Having cockroaches at home is a nightmare.
Big or small – these disgusting pests multiply incredibly fast. A female roach lays around 200 to 300 eggs in a year, and each egg becomes an adult in 3 to 4 months. So, you can probably imagine the level of infestation in just half a year.
But that’s not all.
The worst part is that cockroaches are known to carry 33 different kinds of bacteria and 6 parasite species. And these pests don’t hesitate to crawl all over the floor, kitchen counters, and even our mobile phones. They contaminate every single thing in the house!
So, if you have cockroaches at home, you must know how to get rid of roaches overnight home remedies. This information will be a life-saver – quite literally.
Don’t believe us? Give it a read and be your own judge!
What Kills Roaches Immediately?
Most people would say crush them. But what do you do when there are a lot of huge roaches in the house? What if you try crushing one and the other jumps over you? Yikes!
Well, don’t worry because it is possible to kill a cockroach – without getting close to them.
Here are some simple ways to try:
1. Borax/Boric Acid
Both borax and boric acid are different versions of the same compound (i.e. Boron).
Borax is extracted directly from the ground and used as a cleaning agent. Meanwhile, boric acid is refined and processed to be used in chemical products. You can find both of them sold independently at any supermarket.
These instant roach killers work by dehydrating the cockroach’s exoskeleton. You just have to sprinkle the powder on top of the cockroaches. When the powder comes in contact with their bodies, it will stick and dehydrate them in a few minutes.
Alternatively, if the roaches are hidden, sprinkle borax or boric acid powder on fruit peels and leave them on the ground.
2. Soapy Water
The exoskeleton of a cockroach is its natural waterproofing system. It’s covered in a thin layer of wax, which keeps the moisture from moving out of the body. So, just like borax and boric acid, spraying soapy water on a roach removes its wax layer and dehydrates it to death.
This is a simple and cheap technique to get rid of cockroaches. Fill an empty spray bottle with water and 3 to 4 drops of dish soap. Shake the bottle and spray the solution generously over roaches.
3. Roach Fogger
A roach fogger is a small aerosol spray that contains a strong insecticide formulation. It kills all types of cockroaches instantly. Plus, it is easily available in all supermarkets and online stores.
You should keep the activated fogger in cockroach-infested areas, like garbage cans, bathrooms, and under sinks. But don’t place it in a room where kids, animals, or other living things are present. The fumes can be toxic.
4. Pyrethroid-Based sprays
If you can’t find a roach fogger and don’t want to try a home remedy either, you can look for pyrethroid-based sprays. Pyrethroid refers to a man-made pesticide that is very powerful and works on all insects.
This pesticide is basically neurotoxic, which means it freezes neural activity in the body. As a result, the insect is paralyzed and eventually starves to death.
5. Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
Diatomaceous earth is a natural insecticide for killing roaches instantly. The particles cover the cockroach’s exoskeleton and dehydrate it – similar to borax and soapy water. But, make sure you sprinkle a generous amount on these pesky bugs.
6. Bleach
If cockroaches are hiding down a drain pipe, the best way to kill them quickly is to pour a quarter cup of bleach and close the drain opening. This will trap the roaches inside as the bleach poisons them.
5 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Roaches Overnight
Now, the methods above will help you kill cockroaches instantly. But if you have some time at hand – let’s suppose a night, we suggest you work on a solution that gets rid of cockroaches permanently.
Here are some simple home remedies to help you do that:
1. Baking Soda & Onions
You might not like the spicy smell of onions, but cockroaches love this vegetable. They will follow its strong spicy scent anywhere. So, we have chosen onions as the bait here.
Take a small onion and chop it into tiny pieces. Then, sprinkle a lot of baking soda and place the pieces in the corner of the infested room. All the roaches will be attracted to this clever bait!
And when they nibble on it, the baking soda particles will enter their stomach and produce gases. Since a cockroach’s body isn’t big enough to regulate those gases, it will burst. However, make sure no pet consumes this bait as it can give a severe belly ache.
2. Sticky Tape Trap
If you have cockroaches all over the house and you aren’t sure which areas are heavily infested, this traditional trap is going to work wonders.
Simply, cut huge strips of duct tape and place them upside down. You can secure them to the floor using another sticky tape. Then, stick a few sugar crystals or any food bait on the duct tape.
The food smell will attract the roaches to the duct tape. But as soon as they will crawl onto it, they will be stuck!
3. Plaster of Paris & Cornstarch
Plaster of Paris is a popular material for making casts and molds. The powder hardens when mixed with water. So, you can probably imagine what happens when a roach consumes the powder.
Make this instant roach killer by combining 1 tbsp of cornstarch (sugar bait) with 1 tbsp of plaster of Paris. Do not add even a drop of water as the mixture will become useless. Let the roaches come and consume it – the powder will automatically harden in their stomach.
4. Petroleum Jelly Trap
This is not the most effective trap for small cockroaches. But if you have a couple of huge American or German cockroaches roaming around, definitely give this trap a try.
Place an open transparent jar on the floor and throw in some bread pieces. Tape a cardboard strip or ruler to the outside of the jar – such that it acts like a ramp for the cockroach to get inside.
Now, rub petroleum jelly on the upper half of the jar (inside). Once the cockroach is inside, this will prevent it from climbing back up again. It will eventually starve to death. Or, if it doesn’t, you can spray an insecticide on the trapped roaches.
5. Coffee Grounds Trap
Cockroaches are as big fans of coffee as we are. They will follow the scent anywhere just to get a taste of this heavenly thing. So, a good way to use this against them is to create a trap!
To make this, fill a styrofoam cup with coffee grounds and place it in a water-filled jar. Make sure the cup is smaller than the jar. Now, place this jar on the floor or countertops (wherever you have seen roaches roaming around) and push it against the wall or cabinet.
This will allow cockroaches a way to jump into the coffee cup, but they will have no way to get outside. You can’t use this method for big roaches, though. Their wings will help them jump out or onto the walls.
| Note: These home remedies are based on the fact that cockroaches develop memories and have learning capacities. They form conditioned reflexes, which means they will stay away from things that they associate with danger or harm.
So, if one cockroach witnesses lots of roaches dying after consuming a certain thing, the roach will remember the smell/appearance of the place and avoid it in the future. This will help get rid of an infestation permanently. |
How to Keep Roaches Away at Night Naturally?
Once you’ve treated the cockroach infestation, don’t forget the matter completely. These pesky insects can return in the darkness of the night. So, make sure you have taken measures to deter them.
Here are a few cheap but effective ways to keep roaches away at night naturally:
1. Bay Leaves
Bay leaves have a distinct woody and herbal smell that is much similar to thyme and oregano. You can also find traces of menthol in its crushed form.
While this smell is loved by us, cockroaches loathe it. They stay away from closets and cabinets where bay leaves are kept. So, if roaches previously infested your kitchen, you can scatter bay leaves at night to act as a deterrent.
2. Citrus
Surprisingly, citrus fruits are one of the best natural repellents for insects. Just place lemon slices on countertops and watch pesky insects vanish.
But when dealing with roaches, you need to have a more powerful and widespread citrusy smell.
You can do this by adding a few lemon juice drops to the water that you’ll use for mopping floors. Or, just buy a citrus-scented floor cleaner.
3. Essential Oils
If you’ve essential oils and a diffuser at home, there could be no better way than this to repel cockroaches. The fragrance will not only keep cockroaches away, but it will also create a pleasant atmosphere for you.
However, make sure to pick the right essential oil. The most powerful cockroach repellents include peppermint oil, rosemary oil, and neem oil. You can also try lemongrass and Cyprus.
When to Call Professionals?
To recap, here’s how to get rid of roaches overnight home remedies:
- Baking soda & onion trap
- Sticky tape trap
- Plaster of Paris & cornstarch trap
- Petroleum jelly trap
- Coffee grounds trap
If you want to kill the roaches instantly, you can try borax/boric acid, soapy water, diatomaceous earth, bleach, roach fogger, or pyrethroid-based spray. Once they are killed, we recommend using bay leaves, citrus floor cleaners, and essential oils for prevention.
However, if you notice cockroaches returning after a few weeks, it’s a sign of a larger underground infestation. You should call a professional pest control company to help exterminate them completely.