Tips

Banishing cockroaches without toxic chemicals

Jan 04, 2018

There are plenty of ways to keep cockroaches at bay!

No matter how clean your house is, pesky cockroaches will almost always find a way into your home.

Not only are they unsightly, but they’re also known for carrying bacteria and spreading diseases.

There is nothing worse than getting something out of your cupboard, only to discover a cockroach running for its life across the wall.

Actually, the only thing worse are those cockroaches that have wings and buzz around your house!

Whenever you spot one, you’re left wondering if it’s been near the food you’re about to eat or if there are others running rampant around your belongings.

While harmful bug sprays and smelly repellents can keep the cockroaches at bay temporarily, they’ll usually find other ways of invading your home.

According to Mother Nature Network, there are certain things you can do to stop cockroaches and protect your house against the disgusting bugs.

While it can take a while to see results, it’s important to stick to the tips to ensure they don’t come back in future

Clean

Cockroaches love nothing more than breeding and hiding amongst clutter.

It seems like an obvious solution, but the cleaner your home, the less likely you are to see cockroaches.

Like many bugs, cockroaches are attracted to food particles, mess and other residue.

If you’re the kind of person who likes to leave your dishes overnight or clean benches and worktops irregularly, it may be a habit you need to change.

Even cleaning for an extra 10 minutes each day should see a difference. Keeping worktops and areas clean will result in the cockroach feeling vulnerable and they’re less likely to stick around.

Keep areas cool

If you find that you see a lot of cockroaches in the hot months, it’s because they thrive in warmer weather. While it’s not always possible to have your air-con blasting at all times, be aware that the cooler you can keep a room, the less likely it’ll be that you spot a cockroach.

Cut off their water supply

Most people know that cockroaches like to feed off food particles and residue, but they usually don’t realise that they also need water to survive.

If you notice a lot of cockroaches around your sink, shower or taps, it could be because they’re using it as their main supply of water.

Be sure to avoid leaving still water around and also be cautious that they could congregate around pot plants that you regularly water.

Make your own repellent

If those nasty bug sprays leave a bad smell in your house and impact your breathing, there are actually a number of other easy ways to repel cockroaches.

Surprisingly, mouthwash such as Listerine works a treat. Mix it with water and spray near effected areas.

Another sure-fire way of killing them is to mix sugar with baking soda. They’ll initially be attracted to the sugary goodness but won’t be able to service the baking soda they ingest.

They also hate fabric softener. If you spray one with some softener and water, you’ll likely kill it because they breathe through their skin and you’re effectively cutting off their oxygen supply.

Fix cracks and holes

While it can sometimes feel as though you’re facing off against a giant monster, cockroaches are actually pretty small. This means that they like to hide inside cracks and holes, allowing them easy access to and from your house.

Sealing up these small cracks will mean that cockroaches won’t be bothering you for much longer.

If in doubt or if you have a large number of cockroaches that you simply can’t get rid of, it may be worth contacting an exterminator. They may be able to give you extra tips or offer another way of getting rid of your cockroach problem.