6 Steps to Get Rid of Cockroaches Completely in 2023

Getting rid of cockroaches is becoming harder due to the adaptation to the current chemicals used. Roaches have no boundaries; they can be found in immaculate homes and vice versa. Experts have proven that cockroaches can transmit harmful bacteria through their mouths. Harmful organisms are carried through the roaches’ saliva. Bacteria carried can cause harmful effects such as; diarrhea, dysentery, and food poisoning. 

 There are over 3000 species around the world, with 70 of them live where humans live. Only 5 species have manifested themselves extensively. They include American, German, Oriental, Smoky Brown, and Brownbanded. The most common of these five are the American and the German cockroaches. 

 In this text, we will look at the 2 most common roaches and ways to get rid of them effectively. For an effective roach elimination, you must identify the type of roach that has infested your house. American cockroach requires a different approach compared to the German cockroach. The latter is considered the most resilient to common treatment methods. 

German roaches are relatively small compared to the Americans and reproduce very quickly. This makes infestation manifest quickly. No one method can get rid of cockroaches completely by itself. It would help if you had a combination of methods due to some roaches gaining resistance to pesticides. 

 Below we will look at the most used and proven ways to get rid of cockroaches effectively. But before you embark on a journey to the methods discussed below, restrain from leaving food particles on counters and floor. Minute food particles will attract them. Always strive to be clean. Also, dry everything you clean. It will make them thirsty and eventually die. 

How to Get Rid of Cockroaches Completely 

Before we even look at the pesticides to use, let us examine what is necessary to prevent a roach comeback. There is no point in creating a place with pesticides, only for the roaches to come back when you stop. Take note of the following points. 

Strive to Be 100% Clean

Clean all the food particles on countertops, on the floor every time. Roaches frequent places that have food particles. For this reason, make it a point to clean all kitchen utensils that you used. Also, mop and vacuum the floors every time. You need to make sure that you and your family eat at the same place all the time. The dining room or an area designated for eating food will reduce the size you need to clean after. 

Make Them Thirsty

 Roaches can go up to 18 days without water and almost a month without food. Develop a habit of drying everything in the kitchen and where ever they are present. Close faucets tight every time. Depriving them of water for an extended time will surely kill them. 

Which are The Steps to Take to Get rid of the Roaches 

Establish the Source 

The first and the most important thing to do is to know where the roaches reside. They are nocturnal insects; therefore, the best time to do this operation is during the night. Check areas such as kitchen cabinets, cracks, and crevices, bathrooms. Some roaches, especially in apartments, come from outside therefore, it is imperative to determine where they enter your house. 

Prepare the Pesticides to Use 

After establishing the source and the cockroaches’ residence, it is time to prepare the pesticides to use. It is a known fact that you cannot get rid of roaches completely by using only one type of pesticide. After some time, roaches, especially the German ones, develop some immunity to a pesticide. To eliminate an infestation, you will need to have the following pesticides; cockroach gel bait, roach traps, boric acid, sugar, flour, and pest repellent. Remember using only one of the above will not be effective, and roaches will reappear. The next step will be the order of how you are going to administer the pesticides. 

Apply the Cockroach Gel Bait  

The first pesticide to apply is gel bait. Most of the roach gels in the market work very well in attracting the roaches, but they only work for some time. Before you settle for a particular roach gel:

1. Make sure you have done some research on it.
2. Read reviews from people who have used it before.
3. After getting the gel, apply pea size spots on roach paths you established earlier.

Most roach gel manufacturers recommend avoiding using roach sprays while using gels as it would render the gel ineffective. 

Set the Roach Traps 

Roach traps work really well in tandem with the roach gel. As a rule of the thumb, read reviews before settling for roach traps. Some are more effective than others. Setting these traps will capture the roaches that might not get to the gel. 

Alternate Gel With Boric Acid

Roaches become bait averse after using the gel bait for some time. To avoid this, alternate roach gel with boric acid after a week’s treatment. To prepare a boric acid treatment, you need to make dough with an equal amount of boric acid, flour, and sugar. Make small balls and place them along the roach path. 

Place Ultrasonic Insect/Pest Repellents

To avoid reappearance of the roaches, placing ultrasonic repellents is recommended. These types of repellents work by emitting low-frequency sound waves inaudible to humans and pets but a nuisance to roaches, mice, rats, spiders, mosquitoes, and many more bugs. Bugs will leave on their own. 

The above steps work very well for commercial and residential establishments if the right pesticides are used. If you follow the steps correctly, you will eliminate the roaches for years. This will, in turn, save you a lot of money which you could have otherwise used on an exterminator. Before purchasing any pesticide, do some research which can be accomplished by reading reviews from past users. A good place to start is Amazon, where there are many reviews on any pest eradication chemical.