If you have roaches in your apartment, there is good news. There are many home remedies and easy ways to get rid of roaches or baby roaches in an apartment. However, you must note that you cannot ban cockroaches completely from your apartment if your neighbor has them. To get rid of roaches in an apartment permanently, you need the cooperation of your landlord as well as other tenants. Many a family has had to break their apartment lease on account of this. Here are some ways to get rid of cockroaches in an apartment for good.
1. Eliminate food trails
Cockroaches need food, water and shelter to survive and they use scent trails left by your leftover food and debris. By minimizing leftovers in your kitchen, you can easily control roaches. Roaches also love warm, humid areas such as kitchens, basements and baths. They especially love to hide in cracks and crevices. By minimizing clutter in these areas, you can prevent them from breeding. Here are some tips:
- Pack leftovers in air tight containers and refrigerate them.
- Limit areas where you eat food. Clean, wipe, sweep and mop after eating.
- Take care of spills immediately
- Avoid leaving dishes in the sink. Wash them immediately.
- Clean inside, under and around the appliances like microwave, dishwasher etc.
- Take care of drains from time to time by using enzyme cleaners, acids or vinegar. For clogged drains, use a solution of baking soda and vinegar. You can also add boiling water to drains to cut the grease. Invest in a stiff wire brush to clean drains.
- Keep trash covered whether you keep it indoors or outdoors. This is necessary to cut the scent trails. Clean the trash can regularly and remove trash every day as far as possible.
- Use vinegar- This is one of the best natural ways to get rid of cockroaches. Clean all your countertops, dining tables and other surfaces with vinegar and water (dilution ratio of 50:50). This will help remove scent trails.
- Regularly vacuum floors.
2. Limit their entry points
If a cockroach cannot enter your home, a roach infestation should never be a problem for you. If your neighbor has roaches, you might want to seal crevices around water pipes, baseboards, outlets and windows. You may even need to put screens over windows and drains.
- Limit shelter areas
- Trash cardboard boxes immediately-If you have recently moved into the apartment, make sure you immediately discard your cardboard packing boxes as they are the best places for roaches to breed in.
- Fix peeling wallpapers.
- Caulk and seal cracks and holes.
- Cover drains
- Examine potted plants. If infested, trash them.
- Repair loose floorboards and molding.
- Check electronics, behind books, painting or photo frames etc.
3. Use chemical defense
Chemical methods of eliminating roaches should be your last resort. The first line of defense must be to eliminate food sources. Whatever you do, avoid aerosols, sprays, foggers and bug bombs. These methods are outdated and will do nothing to adult or baby roaches in your apartment. Moreover, they can even harm your family’s health. Use cockroach baits instead. Insect growth regulators with Hydroprene are most effective cockroach baits. Boric acid, fipronil and imidacloprid also work well on roach species. Here are some more ways to eliminate cockroaches completely with chemicals:
- Use dessicants like silica gel or boric acid powder or diatomaceous earth in dry areas. You can use these on walls and inside cabinets where the exposure to people and pets is minmal.
- Use professional-recommended liquid insecticides inside cracks and crevices.
4. Reduce humidity in your home
If your house is humid, use a dehumidifier to reduce it. Make sure you empty the dehumidifier water frequently.
5. Remedies for cockroaches that do not work
In your fight against roaches, you might feel tempted to use herbs, spices, ultrasonic devices and other so called ‘natural bug zappers’. None of these are fool proof methods and most offer only temporary control. Likewise, aluminum foil or human or horse hair does not repel roaches. These are all old wives tales which are a huge waste of time.
6. If all else fails, get help from the pros
If the above easy ways to get rid of cockroaches do not work, seek professional help. Get at least 3 different companies to give you a cost estimate. Ask each professional detailed questions about the procedures they plan on using.
I hope these easy ways to get rid of cockroaches help you get rid of them for good!