Find a cockroach in your home? 4 ways to get rid of roaches fast — and keep yourself calm in the process
If you spot a roach, keep calm and carry on. There are a few simple, yet effective ways to get rid of the disgusting insects.
Take some notes and head over to the store to buy a few items that can come in handy for an overnight solution.
Science in the works
The first helpful purchase would be boric acid. Put small amounts of the substance close to appliances, baseboards, or anywhere you’ve spotted the nasty critters.
Boric acid damages the roach’s exoskeleton causing them to die shortly after coming in contact. Another method is to mix up boric acid, sugar and flour in order to create small dough-like balls, to place around the house as bait.
© Getty ImagesA second technique is to use the baking soda that you probably already have in your kitchen. Take any piece of food and cover it with baking powder and leave it around the house overnight to capture the pests.
If you have a house with pets, unlike with boric acid, baking soda is harmless, unless large chunks of it are ingested, therefore make sure to use only small amounts to be safe.
© Getty ImagesOld tricks still work
The third trick is an old one, but a good one. Place sticky traps all around your home, especially in extra tight spaces such as under the fridge or sink.
Adding food to the sticky traps helps lure the critters faster to the area. As soon as some are captured, make sure to put in a new one so that the insects aren’t warned by insects that were already caught in the trap.
© Getty ImagesThe fourth option is to use dish soap to your advantage. Simply mix four tablespoons of dish detergent with one liter of water in a spray bottle and then spray freely in the areas that you’ve spotted roaches before.
The soup decreases the insect’s ability to breathe, therefore they can suffocate if surrounded by soap. If you have pets or children at home, it is not recommended to use this option.
© Getty ImagesPreventable options
In order to prevent future insects, make sure to regularly clean up all areas, especially the kitchen which is full of food. Also toss out any leftovers that are overdue for consumption.
Another thing to consider is to keep all your garbage bins tightly sealed and to get rid of garbage quickly instead of allowing it to rot or get spoiled in the garbage bag.
An additional trick that could help is to fill any small areas that insects can get through such as water pipes or leaky faucets, in order to make your home roach-free.
