How to Get Rid of Cockroaches

It is late at night as you step into the bathroom and flip on the light. From the corner of your eye, you see a little roach scurry into the shadows. You know that for every cockroach you see, there are dozens you can't. Luckily, there are ways to get rid of cockroaches and keep them from returning.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Kitchen cleaners
• Bathroom cleaners
• Steel wool
• Caulk or spackling
• Bleach
• Boric acid powder
• Bug spray
• Exterminator

1. Clean, clean, clean. Cockroaches love to live in dirt, clutter and dark, damp places. Cover trash and set it outside of the house. Wash all dishes immediately after use and keep food in sealed containers. Clean the bathroom and kitchen regularly as these areas are generally the first place cockroaches establish a base.

2. Remove hiding places. Get rid of extra clutter. Remove any shelf paper from drawers and cabinets. You should also replace any loose wallpaper.

3. Plug holes and cracks. A tightly sealed house is less likely to have cockroaches. You should patch any cracks and seal all openings that you can find. Stuff steel wool around pipes and in other holes you come across.

4. Take away their water. Cockroaches can live a very long time without food, but they need water on a daily basis. Begin by repairing any water leaks. Dry out sinks, the shower and tub after use. You can also pour bleach down the drains.

5. Apply boric acid powder. This powder can be sprinkled or dusted onto virtually any surface and is one of the best products for killing roaches. You should put this in any area that is dark or damp. You can also dust places where you have seen cockroaches. Depending on where you live, it may be beneficial to sprinkle the powder under your home and around the foundation.

6. Spray your shoes with bug spray. One common way to get rid of a cockroach is to step on it with your shoe. Unfortunately, there are times when a cockroach's eggs will deposit on your shoes only to hatch later. A bug spray on your shoes will most often kill the eggs as well as the roach that you squish.

7. Call the exterminator, depending on how infested an area is. It can take more than one visit to ensure that all cockroaches are gone. This combined with all the other steps should ensure that you have gotten rid of the cockroaches.

Tips & Warnings

• Cockroaches do not like the taste of bay leaves. You may want to consider putting bay leaves in an area not suitable for chemical killers such as boric acid powder.