Does bleach drive away roaches?

How to Keep Cockroaches Away: 9 Easy Methods to Keep Bugs Away

Cockroaches are a despicable pest that no one wants in their home. Fast, filth-loving, and quick breeders, these insects can become a major problem.

The sooner you take care of these unwanted invaders, the better! If you are suffering from a cockroach invasion or want to keep them at bay, here are 9 easy ways to keep bugs away from your home.

1. Keep Food Centralized

The main focus for cockroaches is finding a food source. If you want to minimize the chance of an infestation, don’t give them a reason to invade. Keep all of your dining to certain rooms to stop the spread of crumbs and debris. This will make it easier to eliminate possible food sources.

Keep cabinets, appliances, and other storage areas clean. Also, make sure all of your food prep areas are wiped down and disinfected after every use. To stop any possible invasions, keep any food opportunities non-existent.

2. Check Your Water Sources

Leaky faucets and dripping pipes are a draw to cockroaches. The best way to keep away the pests is by making sure everything is clean and dry. Check all bathtubs, sinks, and washing areas; make sure they aren’t leaking. Additionally, keep pet water dishes empty overnight and dry your toothbrushes. Keep these items sealed and dry.

3. Seal Away Hiding Spots

Cracks, holes and crevices are perfect hiding spots for roaches. Be sure to check around your household items, appliances, and inside storage. Cord holes, cardboard boxes, outlets, and light fixtures are just a few places these pests like to build homes. Be vigilant and seal off any potential hideaways.

4. Close Off Entry Points

The best way to keep American cockroaches out is to stop them from entering. Start by keeping your yard clean. Eliminate any debris, yard refuse, and keep woodpiles at a distance. Next, fortify your home’s exterior by sealing all cracks and holes in the siding or foundations. Check window frames and close up any small crevices using a caulking gun. The best way to avoid an infestation is to keep everything sealed and tidy.

5. Clean Everything

Prevention is the best plan of action against a roach infestation. Do not give cockroaches a reason to stick around. Wipe down counters, seal all garbage receptacles, and make sure to clean after every meal. Clean sinks, stovetops, and any other food prep areas. A clean home is a roach-free home.

6. Keep it Cool

Roaches like to stay in areas with a warmer climate. Keep the temp cool – while this won’t get rid of them, it will definitely keep them from taking to the air. Cool air restricts cockroaches from flight and stunts the use of their muscles. By cooling your apartment, it may deter the roaches from sticking around.

7. Trying Traps

If you happen to see a cockroach and want to act fast, try using traps bought at your local stores. Store-bought devices, baits, and other traps can catch these invaders in stick substances, kill their harborage sites, and reduce your problem.

Additionally, you can try to spray any cockroaches with a soap and water solution. Since cockroaches breathe through their skin, this method will cause them to suffocate. Of course, in order for this method to work, you must see them first.

8. Roach Repellents

Another way you can repel cockroaches is by using natural remedies that ward these pests away. Peppermint oil, cedarwood oil, and cypress oil are essential oils that effectively keep cockroaches at bay.

Additionally, these insects hate the smell of crushed bay leaves and steer clear of coffee grounds. If you want to try a natural way to kill them, combine powdered sugar and boric acid. The sugar acts as a lure while they boric acid kills. This method isn’t toxic, but its best to keep this concoction from kids and pets.

9. Seek out Expert Help

If your infestation is bigger than anticipated, consult an expert pest control consultant. They can detect home infestation, employee specialized methods, and keep bugs from coming back. Many used a substance called diatomaceous earth – a substance that causes these pests to die without the use of harsh chemicals.

While this method is effective for taking care of your cockroach infestation, it is safe for you and your family. If all else fails, a pest control expert can come up with a safe and effective plan that works for you. You don’t have to suffer from an infestation. Take control of your pest problem by contacting The Pest Rangers today.

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  Thank you for entrusting The Pest Rangers with the health and wellbeing of your home or business. As we work together as a community and nation to better understand and mitigate the spread of the novel Coronavirus, we are all being asked to adhere to new guidelines and to do our best to practice social distancing.

  Please know that as protectors of public health, food, and property, we take our role in safeguarding your quality of life very seriously. Pest control professionals are responsible for protecting against rodents, insects, arachnids and other animals that can damage property and threaten people’s health through the spread of disease and bacteria, in addition to inflicting painful bites and stings. Our critical services extend into people’s homes and businesses, as well as major commercial operations such as healthcare facilities, food processing facilities and more.

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  This serves to inform you that as of 03/16/2020 The Pest Rangers will be operating on a modified schedule. With Spring knocking on our door, we will continue to provide services based on client requests. Exterior services will be completed as always. If you wish to skip the interior service, please let your service professional know. If a problem exists on the interior of your home or business between our scheduled visits, please call and we will treat interior as requested at no additional charge. While pests enter the structure from the exterior we understand if you do not wish to have interior visits at this time but want to assure you that we will correct issues on the interior as needed.

  If you have questions about your routine service or are experiencing a pest control problem, please call. We will do our best to provide you with the level of service and satisfaction you’ve come to expect from The Pest Rangers.

  Thank you again for your continued trust and we wish you safety, health, and peace during this difficult and unprecedented time. We will all get through this together.

  Does Bleach Kill Cockroaches? | 100% Effective Methods

  

  Cockroaches are known to breed rapidly and can take over your entire home in just a short period of time. They are ravenous eaters, eating almost anything, multiply rapidly, and won’t leave your home on their own.

  Fortunately, there are effective and simple ways to get rid of roaches, regardless of how many of them there are. One of the ways you can get rid of cockroaches is with bleach, but it may not be what you’re thinking. The truth is, cockroaches have to ingest or be soaked in bleach in order for them to die.

  

  This article will explore how to use bleach to use kill cockroaches.

  Does Bleach Really Kill Cockroaches?

  Bleach does kill roaches, and it can also repel them and keep them away for long periods of time. Before we get into ways to use bleach to get rid of roaches, let’s talk a little about bleach itself. Bleach is a lot safer than you think, as long as you handle it correctly.

  Bleach is better at eliminating pests than chemical methods and pesticides, but it does require proper handling. For instance, make sure you only use bleach in a well-ventilated area.

  Bleach for household use comes in either liquid or powdered form. Both contain disinfecting and anti-microbial properties and are made mainly with chlorine, caustic soda, and water.

  5 Ways to use bleach to kill roaches at home

  Here are five ways you can use bleach to get rid of roaches in your house.

  1. Using bleach to repel roaches

  If bleach is ingested by roaches it will kill them quickly, however it is tricky to get them to eat it because they hate the smell. Cleaning with bleach is a great way to keep roaches away.

  Their sensitive sense of smell will send them running from a bleach cleaned kitchen. This will keep them off your countertops, shelves or anywhere else you clean with bleach.

  If you are not a fan of bleach, swap it in for some eucalyptus oil spray. It smells great, is natural and will repel roaches. I buy mine premixed but you can also buy concentrate and mix it yourself.

  

  2. Spray the Cockroaches with the Bleach

  This is not a “passive” method of getting rid of roaches because you have to know exactly where they are located. Nevertheless, if you can see the roaches on your countertop or elsewhere and spray them immediately with undiluted bleach, it will definitely kill them.

  This is one of the fastest and most effective ways to kill cockroaches. It is an active method because you actually have to find the roaches and spray the bleach directly onto their bodies.

  Roaches will come out at night or as soon as the lights go off. I have popped down to our kitchen and caught them running on our kitchen floor. Get ready with some vinegar spray and get them while they are running around.

  

  Keep in mind that bleach can discolor a lot of things that it’s sprayed on. So if you’re spraying near items of clothing, carpet, or any other fabric, you’ll have to be very careful only to spray on the roaches themselves and nothing else.

  3. Use the Bleach to Destroy the Roaches’ Nests

  If you’ve ever noticed roaches coming out of your sink or your shower drain, it is likely they’ve already built a nest there. Cockroaches always nest near water sources, so drains and pipes are a common place to find them.

  If you think this is a problem in your own home, just pour one cup of bleach down the pipes in order to destroy the nests and kill the roaches. Afterwards, pour several cups of water down the pipes so that no corrosion results.

  4. Drowning the Cockroaches in Bleach

  Drowning cockroaches in bleach is a 100% effective at killing roaches. Once you see the roaches, pick them up with a paper towel then drop them in a cup or bowl of bleach.

  Avoid touching the roaches if possible and pick them up with paper towel. Cockroaches can carry bacteria so always wash your hands after this process.

  Understand that roaches usually will not bite, but just to be sanitary, use the paper towel to pick them up anyway. This is a tricky method because you have to be fast enough to catch them. But if you are fast, this is a good method to get rid of them immediately.

  5. Use Bleach to Make Sure Everything is Clean

  While chlorine, an important ingredient in bleach, is highly toxic to roaches, it is sometimes difficult to soak roaches in bleach or spray them directly. But keep in mind that the cleaner your home is, the less likely it is that roaches will appear in the first place.

  Using bleach to disinfect your countertops and appliances usually keeps roaches away because it keeps food and crumbs away and because they hate the smell. A clean home is not an attractive home to roaches. The cleaner your home is, the less likely you are to have a roach problem.

  Conclusion

  Using bleach to kill and repel roaches is very effective if you know just how to do it. Before using any of these methods, make sure you use gloves and face masks to keep yourself as safe as possible. Don’t come into direct contact with the bleach or inhale it at any time.

  Protect yourself fully and work only in a well-ventilated area. Also, you should always use bleach in its purest form only. This means no mixing the bleach with anything else, especially other chemicals or even water because water will dilute it too much.

  As long as you are safe when using the bleach and use it properly, you have a good chance at getting rid of the roaches in your home, enabling you to have a pest-free home in no time.

  I am an accredited practicing dietitian, experienced gardener and a dedicated cook. I love writing and sharing my experience so you can learn from my successes and mistakes.

  Does Bleach Kill Roaches?

  

  Many of us have been through this scenario: You walk into the kitchen or bathroom after dark and flip on the light only to see a roach skitter across the wall or countertop. After a shudder or two, you make an action plan, trying to figure out how to rid your home of these seemingly indestructible insects.

  A quick online search turns up a ton of “surefire” solutions, from hosing your home down in chemicals to using pantry items like vinegar to do the job. The problem with chemicals is the lingering fumes and the danger they and the chemicals themselves pose to people and pets. And, distilled vinegar and other household items just don’t work.

  One common liquid that gets a lot of online attention in the battle with roaches is bleach. So, can bleach kill roaches? Technically, it COULD. But the methods to do that are pretty inefficient and time-consuming.

  Bleach’s Effect on Roaches

  Roaches will die if they are drowned in bleach, however you would need to get every single roach in your home, one by one, and dunk them to get the job done. That is unappealing to just about everyone in the world and is also not worth the effort.

  Taking a deep drink of household bleach would kill anything, roaches included. But the same strong odor that keeps people from taking a swig of bleach repels roaches as well. So though it could work, in reality, it will not. It is very difficult to kill an entire roach infestation yourself. If you don’t get them all, they will reproduce. If you don’t seal up every single point of entry, they will keep coming in. The easiest and most effective way to send roaches packing is to call in a licensed pest control professional. They can formulate a plan of action and keep insects away with a regular treatment plan.

  Bleach can be a useful tool for keeping roaches from visiting in the future. It is an effective and common cleaning agent in many homes, and the pungent aroma of the chlorine it contains is familiar to just about anyone. Turns out, roaches can’t stand the overwhelming smell, either! So using bleach to thoroughly clean areas after roaches have been eradicated will definitely help deter a return.

  What Attracts Roaches?

  Roaches are attracted to a space by the smell of food, which to these insects can be many things. Cleaning with bleach removes such aromas, and the roaches will move on. Another reason bleach isn’t your best bet is that, unlike some other preparations, bleach is not transferred from one roach to another. This makes it almost impossible to kill an entire nest.

  Roaches show up for food and water, with even a few crumbs being enough to bring a hungry insect and its friends to explore the rest of your home’s offerings. Getting rid of them really is a job for pest control professionals. However, there are a number of things that you and your family can do for DIY cockroach prevention:

  • If you have even a slight plumbing leak, fix it. If you regularly see moisture building up in a bathroom or other area, add proper ventilation to wipe out a potential water source for bugs.
  • Be sure to store any food not refrigerated or frozen securely in glass jars or re-sealable containers, anything that doesn’t allow access for roaches and other pests.
  • Use a vacuum to get rid of any crumbs or food debris that might have fallen in cracks and crevices in your home, including cushions of your furniture. This will also get rid of any roach droppings, eggs or shed skin, and that will prevent another batch of the bugs from visiting.
  • When roach droppings and the shed skin travels through the air, it can all cause allergies for you and your family. To help that situation, use a HEPA filter or triple filter in your vacuum.
  • If you have a counter with a little spilled juice or soda, be sure to wipe it up immediately.
  • Don’t store filled trash cans near doors. Keep all trash secured tightly, and don’t let old newspapers, rags or boxes stack up, as they all provide a place for roaches to nest and multiply.

  

  American Cockroach Infestation

  Roaches have been skittering across the earth for more than 300 million years and easily adapt to new situations, making them difficult to destroy. There are around 3,500 types of cockroaches in the world, with 55 or so in the United States. First, let’s look at the American cockroach itself.

  These roaches have three growth states: egg, nymph and adult. Female roaches drop quarter-inch capsules that contain about 15 eggs each in places near food. The egg stage lasts between 30 to 60 days, depending on the environment.

  The nymphal stage can last from 150 to almost 1,000 days. At first, nymphs are a grayish-brown color but turn into a reddish-brown after a few molts. They have no wings. Adult American cockroaches are one and a half inches long, with both males and females having wings the length of their abdomen. Female roaches produce about 800 offspring over their lifetime, which can be about 15 months.

  These roaches love dark, warm, moist spots, and if you spot them in the house, it will likely be in certain areas first. Damp basements, crawl spaces, clothes hampers, around sinks, dishwashers and bathtubs are among roaches’ favorite places. They hide during the day, looking for food at night and running quickly if disturbed.

  The whole reason roaches are in your home in the first place is to find food and water. They will feast on all kinds of things, from spilled food and liquids in the kitchen to trash anywhere in the house. They’ll even eat unexpected things such as the starch used in books and papers. Adult American cockroaches can live two to three months without food and a month with no water. They have no problem living in extreme temperatures.

  How to Know If You Have an Infestation

  Because roach infestations are very difficult to control, bring in a licensed pest control professional. You will have peace of mind knowing that your uninvited guests have been sent packing and know how to get rid of cockroaches.

  It can be difficult to tell the signs of a full-blown roach infestation or if you just have a couple of American cockroaches seeking food. You will never be able to see all of the roaches that might be hiding in your home, so a survey of the roaches is in order. A pest control professional is the one to contact for this service called trapping.

  They will put sticky traps at specific places in the building that are likely to have roach traffic: against a wall, a corner, a shelf, drawer or under kitchen equipment and counters. A week of trapping will give the pest expert enough information to determine if you have an infestation. If you do, they will determine what kind of treatment would be best suited to the level of problem that you have. Regular maintenance by professionals will help keep those roaches (and other pests) from returning.

  

  Can Roaches See?

  When you spot a roach in your home, usually at night, they will run away as fast as they can, trying to avoid you and the light you switch on. There is actually a reason for that – besides wanting to stay away from a shoe you might aim their way.

  These insects use their senses of smell and touch to figure out where they are going as they move about your home. Science has discovered that cockroaches also can actually see where they are going, even in complete darkness.

  Roaches have compound eyes and on those eyes, each roach has thousands of light-sensitive cells. Research suggests that roaches use a yet-unknown neural process in a deep part of their brains to process all the visual information these cells take in. Further study by scientists could help them understand this process and design better imaging systems for humans’ night vision.

  ABC Can Implement Effective Roach Control Solutions

  At ABC Home & Commercial Services, we use a multi-tiered approach to pest control. We will inspect your home and find where the roaches are nesting. Then, we will implement targeted cockroach control measures, so you can feel at ease again.