If you’ve spotted cockroaches in your home or those pesky palmetto bugs have made their way inside, you likely want to act fast, reaching for anything that has a chance of killing them. A bug-free home is a happy home, and we hate to tell you this but palmetto is just another name for cockroaches in the South. Whatever you call them, these pests carry disease-causing bacteria, contaminate food surfaces, and trigger allergies and asthma, so you’re right to not want them in your house. Since they multiply quickly, controlling their populations is important. Some types of roaches even build up a tolerance to pesticides, making elimination more challenging. A trick to getting rid of roaches may just be hidden among your baking supplies: baking soda. But how effective is it at killing roaches? Raid your pantry and read on to learn more about using baking soda to kill roaches and how to get rid of them.
Are Roaches Harmful?
Homeowners fear roaches for good reason. Roaches aren’t just creepy pests lurking in hidden spots around your home. They can also cause health problems because they carry harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli, trigger serious allergy and asthma symptoms, and contaminate surfaces where you prep and cook food.
Does Baking Soda Kill Roaches?
It seems too good to be true that the same small box of baking soda that keeps your fridge and garbage disposal smelling fresh can also help you get rid of pesky roaches. So does it work? It actually does. But there are limitations. Baking soda isn’t going to get rid of large infestations, and it only works on roaches that consume it. They also need to eat enough for it to cause harm. Other roaches that don’t come in contact with it won’t be affected. It can be helpful though, especially if you are only dealing with a few cockroaches or don’t have anything else on hand, and it can come in handy when used with other methods.
Some roaches like German cockroaches actually develop a resistance to insecticide, so multiple methods may be needed to get rid of them.
How Does Baking Soda Kill Roaches?
When roaches ingest baking soda, it reacts with their stomach acid and creates gas that builds pressure and causes them to die.
How To Use Baking Soda To Kill Roaches
Roaches eat a lot of things but baking soda on its own won’t attract them. Mix baking soda with sugar to lure them. To make a trap, combine equal parts of baking soda and sugar in a small dish. Sprinkle the mixture in corners and any places where you’ve seen roach activity. It takes 12 to 24 hours to work once a roach has consumed it. Reapply the bait for several days. This mixture is safe for pets and kids in small amounts but the sugar may also attract ants, so monitor its use closely.
What Works Better Than Baking Soda?
There are more effective DIY methods for killing roaches, though they are also best for killing individual roaches and not to eliminate infestations. Boric acid adheres to a roach’s body when it crawls through it, and the roach ingests the poison during cleaning. Diatomaceous earth dehydrates and damages a roach’s exoskeleton. To use either method, sprinkle it along baseboards, behind appliances, and in cracks or crevices where roaches may be traveling.
Other Ways To Get Rid Of Roaches
The best way to keep roaches away is to remove what attracts these pests, like food and water. This means cleaning up food spills and crumbs right way, not leaving dirty dishes in the sink, fixing leaky pipes and faucets, storing food in containers with fitted lids, sealing entry points like gaps and cracks, and keeping trash tightly closed and emptying it regularly.
When To Call A Professional
Even the most well-kept homes can have roaches. If you are seeing these nocturnal pests during the day, find them in several rooms of your home, see evidence of droppings, or notice a strong musty or pungent odor, contact a professional. They can identify the type of roach you are dealing with and treat the problem with stronger products.
Read the original article on Southern Living