Cockroaches are one of the most common house insects worldwide. Everyone should know how to get rid of cockroaches inside their homes. The pesky insects appear out of nowhere and are difficult to kill.

Getting rid of roaches is not hard. Chances are, you can do it by yourself.

If you can’t get rid of them, we have answers, so rest easy. This is your year, and your house should be as peaceful and inviting as possible.

Types Of Cockroaches

Cockroaches exist on every continent except Antarctica. There are roach fossils dating back 350 million years.

The insect can survive for seven days without its head. They can also hold their breath for 40 minutes. Today, over 4,000 types of cockroaches exist on the planet.

Here are the most common types of cockroaches found in homes:

American Cockroach

The American cockroach is under three inches. It is reddish-brown in color and has a yellow band behind its head. Each egg capsule contains about 16 eggs and females lay eggs about once a month.

It is the most common type of cockroach in the US.

Brown-Banded Cockroach

The brown-banded cockroach is one of the tiniest and most invasive cockroach species. They do not grow longer than 15mm, which is about half an inch. They get their name from the brown band on their backs.

These roaches aren’t as drawn to moisture and instead lay their eggs in furniture. They live in your furniture with their newborn children.

German Cockroach

German cockroaches lay 40 eggs at once, making them one of the fastest-spreading cockroaches in the world. Despite the name, they can be found in most countries. They are brown and have two black horizontal stripes behind the head.

German cockroaches can fly. They are larger than the brown-banded cockroach but don’t look like them.

Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

The Madagascar hissing cockroach is even scarier than its name. It is one of the largest cockroaches in the world at about 7.5cm. They have long horns and antennae and are one of the few cockroaches with visible gender differences.

Males have larger pronotal humps on their thorax and bushier antennae than females. Males are known to be aggressive as well but neither male nor female pose any danger to humans.

Oriental Cockroach

Like the Madagascar cockroach, male and female oriental cockroaches look different. Males do not grow longer than reach 25mm while females are a few millimeters longer. Males have wings, but females do not.

Females have a wing covering which stretches across their back and protects their thorax.

Smokybrown Cockroach

The Smokybrown cockroach is one of the few cockroaches that not only has wings but rely on them to travel. They grow up to 40mm long. and are shiny black or mahogany.

Will Cockroaches Go Away On Their Own?

The bad thing about cockroaches is that they will not leave without motivation. There is no timer that goes off, sending them home. They live, breed, and eat in your home until you get rid of them with a little elbow grease.

Another thing about cockroaches is if you see one, there’s more. Regardless of how many cockroaches you see, there are ten times more hiding in your walls and behind furniture. They multiply fast and there’s always more than you think.

How To Prevent Cockroaches

The first step in getting rid of cockroaches is to prevent them from gathering. If you get rid of them but don’t prevent more from coming back, then all the work you have done will have been for nothing.

Keep your house clean by doing small chores and deep clean once a month.

Spring Cleaning

It’s that time of the year. It doesn’t have to be springtime to deep clean your house. You can do it this week and the results will be well worth it. When deep cleaning, keep those cockroaches in mind.

Clean your cabinets, check the inside of your furniture, and make sure there aren’t insect droppings at the bottom of your closets.

Seal Your House

Clogging any holes around the house will prevent roaches from finding a way inside. Walk the border of your home both inside and out and mark any places that need to be filled. Use spray foam to take care of large holes and cracks.

For smaller cracks, you can use silicone or caulk. Both are effective in sealing out moisture and air from the outside. You can use them to leave bugs without any access to your home.

Remove Moisture

Cockroaches are attracted to moisture. So make sure that you keep your dirty clothes sealed up, your pipes dry, and don’t leave anything wet out. Not only can doing these things prevent cockroaches but they can prevent mold as well.

It’s a good idea to keep your house dry and cool. Moisture builds in heat. Not to mention, roaches are attracted to warm, moist areas.

Seal Trash, Garbage, And Food Containers

Cockroaches are attracted to two things: moisture and food. If you dry everything up, all that’s left is food. Remove any food source that may attract them and you just may prevent them for good.

How do you get rid of the cockroaches roaming around your house?

How To Get Rid Of Cockroaches Naturally

When you can, it’s best to get rid of cockroaches naturally. Unlike ants, which are easy to get rid of without chemicals or over-the-counter products, cockroaches need a little more work. If you’ve come this far, chances are, it will be worth it.

Boric Acid

Boric acid is the number one way to kill cockroaches with the items you likely already have in your home. You can sprinkle it in popular roach hangouts or, mix it with powdered sugar and bait the roach out.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is the most effective way to kill cockroaches. Use the same method you would use with boric acid. The way it works is that cockroaches walk on it or eat it. This dries them out, leaving them hollow shells.

How To Get Rid Of Cockroaches With Over-The-Counter Methods

Since getting rid of cockroaches without buying anything special is difficult, most people resort to an over-the-counter method. This doesn’t mean it has to be full of chemicals, it just means you may need to buy something designed to get rid of cockroaches.

Roach Bomb

A roach bomb, or fogger, is about what you think it is. You literally gas the roaches out by spraying it in a confined space where they can’t escape. However, whenever you do place a bomb, you should leave your home while it airs out.

Roach Bait

Roach bait works just like boric acid and powdered sugar do. It draws the roaches out, has them eat the harmful concoction, and leaves them to die. It’s a simple way to do it, but shouldn’t be used if there are dogs or children in the home.

Roach Trap

A roach trap works like a mousetrap. You can line areas with glue traps that will catch the roach, leaving it alive, but stuck. You’ll have to clean them up, but then again, you will have to clean the dead roaches up no matter what method you use.

Roach Tablet

A roach tablet is usually a boric acid tablet that’s easier to use than powder. You place them in areas where you notice roaches and it can take care of them overnight. It’s the same as sprinkling the boric acid, just much simpler and cleaner.

Roach Spray

Roach spray is probably the most common way to get rid of roaches. It works fairly well. You simply spray it around the perimeter of your house and hope for the best. It’s best to let your house air out afterward though and to stay outside for a few minutes.

You will also need to mop up the spray after it has done its job as you don’t want the chemicals sticking around for your family to touch or breathe.

Calling A Professional

If you’ve done all you can and the cockroaches won’t go away, you may need to call a professional. You will need to look up exterminators in your area because there aren’t many companies that cover the country.

The professional will come in and spray your house, both inside and outside. You can continue on with your life while he’s there, simply move any furniture he requests you to move in order to get thorough coverage.

What most people don’t realize is that you can have a professional visit monthly at a discounted price and spray for cockroaches. Most companies, both private and public, will offer a great discount for this.

They can come once a month or on some other agreed-upon schedule. You can either pay ahead of time or after each visit. This is the perfect way to make sure that cockroaches stay gone for good!

Dead Cockroaches Are A Good Thing

Most people cringe at the sight of a dead cockroach. The more dead cockroaches you see, the better. Whether you do it yourself or call a professional, dead cockroaches around the house means that your method is working.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ

What are some overnight home remedies to kill roaches?

Many overnight home remedies can kill roaches. One DIY solution is baking soda and onions. Dice a small portion of onions and sprinkle baking soda over them.

Put the onions on a small tray or in a shallow container. Whichever you use, place it where the roaches are. When a cockroach eats baking soda, gas will build up in its stomach and cause it to explode.

Peppermint essential oil and cypress oil are also effective natural roach repellents.

Are cockroaches dangerous?

Believe it or not, cockroaches are dangerous. The World Health Organization (WHO) said roaches carry intestinal diseases like dysentery, diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid fever.

Cockroaches are an allergen source. They can harm those suffering from asthma. The bugs also carry bacteria and infect food sources, causing salmonella, staphylococcus, and streptococcus.

Roaches don’t bite, but they do scratch. You can get infected from a cockroach scratch if you don’t treat it.

What is cockroach milk?

A specific type of cockroach makes milk. After a roach gives birth, it generates milk from protein crystals.

Entymologists have said crystalline milk is nutritious and rich in protein. Cockroach milk is a protein, carb, and fat source.

The problem is how harvesting roach milk isn’t easy. You need to find a pregnant female cockroach while it’s lactating. Next, remove the protein milk crystals from its stomach.

For three ounces of cockroach milk, you would need to kill 1,000 pregnant roaches.

How To Get Rid Of Cockroaches Conclusion

Cockroaches are everywhere, but that doesn’t mean you have to let them in your home. There are many remedies to choose from to keep the insects away.

Before you call a professional exterminator, see if you can use a DIY remedy. Simple rules apply when protecting your kitchen from insects. If you allow room for common sense and you’ll be fine.