Seven Simple Ways to Get Rid of Roaches

This is the second of a two part article on how to eliminate roaches from your home. The first part discussed how to keep roaches from entering your home or apartment in the first place. This second part will deal with roach control and how to kill roaches safely without harming your family or pets.

It would be ideal to not have roaches enter your home in the first place. There's something about having to kill anything, even insects, that bothers me to some degree. I know it's silly! BUT, we all know roaches carry disease including Salmonella which we've heard so much about recently. It's important we practice roach control in order to protect our families and pets.

Roaches tend to be extremely tough insects so they can be hard to eliminate once they've entered your home. If possible, it's always best to use natural methods of roach control first since you don't want to jeopardize the health of your family and pets by exposing them to pesticides. Here are some natural ways to repel roaches if you don't have a large infestation:

1. Did you know catnip acts as a natural roach repellent and is also nontoxic to humans and pets? Try filling small sachet bags with catnip and leave them in areas where you would expect roaches to congregate.

2. Invest in some roach traps. Roach traps are small boxes with a sticky residue attached to the inside. Once the roach enters the box, he's unable to exit and will eventually starve. These are suitable for small infestations but probably won't be sufficient if you harbor a large roach population.

4. Another technique that's been shown to work is mixing boric acid with a bit of brown sugar and placing it on high surfaces. Don't place it at ground level for two reasons. Roaches prefer high places and boric acid can be toxic to pets if ingested.

5. If you spot a roach, spray him with a bottle of soapy water. Soapy water will kill roaches in a matter of minutes.

6. Use a steam cleaning to rid your home of roaches. Steam can be sprayed into openings where roaches enter and leave your home which should kill any roaches present. This may best be done by a professional.

7. Another natural roach repellent according to some sources is an equal mixture of tea tree oil and citronella oil.

If the above measures don't work to kill roaches and eliminate them from your home , you may have to consider using a professional exterminator. Only use this as a last resort since you don't want to expose yourself or your loved ones to potentially harmful chemicals. By having a better understanding of roach control, you can have a much more peaceful and healthy home!