How To Combat Cockroaches Without Chemical Insecticides
It’s often said that cockroaches would be the only survivors of an all-out nuclear war. While, thankfully, this theory has yet to be tested, there’s no doubt that these pests can be a persistent problem if they decide to take up residence in your home.
The most straightforward answer to an infestation would be to lay down a chemical insecticide, but in today’s eco-sensitive times, many people prefer to avoid this whenever possible. Quite apart from the dangers of introducing toxins to the environment, even the safest of these products can be cause for concern when children and pets are around. So what can you do to tackle a roach invasion without resorting to chemicals?
Firstly, it must be said that for a severe infestation, professional help should be sought. The resilience of the cockroach means that if you face an army of critters, you’ll fight a losing battle if you attempt to take them on alone. But if you spot the early signs of an increasing assault, these four solutions could halt the problem before it gets out of hand.
Fabric Conditioner
An excellent organic fabric conditioner with a strong lemony scent can be a powerful weapon in the fight against cockroaches. They find the odor irresistible and will come to investigate. Unfortunately for them, soapy substances will quickly coat their external breathing apparatus, leading to suffocation. You can either lay a conditioner booby trap in the areas you know the insects frequent or mix a solution to use as a lethal spray for direct hand-to-hand combat.
Baking Powder
To add a bit of biological warfare to your strategy, mix a pinch or two of baking powder into some sugar and leave the concoction temptingly lying around for the roaches. They’ll gorge themselves on the sugar, but the baking powder will create gas in their digestive systems. Cockroaches have no bodily way of releasing this pressure, and the results are invariably, and somewhat explosively, fatal.
Boric Acid
Although it may sound like a chemical, boric acid is a natural fungicide that is also lethal to many insects, including cockroaches, ants, fleas, termites, and silverfish. As with baking powder, it can be mixed with sugar as an edible poison, but it can also be sprinkled very lightly around the areas where the roaches congregate.
The powder will cling to any passing roach, attacking the exoskeleton on a cellular level, but it will also be ingested when the insect cleans itself. Death by dehydration will follow between one and three days. Warning: although boric acid is not poisonous to humans, it can cause skin irritation in high concentrations, so handle it as little as possible.
Fly Paper
Sometimes the old ways are the best. The traditional, non-insecticidal fly paper will bring cockroaches to a sticky end if judiciously placed. However, be sure to check the body count regularly – roaches will happily feast on their fallen comrades, so you may be providing a larder for the survivors if you don’t clean out the corpses promptly.
Combat Cockroaches The Natural Way Today
All of these methods can be effective against a minor roach problem. Unfortunately, the chemical route may be the only realistic option with a severe infestation. In this case, it’s best to hire a professional pest controller who can use the correct insecticides safely and effectively, defeating the cockroaches without causing any broader harm.
Contact Garfield Pest Control for safe and effective cockroach removal services