Customer LoginGerman Cockroach. The most common roach in United States Homes. Their color varies from light brown to tan, except for 2 dark streaks on the shield-like segment behind the head. They only grow to be about 1/2 inch in length. They prefer infesting the kitchen and bathroom, but will live anywhere that is heated, has food, water and harborage. They are active at night. Breeds throughout the year. Favors humid atmosphere and an average temperature 70°.
Where they’re coming from. This is easier said than done, look for fecal pellets around house corners. Check all around the house for cracks and holes through which roaches may enter. Roaches often enter through drains or vents, so you can’t seal up everything.
Kill Them! There are a variety of do-it-yourself options for killing cockroaches. Some of the more well regarded of these are listed below.
- Make “Roach Food” Kids, dogs, and some other pets will eat this mixture. Boric acid is not highly toxic, but is for external use ONLY, so place it where only the bugs can get it.
- One part powdered (not granular) boric acid (sometimes sold as a roach-killing powder, but often available in pharmacies (for making anti-pinkeye eyewash), one part white flour, one part granulated white sugar. The sugar baits it, the flour makes it stick, and the boric acid kills them. Place in the backs of drawers and cabinets, under refrigerator, stove, etc. Expect at least 3 cycles of disappearance/reemergence of progressively smaller hordes of cockroaches, lasting about 2 weeks each. Continue using boric acid till roaches are gone.
- Dust with boric acid, flour and cocoa(1 part acid, 2 parts flour and 1 part cocoa). Try P.F. Harris Roach tablets. They contain boric acid and a lure. While still dangerous for kids and pets, this product is not as toxic as many insecticides, and the roaches aren’t repelled by it so they drag it home and feed it to their hatchlings. Dust a fine coat in cupboards, under sinks, around toilets and any cracks, corners or hollow spaces. Avoid breathing the powder; like any acid, it can irritate the lungs.
- Get cockroach bait, it is either housed in a childproof case or applied as a gel and contains a slow-working poison mixed in with an attractive (for cockroaches) food. The roaches eat the poison and bring it back to the nest, where it eventually kills all the roaches. Place the bait in an area where you know cockroaches will encounter it.
- Use cockroach traps to lure cockroaches in and then trap them with an adhesive. Get several of these, and place them wherever cockroaches are known to frequent.
- Use a simple solution of soap and water. This, to some, is the easiest thing to do. Just make a light solution of soap (bath soap is fine) and water. You can splash this, spray this or just throw this on the roach. Just a little water will do , even 2 or 3 drops can kill, if used effectively. Ensure that it makes contact with the roaches head and lower abdomen (its belly if you can turn the roach over). The roach will run or try to run, but will suddenly stop and die or be almost dead in one minute. It is best to throw it out as soon as possible, as it may revive. This happens because the roach breathes through its skin. The soapy water forms a thin film on the breathing pores, and effectively blocks them (surface tension), causing the roach to suffocate to death or to near death, although it could recover if the water dries up or has not touched a large percentage of its body. Try this and you will have amazing results for free.
Prevent re-infestation.
- Put moth balls on corners. Roaches hate their smell.
- Prevent bugs from coming up the drain. If you believe that the cockroaches are coming up your drains, pour regular, cheap bleach down the drains before leaving the house in the morning. For a stronger solution, mix 1 part borax with 3 parts bleach.
- Move logs and other debris away from the outside of the house. Cockroaches love piles of wood and other convenient hiding places, and as the weather turns colder, they’ll migrate inside the house to keep warm.
Call A1-Exterminators. If the above methods don’t work, call us at 1-800-525-4825. We have been successfully exterminating cockroaches and other uninvited guests from homes for over 50 years. All of the materials used in the living area of your home meet or exceed state and local regulatory requirements. Our Licensed Technicians use ODORLESS products that are applied with modern effective equipment. We offer our Pest Prevention Plan to keep your home pest free.