Do you want to get rid of cockroaches without resorting to chemicals that are harmful to health and the environment? You are in the right place! Several effective natural solutions will get rid of these nasty critters for sure!
Diatomaceous earth is an excellent natural insecticide. It is effective, affordable, and safe for children and pets.
Composed of microscopic fossilized algae, diatomaceous earth is made up of thousands of mini-particles that are sharp for insects. When cockroaches come into contact with this natural product, it damages their exoskeleton, which eventually dehydrates them to certain death.
Diatomaceous earth comes in the form of a powder that should be spread on the places of passage of cockroaches as well as in their shelters. Put some in the corners, on the skirting boards, in the cracks of the walls, behind the furniture, and simply wait for it to exert its action.
The only disadvantages of diatomaceous earth: its powdery appearance makes it relatively messy and it absorbs moisture well. It cannot, therefore, be spread in damp places, which are nevertheless very popular with cockroaches!
2. BAKING SODA
Baking soda is one of the other fastest and easiest ways to get rid of cockroaches – and it’s probably something you already have in your natural home care closet!
To make a natural cockroach bait, dice some onions and sprinkle them with baking soda.
Then place this bait in a shallow dish or on a small paper plate in the places where you have noticed the presence of cockroaches. Consuming this bait will kill cockroaches by causing gas to form in their digestive system.
Be careful, however, not to leave this bait within reach of domestic dogs, cats, or ferrets. Onions are toxic effects on all domestic carnivores. Their consumption is the origin of hemolytic anemia which could be fatal to them!
For a pet-safe version, skip the onion and simply mix baking soda with powdered sugar!
3. ESSENTIAL OILS
With their fresh and tangy smell, citrus essential oils are excellent repellents for cockroaches who hate their scent! The same is true for eucalyptus essential oil.
To make a natural cockroach repellent, mix a few drops of lemon or eucalyptus essential oil into the cleaning products you will use to clean the surfaces and floors of cockroach-infested areas.
Even better: use a homemade cleaner made with white vinegar and essential oils to scare away cockroaches. The combined smell of these two products is the best of natural repellents.
To prolong the effect of essential oils, it is also possible to deposit a few drops of pure or neutral support in the places of passage of the cockroaches.
Note that the use of essential oils should be avoided in homes where young children live, pregnant or breastfeeding women, people allergic to essential oils, or pet cats!
Also, take into account that essential oils do not kill cockroaches unlike the natural solutions mentioned above but that they only keep them away.
4. A HOMEMADE GLUE TRAP
Use the cockroach’s legendary voracity for any leftover food against them!
Make homemade glue traps by placing a good layer of petroleum jelly and some leftover food at the bottom of an empty can, such as a can of sardine fillets. The cockroaches, attracted by the food, will remain stuck in the Vaseline placed at the bottom of the box when they come to consume it.
These homemade glue traps can, in addition to killing a few cockroaches without using harmful products, allow you to identify the areas where they concentrate and act in a more targeted way. Just count the number of dead or trapped cockroaches in the boxes to know where to step up your cockroach offensive!
5. WHAT ABOUT BORIC ACID?
Boric acid – or borax – has long been touted as one of the products for effectively and naturally getting rid of cockroaches. It is indeed extremely effective. When cockroaches come into contact with boric acid, the product sticks to their legs and wings. When they ingest the powder, it acts on their nervous and digestive systems and quickly kills them. It is also so effective against them that it is even part of the composition of many insecticide products on the market.
But, if it is deadly for cockroaches, is it as harmless as it is said for human beings? Not that much. Since 2013, the ANSM (National Medicines Safety Agency) has recognized boric acid as a product that can harm fertility and development. It can also be toxic in children, the elderly, or kidney failure. For all these reasons, you will easily understand that it is therefore advisable to avoid using this kind of product at home to fight against cockroaches.
