Natural Roach Repellents

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Cockroaches are among the most disgusting pests that can enter your home. Cockroaches are renowned for their status as the world’s no.1 most hated pest. Not only can they transmit diseases to you and your family, but they can also disperse bacteria around your home. 

Pesticides contain potentially harmful chemicals. If you want to get rid of these pests, there are safer and more natural ways to do it. Luckily, the internet is replete with DIY methods that drive roaches away or repel them using plants, spices, herbs, and other ingredients.

So before spending on expensive insecticides, pest repellents, or professional pest control services, read this guide. This post will give you fantastic homemade roach-killer methods and recipes. Besides being inexpensive, these natural remedies are effective and will kill them permanently without using harmful chemicals.

1. Baking Soda

Who would have guessed that eliminating pests like bed bugs and cockroaches could be as simple as using baking soda? Baking soda is an ideal ingredient for making roach traps since it is effective and safe to use around pets.

Baking soda damages cockroaches’ internal organs and exoskeleton when consumed. Once they drink water, this will result in very high pressure and may result in their death because their exoskeleton won’t be able to expand. 

You must take equal parts of baking soda and a pinch of sugar in a shallow bowl. Place the baking soda near cockroach-infested areas or where roaches are usually found in the house. This may include some entry points, crevices, and areas for their food sources. The sugar attracts the cockroaches, while baking soda kills them.

Note that baking soda only effectively kills visible cockroaches. It may not be sufficient to eradicate a severe cockroach infestation. 

2. Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth or DE is a highly effective organic insecticide you can use to eliminate cockroaches. DE’s particles are made up of sharp, dehydrating particles that are fossilized, ground-up algae. As cockroaches walk through Diatomaceous Earth, they carry away some of the DE that adheres to their legs. The particles cause them to die later in their nests.

The versatility of DE powder is one of its advantages. It’s simple to sprinkle it within cabinets, behind appliances, underneath furniture, and even outside. You can also use food-grade DE on countertops and cabinets in the kitchen. Diatomaceous earth also works for roaches in automobiles and trucks because it is simple to vacuum up afterward.

However, it’s essential to learn that using DE can also get messy and may require re-application. Following each DE treatment, you or the exterminator must locate and dispose of dead roaches.

3. Borax or Boric Acid

Borax is a readily accessible household cleaning product that can be easily accessible in grocery stores. Borax is a leftover mineral, also known as Sodium Borate. You can find it in places like Death Valley and other desert plains, where seasonal lakes have periodically dried away. 

To use this, you must combine it with a sweet bait substance like powdered sugar or honey. Apply the mixture wherever you’ve seen roaches in your home, including baseboards, crevices, beneath cabinets, under sinks, and other areas. 

For complete bug elimination, you may apply the mixture again as necessary. If you’d instead not use it to dust your home’s surfaces, you can place the roach killer outside in little pots. It’s less messy, and there’s a decreased likelihood of interaction. 

As a final alternative, boric acid and powdered sugar also produce comparable results. Boric acid is essentially a more refined version of borax. It’s worth the effort to use if you have a severe roach infestation. You can use it as a roach bait in dark areas the same way you would use borax. After which, you can wait for the roaches to consume it.

4. Neem

Another natural means of cockroach control is to use Neem oil. Neem oil can be lethal to young cockroaches and prevent adults from reproducing or laying eggs. A study showed that extracts from the neem seed had a mortality rate of 35 percent on cockroaches. When higher concentrations, the elimination rate of cockroaches increases. The minimum dose (0.50 percent v/v) proved lethal within 60 minutes of application.

Moreover, many horticultural sprays use neem oil in their formulations. Neem oil functions in various ways when applied as an insecticide or pesticide in gardens. These include preventing some insects from molting, changing an insect’s growth and development, and preventing some insects from becoming fertile. Therefore, using neem oil to eliminate your cockroach problem can be truly effective.

5. Catnip

Most pesticides and insect repellents in the market are tried-and-true pest control techniques. However, scattering catnip around your home is also effective in deterring cockroaches. Nepetalactone, a substance and an active ingredient found in catnip, confuses cockroaches and throws their perceptions out of whack. 

To do this, you can hang catnip sachets or sprinkle catnip in areas where cockroaches are likely to reside. Alternatively, you might prepare catnip tea and mist it all over your house to keep cockroaches away. Although catnip won’t kill cockroaches, it might repel them for good. If cockroaches have previously been a problem in your home, it might also prevent them from returning.