Cockroaches, often found in the kitchen, are a significant health concern due to their ability to transfer bacteria and allergens. While chemical solutions may offer a quick fix, they can harm all living beings and the planet. However, there is a more effective and ecological way to get rid of cockroaches for good: by using natural solutions. These solutions, when used correctly, can empower you to take control of your home and eliminate the pest problem.
In this guide, we will discuss the life cycle of cockroaches, their behavior, and the natural resources that can keep them away from the kitchen.
Graphical Understanding of Cockroaches
The most important thing to do is learn which solutions one should avoid; before doing so, one has to ask what the reason cockroaches invade kitchens in the first place is and what their habits are.
Reason For Cockroaches To Live in Kitchens
- Food Supply: Due to being omnivorous and eating leftovers, scraps, grease, glue, and cardboard, cockroaches have a lot of food to consume.
- Availability of Water: Cockroaches use water to survive and are found near sinks and leaky pipes.
- A place to hide: Sinks, holes, cupboards, and smelly rot can all be found in kitchens that make ideal cockroach nests.
Cockroach Life Cycle
A cockroach infestation scenario might get out of hand, but even the thought of them laying 50 eggs at once is shocking. With such rapid reproduction of females, one can understand the nymphs maturing to adults after a few weeks, and to think otherwise kills the point initially made.
Cockroaches and their Health Effects
Cockroaches, often categorized as pests, have the potential to be much more lethal. Their ability to spread diseases such as Salmonella and E. coli, as well as their allergenic droppings, can pose serious health risks. Understanding these dangers can help you realize the urgency of addressing a cockroach infestation.
- Disease Spread: A cockroach’s mouth is filled with bacteria such as Salmonella and E coli, which quickly spread pathogens as well as food that has been contaminated,
- Allergies: Dropping, shed skin, and saliva are all things a cockroach does; it’s not a pleasure for many children, especially people with asthma; all of these can worsen the conditions,
- Food Issues: In the longer run, worn-out food that hasn’t been eaten might cause a cockroach infestation.
Ways to Control Cockroach Issue
1. Wipe Everything with a Cloth
It might seem counter-intuitive, but a clean environment is the ideal way to eliminate and prevent a cockroach infestation.
Cleaning Phase: Whenever something spills, immediately clean it up and wipe the surfaces in your home along with floors and, most importantly, the furniture.
Less Clutter: Hiding spots are the primary concern, as many people live in a house, so remove unnecessary things such as food and cutlery from cabinets and countertops.
Good Food Storage: Leftover food should never be left out in the open; put it in an airtight container.
Regular Bin Disposal: Cleaning your empty trash or bin once a week will lessen the odors. To live a healthier life, dispose of your cooking waste daily.
2. Seal Entryways
Cockroaches are known to enter homes via small openings, so checking and sealing the entryways is critical.
Examine The Kitchen Area: Cracks on the wall, pipe gaps, and cabinetry.
Using a Caulk: A Caulk is ideal for stopping up the entryways in your house.
Screw on Door Sweeps: Stops cockroaches from squeezing inside doors from under the doors.
3. Use Natural Repellents
Bay Leaves
Dried Bay leaves can be used in drawers, corners, and cabinets because their scent keeps cockroaches away.
Cucumber Peels
Freshly peeled cucumbers should be put in crawlers as they are cockroach repellent, but maintaining them regularly is required.
4. Cockroach Traps Homemade
Sugar and Bicarbonate Trap
In equal proportions, take baking soda and sugar and mix them. Take shallow dishes and place them around areas where cockroaches are mostly found. Since they tend to have a sweet tooth, they will be lured to sugar, but then the baking soda will reach their digestive system and end their life.
Petroleum Jelly Jar Trap
Now, take a glass jar and coat its internal surface with petroleum jelly; next, take bait such as fruit peels and place them in the jar. Cockroaches can climb but will not get out of the jar.
5. Essential Oils
Use of Peppermint Oil
To drive cockroaches away, you can take a water mix and a few drops of peppermint oil with it and spray it where they are usually found.
Tea Tree Oil
Let’s begin with tea tree oil. All that must be done is dilute tea tree oil in water, which can be used as a natural repellent.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth, when food-grade, can be sprinkled on cracks, appliances, and walls. It can dehydrate and kill cockroaches with just one contact.
Neem (Indian Lilac)
It is potent enough to repel cockroaches by spraying the oil on the areas most affected by the insects.
Lipstick can also use neem powder to further protect lipsticks in cracks or within the lipstick casing.
Garlic, Onion and Pepper spray onions, and red pepper powder
All that’s needed to be done is to mix garlic paste, water, and onion juice with red pepper powder. Squeeze this into an area where cockroaches usually tend to roam around.
Citrus Peels
Dried orange or lemon peels can be placed in drawers and cabinets as a rowhome deterrent due to the smell and dislike of many citrus. An alternative to this can be mopping with citrus juice over countertop tables.
Borax Mixture
Borax, combined with sugar or flour and placed in an invaded space, will avoid roaches, as an empty stomach will not allow the digestive system to work, leading to the roaches’ demise.
Preventive Measures to Avoid Cockroaches
- Water leaks Fixing clogged sinks, dirty pipes, and leaking taps will save roaches from turning to a water source that is otherwise foul.
- Ventilation exhaust fans within a kitchen will help keep the space dry and well-ventilated.
3. Regular Monitoring
Even after successfully eradicating cockroaches, it’s important to keep an eye on your kitchen to prevent their return. This proactive approach will help you stay in control and ensure your home remains pest-free.
When Should You Get Help?
If your infestation persists despite your best efforts with natural methods, or if it becomes overwhelming, it may be time to consider professional pest control. Look for companies that offer non-chemical solutions to align with your eco-friendly goals.
Conclusion
It might feel impossible to eliminate cockroaches in your kitchen, but with the right natural approaches, they can be eliminated for good. The best way to prevent the infestation in the first place is always to keep the kitchen clean, seal off all entry points, and use natural repellents. Start immediately following the steps to achieve a clean and pest-free kitchen space.
