Roaches plague many homes, both urban and rural. These opportunistic creatures eat nearly anything and can survive almost everywhere, though they often proliferate in sewers and around garbage cans. German cockroaches can carry a wide variety of diseases along with them, causing problems for the people they come in contact with. Getting rid of them can seem next to impossible, but with dedication their numbers can be decimated, and often the roach problem can be eliminated entirely. Limiting their access to things they need -- food, water and safe hiding places -- is key in dealing with roaches.
Instructions
1. Rid your kitchen of clutter. Other areas where cockroaches have been seen to congregate should be cleaned up as well. Give roaches as few places to hide as possible.
2. Keep food in sealed containers and never leave food sitting out on the counter, especially not overnight.
3. Eliminate sources of water, like partially-filled cups and any standing water in sinks and drains. You may wish to seal up the drains at night when not in use.
4. Place traps around the infested area, and change them whenever they are nearly full.
5. Bait areas that seem to have a lot of roach activity. Many types of bait are available. Select the kind that suits your home best.
6. Turn on the oven at a high temperature if you notice many roaches inside it. The heat will kill the roaches, and drive out those that aren't killed.
7. Place boric acid or diatomaceous earth around any cracks in the walls or near the cupboards. Dust the area near windows and doors, too. These efforts won't necessarily eliminate roaches but can help discourage them.
8. Caulk any known cracks, so roaches have fewer places to hide out. Make certain that the caulk is entirely inorganic, with no natural binding agents. Some caulks even include boric acid, which is mildly poisonous to roaches.
Tags: boric acid, places hide