Buzz
Once cockroaches have settled in your home, it becomes incredibly difficult to get rid of them. These pests can contaminate food, damage walls, books, electronics, and some species even carry diseases that can affect humans. It's time to 'expel' these harmful creatures and prevent their return using baits, traps, insecticides, or other preventive measures that you find most effective.
Steps
Keep cockroaches away from food and water sources
Eliminate water sources. Cockroaches require water to survive. Depending on temperature and size, they can live up to a month without food, but they can't survive more than a week without water. Search for any leaks around your home and fix them. Once water sources are eliminated, cockroaches will eagerly consume the gel-based cockroach baits you set up.
Thoroughly clean your home. Keeping your house tidy is the key to preventing cockroaches, and the kitchen should be your primary focus. Wash dishes and store leftovers immediately after meals. Clean up any crumbs and spills right away; in general, keep the kitchen spotless. Pay extra attention to the stovetop, as cockroaches are attracted to grease.
Store food properly. Seal food containers tightly and avoid leaving food out for extended periods. Don't leave dirty dishes overnight and keep fruits off the kitchen counter.
Clean the floors regularly. This helps remove crumbs and sticky residue. Avoid splashing water on the walls; remember, cockroaches need water to survive.
Take out the trash regularly. Keep a trash bin inside your house but don't let it sit for too long. Use a lidded bin instead of an open trash can. Dispose of waste in a closed container and store it away from the house.
Use cockroach bait
Use cockroach bait purchased from a store. The bait can be placed in a box that children cannot open or in the form of gel containing slow-acting poison mixed with food attractive to cockroaches. The cockroaches will ingest the poison and bring it back to their nest, eventually leading to the death of the entire colony.
- Place the bait in areas where cockroaches tend to frequent, such as along the baseboards, under the sink, and in corners. The closer the bait is to the nest, the more cockroaches will consume it and transport it back to the colony.
- Most cockroach baits contain the active ingredients fipronil at 0.05% or hydramethylnon at 2%. The cockroaches will ingest the poison, which they later excrete at the nest, causing other cockroaches to die upon contact with the waste.
- This method can take a few weeks to show results. Once the first generation of cockroaches is wiped out, new eggs will hatch, and you may need to continue poisoning the new generation before you can completely eliminate the colony.
Try making homemade cockroach baits. Mix one part boric acid powder (not granules, often referred to as cockroach powder and commonly found in pharmacies) with one part flour and one part powdered sugar. The sugar and flour will attract cockroaches, and the boric acid will kill them. Sprinkle this mixture behind drawers, inside cabinets, beneath refrigerators, stoves, and similar places.
- You can also try making a similar mixture using 1 part borax, 2 parts flour, and 1 part cocoa powder.
- Wait at least 3 cycles of cockroach sightings before you see a noticeable decrease, which will take about 2 weeks. Continue using boric acid until the cockroaches are completely eradicated.
- Children, dogs, and some other pets may accidentally ingest the mixture. While boric acid is not highly toxic to humans or pets, it should only be applied externally. Be sure to place it where only the cockroaches can access it.
- The mixture may clump together in humid environments, so consider using paper or aluminum trays to protect floors and cabinets.
Use insecticides.
Use a soap and water solution. This is an easy method to kill adult cockroaches. Mix a mild soap solution (bath soap works fine) with water in the right proportion for spraying. You can sprinkle, spray, or simply pour the solution onto the cockroaches. Just 2-3 drops of soap water are enough to kill them. Make sure the solution contacts the head and underbelly of the cockroach. If you can turn it over, targeting the belly is most effective. They will try to run or escape, but will stop suddenly and almost always die within a minute.
- The soap water kills cockroaches by forming a thin layer that blocks their breathing pores, causing suffocation due to surface tension.
- Dispose of the dead cockroach as soon as possible since they may recover if the water dries up or if the solution doesn’t cover most of their body.
Use insecticide sprays. Purchase an insecticide specifically formulated for cockroaches containing active ingredients like cyfluthrin or other pest-killing chemicals. Spray it in areas where cockroaches may hide or enter the home, including along walls, in cracks, and air vents.
- Keep children and pets away from areas where the spray is applied and follow the product’s label instructions.
- If using cockroach bait at the same time, avoid spraying near the bait. Insecticides may contaminate the bait, making cockroaches avoid it.
- Insecticide sprays work immediately, but they can also drive cockroaches deeper into the walls, worsening the situation. Treating the entire colony, including the nest, is just as important as eliminating the cockroaches on-site.
Hussam Bin Break
Chuyên gia Kiểm soát Dịch hại, Diagno Pest Control
Chuyên gia Kiểm soát Dịch hại, Diagno Pest Control
Chuyên gia đồng ý rằng: Thuốc xịt đuổi gián có tỷ lệ thành công cao hơn, và có thể loại bỏ gián hay giảm đáng kể sự xuất hiện của gián. Bạn nên sử dụng phương pháp mạnh tay như hóa chất đuổi gián thay cho các phương pháp tự chế tại nhà.
Dùng chất lỏng cô đặc. Việc sử dụng chất lỏng cô đặc từng là độc quyền của dịch vụ chuyên nghiệp, hiện nay đã được điều chế để sử dụng rộng rãi. Chất cô đặc là chất độc hoặc hóa chất xua đuổi được pha loãng với nước và xịt hoặc lau lên bất cứ bề mặt, khe nứt hoặc kẽ hở nào mà gián thường lui tới. Các sản phẩm này đặc biệt hiệu quả trong việc ngăn ngừa gián quay trở lại, vì chúng thường có tác dụng xua đuổi gián đến 1-2 tuần hoặc hơn.
Mua loại thuốc diệt côn trùng chuyên nghiệp. Trong trường hợp nặng nhất, bạn có thể mua loại thuốc mạnh nhất như một biện pháp cuối cùng. Tìm loại thuốc có chứa cypermethrin. Các loại bả, bẫy keo có pheromones và các loại thuốc xịt chuyên dụng khác có hiệu quả hơn nhiều so với các sản phẩm mua ở cửa hàng gia dụng. Cy-Kick CS là một sản phẩm bọc vi nang rất công hiệu trong việc diệt trừ gián. Có thể bạn phải mua trên mạng, vì loại thuốc này thường không bán ở các cửa hàng gia dụng. Chúng có thể diệt côn trùng sống và có tác dụng kéo dài đến 3 tháng. Xịt xung quanh nhà và những nơi như dưới tầng hầm.
- Nhược điểm của phương pháp này là nó diệt toàn bộ các loại sâu bọ và côn trùng, kể cả những loài ăn gián như nhện và cuốn chiếu.
- Chỉ dùng cách này như biện pháp cuối cùng, và không dùng khi có trẻ em và thú cưng ở xung quanh. Đây là một chất độc rất mạnh và sẽ gây hại cho bất cứ ai nuốt phải.
Dùng bẫy gián
Use cockroach traps bought from the store. These traps are designed to attract cockroaches, trapping them inside. Purchase multiple traps and place them in areas where you frequently see cockroaches. While this method can effectively eliminate a small number of cockroaches, it won't address the entire colony.
Use a jar of water. A simple and effective at-home method to trap cockroaches is by placing a jar next to the wall. This trap allows the cockroaches to crawl inside but prevents them from escaping. You can place any bait inside the jar, such as coffee grounds or water, even just plain water if the environment is dry. As with the previous method, it works well to eliminate adult cockroaches but won't target the colony or eggs.
Create a trap with a soda bottle. Take an empty plastic soda bottle and cut off the bottom, then invert the neck of the bottle and fit it into the body to create a funnel. Secure the funnel with tape around the mouth of the bottle. Pour a little soap and water into the bottle and place it where you often spot cockroaches. The roaches will crawl in and drown.
Prevent cockroaches from returning.
Move clutter away from the house. Cockroaches love hiding in piles of wood and other cozy spots, and when the weather turns cold, they tend to migrate indoors for warmth. Make sure to store wood far from your house. Also, clear out piles of straw, leaves, and other debris in your yard.
Seal all entry points to prevent cockroach infestations. Close up all cracks and gaps in the exterior walls to block cockroaches from entering your home. Also, seal any cracks inside the house wherever possible. This process may be time-consuming, but the results are worth it as it eliminates most of the cockroaches' hiding and breeding spots.
- Seal all gaps inside kitchen cabinets.
- Fill in cracks on both sides of floors, doors, and windows.
- Close off gaps around plumbing pipes in bathrooms and kitchens.
Set up traps to prevent cockroach re-infestations. Even if you've successfully removed a cockroach nest, setting up traps to prevent their return will help control them before they get out of hand. The best approach is to seal cracks near common entry points, like drain holes or vents. Here’s how to place the traps:
- Use insecticide gels or liquids (such as Raid). This serves as a secondary defense line if some cockroaches manage to slip past the cracks you've sealed; it will at least weaken them.
- Alternatively, sprinkle salt under cabinets and in gaps. If you need to leave for an extended period, mop the floor with salt water before you go.
- Seal cracks with Spackle or any mix that hardens. If the cracks are in baseboards or wooden floors, smooth over with resin or apply a wood finish after sealing. Spackle hardens within 4-6 hours and is safe for children.
Tips
- If you kill a cockroach, make sure to clean up all the remnants thoroughly. Even dead cockroaches can still harbor eggs that might hatch if not quickly removed. You must prevent a new infestation and destroy the entire nest.
- Cover pots, pans, and dishes when storing to prevent cockroaches from laying eggs inside them.
- Cover bathroom drain holes to prevent cockroaches from emerging from below.
- There's still debate over whether crushing a female cockroach destroys its eggs. Cockroach eggs are protected by a tough outer shell, but they likely won't survive if the mother is killed. However, it’s still wise to clean your shoes after stepping on one.
- Place a few mothballs in the corners of your home. Cockroaches despise the scent of mothballs.
- Keep your yard free of pet waste as cockroaches may feed on or bring it inside, causing contamination.
- If all else fails, consider calling a pest control expert. They are licensed to use stronger, more potent chemicals over a wider area, ensuring the safety of your family.
- Cockroaches often hide in ovens and feed on crumbs, so regularly clean them and heat the oven for about 3 minutes to eliminate food odors.
- For “baby” cockroaches, spraying alcohol (such as rubbing alcohol or alcohol-based aftershave) can be very effective. Hairspray can also work.
- To dispose of dead cockroaches, flush them down the toilet to remove them from your home.
- Natural cockroach repellents include peppermint oil, cucumber peels, citrus fruits, catnip, garlic, and clove oil.
- Mouse and rat traps are also effective in catching cockroaches.
Warnings
- Insecticides, cockroach baits, and other chemicals may cause poisoning, especially in children. Always read the warnings carefully and strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions.
- When spraying in your kitchen cabinets, hold your breath and spray quickly, or consider purchasing a mask to protect yourself while applying the spray. Opt for a pressurized spray bottle for faster results.
Essential Items
- Insecticide spray bottle
- Cockroach bait
- Cockroach traps
- Concentrated liquid
- Wall putty or caulking gun
- Zippered bags and sealed food containers
- Self-adhesive paper with cockroach repellent
- Cabinet or fluorescent light
- Canned tuna
