8 Best Home Remedies to Get Rid of Roaches Naturally

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8 Best Home Remedies to Get Rid of Roaches Naturally

How to Get Rid of Roaches Naturally Tidyhere Infographic

Finding unexpected and unwelcome guests isn’t fun in any scenario, especially when they’re nasty and annoying roaches. These obnoxious little bugs will make their presence known in the worst ways and the worst times and make it difficult to get them out. If you spot roaches anywhere in your home, you’ll need to get rid of them as fast as possible before things escalate.

Curious about how you can do this without breaking out those super smelly and harmful sprays and traps? We have a few safe and natural ways that you can find and remove roaches around your house that won’t harm your family or pets. Here are some of our best tips and tricks to get rid of roaches in your house as naturally as possible.

What Brings Roaches into Your Space?

Roaches are some of the nastiest little bugs to infest your home and garden. Their search for shelter, food, and water can bring them into your home’s kitchen and around any open or overflowing trashcans. They tend to linger around places where filth has accumulated on the ground and on surfaces like countertops, but just because you have roaches doesn’t mean you have a dirty home!

Cockroaches can contaminate food, cause allergic reactions, or even make cases of asthma worse, so getting rid of them as soon as you notice them is generally the best move for your health.
Now that you have a general idea of what brings those nasty suckers into and around your home, let’s find out the best and most natural ways to remove them.

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Roaches

Boric acid

Boric acid is an awesome and natural home remedy that actually works well for getting rid of roaches almost overnight. Just mix equal amounts of boric acid, flour, and sugar in a bowl until it becomes a thick and dough-like consistency. Place small pieces of the mix wherever the roaches can find and feed on them.

Borax

Borax is a powdery substance best known for its effective laundry-boosting power, but it can also be used as an alternative method for getting rid of roaches. Borax is safe to use around humans and pets in small amounts.

To use borax to manage your roach problem, just mix equal parts sugar and borax in a bowl, and then spread a generous dusting around the area where you’ve seen those pesky little bugs.

Mothballs

When you think of mothballs you probably think of your great-aunt’s musty old closet. They act as both moth deterrents and anti-mite attractants by releasing a smell, called naphthalene, that blocks their respiratory system and makes it hard for them to breathe.

You can place two or three mothballs around your house in areas where you’ve seen roaches, and they’ll likely stay away.

Essential Oils

Did you know that citrus and peppermint essential oils work well to keep roaches at bay? This is because these insects despise those scents. This method works pretty well for getting rid of roaches in and around your home. The scents of lemon and lemongrass essential oils will actually drive cockroaches away due to the strong scent of limonene.

Add a few drops of lemon, peppermint, or lemon grass essential oils to some cotton balls, and place them around your home where the roaches seem to congregate. You can also add a few drops to your mopping water to spread the scent across your rooms.

Ways to Prevent Roaches from Entering Your Home

roach gifs | WiffleGif

Deep Clean Weekly

Making sure you keep your home well-cleaned and free of clutter will help keep the nastiness that roaches bring away from your space. Weekly deep cleaning around your home, especially around the kitchen, bathrooms, and entryways, will help you keep those gross little suckers clear and under control.

Keep Your Kitchen Clean & Tidy

As we mentioned, kitchens are one of the more common rooms to find roaches in and around, so keeping them clean and free of any food debris is super important. Remember to wash the dishes, and wipe away leftover crumbs and spills from the counters and the sink before you tuck in for the day.

Make sure all your food is kept in sealable, air-tight containers, and include any dry goods you usually keep in your pantry. Don’t ever leave food out overnight so that any roaches that visit won’t be successful at finding a meal.

Keep the Garbage Can Covered

Roaches love the smells coming from your garbage can, so keeping it clean and securely covered with a lid is the best way to help keep the suckers out of your kitchen. Remember to empty your trash regularly, and never leave any smelly food debris or residue behind in the can or it will accumulate filth over time.

Stinky and grimed trashcans are basically an open invitation for roaches and maggots (EW!) to find their way into your home!

Seal Off Cracks & Holes

Cockroaches are annoying and persistent pests that can make a lot of trouble for many homeowners. One of the best ways to keep them out of your home is to block and seal all entrances where you suspect they may be coming through.

Areas to pay attention to and check out include tiny cracks or holes along baseboards, windows, doors, and cable or pipe holes. Even the smallest and less obvious and visible spaces can provide an opening into your home.

When Should You Call a Pest Control Company for Roaches?

How to Get Rid of Roaches Naturally Image Cockroach on the Kitchen Floor

When you find yourself in the middle of a heavy roach infestation, calling in some professional help is a must. A regular pest control company will likely use harmful chemicals, but they will use them in a far more safe and responsible manner than the average homeowner.

Be sure to do your research and read up on the best pest control companies in your area before making the call, a good company will be able to work with you and figure out what exactly your home needs to make sure those nasty roaches don’t come back. Remember to practice good sanitation after any pest removal to help further decrease the chances of a re-infestation in the future.

For more cleaning and lifestyle tips, tricks, and guides, check out our TidyHere Cleaning Services blog or book any of our available services to make sure your home stays happy and healthy (and roach free!).