So I found a roach in my house yesterday. What's the best stuff you can get at Lowe's or whatever that actually works? Stuff that is safe for cats and dogs, if that makes any difference.
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Best roach killer?
- Thread starter sk1wbw
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Yeah, I'd not take a chance. My recommendation is to call professional. They're better equipped with the right pesticides, and know the tricks of applying it in the right areas to maximize its effect.
I once ended up in an apartment building that got a pretty bad infestation. We would set up those foggers ("bug bombs") and detonate them and leave for the weekend, the roaches would disappear for a couple of weeks but then they would come right back in numbers that suggested that they never left. We and several other tenants in the building did this over a period of six months or so, with no relief.
Eventually, the apartment manager called in a professional. He told us that roaches can go for weeks at a time without eating (so running them off does no good), and that bombing your place simply makes them retreat to an adjacent unit until it's safe for them to return. He ended up manually spraying all the typical hiding places then bombed the entire building, which may have been about 16 or so units. That got rid of them for good.
TL;DR - Call a professional.
Eventually, the apartment manager called in a professional. He told us that roaches can go for weeks at a time without eating (so running them off does no good), and that bombing your place simply makes them retreat to an adjacent unit until it's safe for them to return. He ended up manually spraying all the typical hiding places then bombed the entire building, which may have been about 16 or so units. That got rid of them for good.
TL;DR - Call a professional.
Are these large roaches or smaller german roaches? To paint broad strokes, large ones usually come from outside, small ones live in filth inside. I live in Texas. Decades ago when I lived in Texas I'd walk out to my kitchen and kick the trash container, then listen for the little scurries of roach feet. I ended up keep my trash container in the garage and often I'd spray it down with Raid.
Once again I am living in Texas and what I'll see on occasion is the variety of large roach that come from the outside. Sometimes they are called Palmetto bugs but they are cockroaches and they are reportedly fond of living in palm and palmetto plants, until they come in looking for food.
What I've used for several years very successfully is Ortho Home Defense.
Although it is reported to be effective for 12 months, twice a year a spray this around the frame of the exterior entrances to the house, on the inside of the house out of the weather, in the bathrooms and kitchen under the sink where the pipes come in, and under bathtub access, around the attic door/stair frame, and across the threshold of the pantry door. If I had a basement I'd be sprayng around the perimeter and access to any crawl spaces. This has been very effective and all I find on vary rare occasions is a single roach who dared to cross the boundary and dropped dead in its tracks, laying in the middle of the floor.
Up in the attic I found a few roaches living in a cardboard box so up there I use Combat Max bate houses and a large tube of Combat Max bate (that I squirt around) that they are supposed to eat and take back to the nest to share. Hard for me to say how effective that is but so far no hordes of roaches.
Good luck with your roach problem, remember what you see could be the tip of the iceberg...
Once again I am living in Texas and what I'll see on occasion is the variety of large roach that come from the outside. Sometimes they are called Palmetto bugs but they are cockroaches and they are reportedly fond of living in palm and palmetto plants, until they come in looking for food.
What I've used for several years very successfully is Ortho Home Defense.
Although it is reported to be effective for 12 months, twice a year a spray this around the frame of the exterior entrances to the house, on the inside of the house out of the weather, in the bathrooms and kitchen under the sink where the pipes come in, and under bathtub access, around the attic door/stair frame, and across the threshold of the pantry door. If I had a basement I'd be sprayng around the perimeter and access to any crawl spaces. This has been very effective and all I find on vary rare occasions is a single roach who dared to cross the boundary and dropped dead in its tracks, laying in the middle of the floor.
Up in the attic I found a few roaches living in a cardboard box so up there I use Combat Max bate houses and a large tube of Combat Max bate (that I squirt around) that they are supposed to eat and take back to the nest to share. Hard for me to say how effective that is but so far no hordes of roaches.
Good luck with your roach problem, remember what you see could be the tip of the iceberg...
Insect infestation is rather a tricky business to deal with.
The biggest mistake most make is insisting on a "one solution" answer. Also it really depends on the dwelling, moisture level, "food" level and whether there are other external factors.
Using pesticides properly is a good start and items like borax in corners helps considerably. If you have no pets/animals around, you can also put in areas that receive no air circulation - diatomaceous earth. This is the exo skeletons of microscoping animals and their shells as well. When various insects would walk over it, it cuts into their outer side and exposes the moisture of the animal within and causes death by dehydration. (Consider it bugs walking on broken glass if you will). The catch is while some say it is harmless, it shouldn't be breathed in by people or animals and thus areas that get no air circulation do best.
Simple solutions of water and bleach are good for cleaning surfaces when used correctly and lift off grease and refuse nicely. (Areas such as crevices, under appliances and such are notorious collectors of dirt, dust and organic matter that attracts roaches.
Also - though they sound silly, a constant use of roach bait traps is good.
Since apartment dwellings and the like are the most difficult, you should walk through your places and close off any openings that are uncontrolled and not required. Typical areas include openings in walls such as around vents, water pipes etc. There are various types of metal duct tape that are easy to apply to help seal your living space from what crawls in the walls.
It is unclear if any of those "sonic" devices work. If you have no pets, you can always give them a try.
Just more peanuts from the gallery
The biggest mistake most make is insisting on a "one solution" answer. Also it really depends on the dwelling, moisture level, "food" level and whether there are other external factors.
Using pesticides properly is a good start and items like borax in corners helps considerably. If you have no pets/animals around, you can also put in areas that receive no air circulation - diatomaceous earth. This is the exo skeletons of microscoping animals and their shells as well. When various insects would walk over it, it cuts into their outer side and exposes the moisture of the animal within and causes death by dehydration. (Consider it bugs walking on broken glass if you will). The catch is while some say it is harmless, it shouldn't be breathed in by people or animals and thus areas that get no air circulation do best.
Simple solutions of water and bleach are good for cleaning surfaces when used correctly and lift off grease and refuse nicely. (Areas such as crevices, under appliances and such are notorious collectors of dirt, dust and organic matter that attracts roaches.
Also - though they sound silly, a constant use of roach bait traps is good.
Since apartment dwellings and the like are the most difficult, you should walk through your places and close off any openings that are uncontrolled and not required. Typical areas include openings in walls such as around vents, water pipes etc. There are various types of metal duct tape that are easy to apply to help seal your living space from what crawls in the walls.
It is unclear if any of those "sonic" devices work. If you have no pets, you can always give them a try.
Just more peanuts from the gallery
Are these large roaches or smaller german roaches? To paint broad strokes, large ones usually come from outside, small ones live in filth inside. I live in Texas. Decades ago when I lived in Texas I'd walk out to my kitchen and kick the trash container, then listen for the little scurries of roach feet. I ended up keep my trash container in the garage and often I'd spray it down with Raid.
Once again I am living in Texas and what I'll see on occasion is the variety of large roach that come from the outside. Sometimes they are called Palmetto bugs but they are cockroaches and they are reportedly fond of living in palm and palmetto plants, until they come in looking for food.
Image
What I've used for several years very successfully is Ortho Home Defense.
Although it is reported to be effective for 12 months, twice a year a spray this around the frame of the exterior entrances to the house, on the inside of the house out of the weather, in the bathrooms and kitchen under the sink where the pipes come in, and under bathtub access, around the attic door/stair frame, and across the threshold of the pantry door. If I had a basement I'd be sprayng around the perimeter and access to any crawl spaces. This has been very effective and all I find on vary rare occasions is a single roach who dared to cross the boundary and dropped dead in its tracks, laying in the middle of the floor.
Up in the attic I found a few roaches living in a cardboard box so up there I use Combat Max bate houses and a large tube of Combat Max bate (that I squirt around) that they are supposed to eat and take back to the nest to share. Hard for me to say how effective that is but so far no hordes of roaches.
Image
Good luck with your roach problem, remember what you see could be the tip of the iceberg...
We use the Combat ones, but the "Fast Kill" ones for large roaches. The active ingredient is Fipronil. Very good pesticide.
My wife is an entomologist.
Just light one end and smoke it
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seriously, in Florida we use Professionals!
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seriously, in Florida we use Professionals!
If you want some stuff an exterminator would use. Get Advion Cockroach Gel Bait. After much research I went with this stuff and it worked great. You need to place it strategically. Basically by any water source, pet food dish, any other food left open and any point of egress. Points such as thresholds, vents, pipes or any other openings in the walls and doors. If you have a crawl space put it all over.
I'll tell you. When I applied it they were on it nearly instantly. In two days most were dead. It was carnage. Within a week the infestation was gone. I haven't seen one since.
Be sure to reapply every day for the first few days. It's supposed to be pet safe but I applied it in inconspicuous places. If you see any missing reapply immediately.
You can get it on Amazon. Stores don't usually carry it but it is well worth the price.
I'll tell you. When I applied it they were on it nearly instantly. In two days most were dead. It was carnage. Within a week the infestation was gone. I haven't seen one since.
Be sure to reapply every day for the first few days. It's supposed to be pet safe but I applied it in inconspicuous places. If you see any missing reapply immediately.
You can get it on Amazon. Stores don't usually carry it but it is well worth the price.