where people live, like apartments and houses, and do best when it’s humid and between 70°F and 75°F.
Cockroach with brown spots (Not common in California)
The smoky brown cockroach is 1.5 inches long, which is longer than most cockroaches. It is dark brown all over and has a hard, black shell. They also have wings that are longer than their bodies, and they fly a lot. Smoky brown cockroaches like to hide in places that are wet and damp. They only come out at night and are drawn to light.
Cockroaches in America
The American cockroach is the biggest of all cockroaches. It can grow up to 2 inches long. Most of the time, they are brown or red, and the tips of their legs and wings are yellow. They can also be seen often, but not as often in homes as German cockroaches because they prefer to be outside. Also, American cockroaches like places with temperatures above 82°F.
Oriental Cockroaches
Oriental cockroaches smell the worst and are often found in homes with a lot of plants. They grow to be about 1 inch long and are small and round. Their bodies are dark and shiny black. Even though they have wings, they don’t fly. They are more common in places that are cold and wet.
Banded Brown Cockroaches (Not common in California)
The brown-banded cockroach isn’t as common as the German cockroach, but it likes to live inside. The male brown-banded cockroaches are golden, while the females are reddish-brown. They can grow to be 0.5 inches long and have skinny bodies. They hide in places that are warmer and drier. They can be very dangerous because their egg cases and dead skin can make asthma and allergies worse.
DIY WAYS TO ERADICATE ROACHES
The easiest and most convenient way to get rid of a lot of cockroaches is to hire a pest control service. But there are many reasons why you might want to use natural DIY methods to get rid of them instead. Chemical sprays used by professionals to get rid of pests can leave a strong smell in the house that can last for a while.
Bay Leaves
If you cook at home, you probably have bay leaves in your pantry. Crush a few bay leaves into a fine powder and sprinkle it where you see the most cockroaches. Cockroaches don’t like the smell of bay leaves, which keeps them from coming near. Note that bay leaves won’t kill the roaches, but they will bring them out.
Baking Soda And Sugar
Baking soda is one of the best things you can do yourself to get rid of roaches. You only need baking soda, water, and sugar mixed together in a bowl. Pour this homemade solution into places where people tend to hide. You’ll notice that the number of roaches goes down slowly but surely.
Lemon Juice
Cockroaches don’t like the smell of lemons or how acidic they are. To get rid of roaches, you could spray a mixture of lemon juice and water on surfaces and in corners. To make the lemon juice smell stronger, you could mop the floor with a towel that had been soaked in lemon juice.
PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TO KEEP ROACHES AWAY
Here are some steps you can take to prevent cockroaches from getting into your home.
Keep things tidy.
Roaches come out of hiding to look for food crumbs. Most of the time, they hunt on dining tables and kitchen counters. Make sure you don’t leave food on the kitchen counters and clean them well to make sure there are no crumbs that could attract bugs.
Store food the right way.
Mosquitoes can smell blood the way roaches can smell food. Make sure your leftovers are in containers that won’t let air in, and always put a lid on anything that has food in it. roaches will show up if you leave anything out.
Use trash cans with lids
Roaches like to live in places that are damp, and trash cans are their main target. Make sure to throw away wet trash in a trash can that can be closed or covered. If your trash cans don’t leak, roaches won’t be able to get in them.
Make sure rooms have good airflow.
Even the dampest and dirtiest parts of your home can become dry and clean if you have good airflow. This will make it impossible for roaches to get into your home. If you see cockroaches in your bathroom, keep the doors open and turn on the exhaust fan to make the room less humid.
Check your food and cooking tools.
You might bring roaches home with you when you go grocery shopping. Dust off food packages and shopping bags before putting them back where they belong to make sure roaches aren’t riding along. Make sure there aren’t any roaches hiding in dishes that have been washed or that haven’t been used in a while.
TO SUMMARIZE
People say that cockroaches will live longer than humans after a nuclear war. So it makes sense that it can be hard to get rid of these annoying pests. But the do-it-yourself and preventive methods we’ve listed here are known to work to get rid of cockroaches in an easy and cheap way. Try them, and you’ll see the roaches run away.
