Get a medium to large metal coffee can, or any old metal can I guess. Make sure it’s cleaned out and dry to start with, and is not rusty.
Then get some spray cooking oil and a few scraps of bread. Spray the inside of the can with cooking oil, then drop some bread scraps in there.
Now you have a roach trap, set it near where the roaches are generally at their worst, and they’ll crawl out of the walls and into the can to get their munch on, but won’t be able to crawl back out.
Check it every couple or few days or so, eventually the roaches will start piling up and most of them that have been in there for a bit will end up dying because they’re covered in the cooking oil and apparently can’t absorb oxygen.
Take the trap as necessary and either dump it in the toilet and flush them away, or if you have access to a bonfire burn pile, bag the little demons up and burn them. Then clean the can out and reset the trap as necessary.
Even with the worst infestations I’ve ever seen, this tends to eliminate over 99% of them within about two weeks, if not less.
A few thoughts about the different approaches between my trap vs poison…
If you poison them, then they just go back into your walls and die, further stinking the place up, is more dangerous to people and pets, and honestly isn’t even nearly as effective as people would hope.
But roaches are simple and stupid. They’re really easy to trap, and why the hell would I want them going back into the walls in the first place? Especially when I can just flush them instead?
Diatomaceous earth is cheap and effective. It’s made of super sharp little shards of microscopic dead crustaceans. It gets caught in the bugs sensitive bits and dessicates them to death.
Asked bung to get sources and more accurate info::
Yes, diatomaceous earth is an effective remedy for cockroaches. It is a natural, environmentally safe insecticide that can kill cockroaches and other insects¹. It works by breaking down the waxy layer of the cockroach’s exoskeleton, causing dehydration and death¹. It can kill the four common types of cockroaches that infest homes: American, German, Oriental, and brown-banded¹.
Diatomaceous earth powder is abrasive and breaks down the waxy layer of the cockroach’s hard exoskeleton, killing it through dehydration¹. When they walk through diatomaceous earth, roaches carry away some of the DE that clings to the tiny hairs on their legs¹. They typically die later, back at their nest¹.
It can be used indoors and is low in toxicity and safe for pets and children¹. However, it should be noted that diatomaceous earth must be applied correctly to be effective⁶. It should be used with a propulsion device to get it into the tunnels and crevices that pests are using to access your home⁶. Also, it should be kept away from exposed areas⁶.
To apply diatomaceous earth in your home, you should first give your home a thorough cleaning⁷. Sweep, mop, put away food, and vacuum thoroughly, including behind appliances and furniture⁷. Maintaining excellent sanitation practices is usually the best defense against cockroaches⁷. After cleaning, dry up any damp areas to prepare for your diatomaceous earth application³. To prevent more cockroaches, seal up any cracks that could be under sinks, in the bathroom, near baseboards, or around poorly sealed doors³. Any kind of entrance for a cockroach should be sealed up³. If there are any leaks they need to be taken care of; you can do this with caulk or sealant³. Then, apply diatomaceous earth anywhere you have seen cockroaches³. Dust lightly, since cockroaches won’t step on diatomaceous earth if the dusting is too heavy³. Apply DE anywhere cockroaches can hide, enter your home, and where food is commonly dropped³. Don’t apply the DE to any area that is consistently damp or wet, since wet diatomaceous earth will not kill insects³.
Source: Conversation with Bing, 11/17/2023 (1) Diatomaceous Earth & Roaches: What You Need to Know. https://cockroachfacts.com/diatomaceous-earth-roaches/. (2) undefined. https://www.insider.com/guides/home/diatomaceous-earth. (3) undefined. https://www.diatomaceousearth.com/blogs/learning-center/the-natural-cockroach-killer. (4) How to Apply Diatomaceous Earth for Cockroaches. https://www.diatomaceousearth.com/blogs/learning-center/how-to-apply-diatomaceous-earth-for-cockroaches. (5) . https://bing.com/search?q=diatomaceous+earth+effectiveness+against+cockroaches. (6) How To Use Diatomaceous Earth To Kill Cockroaches. https://www.cockroachzone.com/diatomaceous-for-cockroaches/. (7) How to Use Diatomaceous Earth Against Roaches? - Pest Control Options. https://pestcontroloptions.com/diatomaceous-earth-to-kill-roaches/. (8) undefined. https://www.tipsbulletin.com/how-to-use-diatomaceous-earth-for-roaches/.
Aka Borax
No. Borax is borax, which is poisonous.
Why cant i use my rusty cans?
Rust will give them a textured surface to crawl back out. The goal of the trap is to make damn sure they can’t do that.
So do they pop like popcorn kinda curious. Maybe theres only one way to find out
LOL, I don’t think they will, but if you’re going for the bonfire approach, by all means feel free to try. 😂🤣
