reply to "What's the best way to kill cockroaches?"

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
1

Below is a small experiment that i am thinking, for killing cockroaches almost no mess in kitchen

I guess there should be someway to create a small box (death home) for cockroaches, where we should place lavish food for cockroaches (less costly for us), (like flour, cocoa powder, water, etc. ?), so that we leave it at the sink or some place where the water, etc., i.e; the place where cockroaches are seen or mostly could be.

Assuming all the above is possible, the small box or something should be a special kind, such that, it should be entry-only (i.e; the cockroaches should be able to enter, but not exit, at all), i guess this is too possible some, like say a “thinned” poker card (? the ace or joker card, etc.) should be at the mouth/entry of the box, the peeled card should be such that cockroach can move to enter easily, however while exiting this should not be possible, as after entry the card closes of the entry gate (which is the exit gate too).

In this way, the cockroach enters but can’t exit, and these can be seen in the morning, and be killed (if borax is added to food, as suggested by Cecil)

of course, there is a possibility of exit of an existing cockroach (say 50-50% chance or less), while another one is entering (for example a small hole may not allow a big cockroach to enter, so the size should be big enough for a bigger cockroach to enter, if so when a small cockroach enters, there could enough space for another even smaller cockroach to exit), however this can be eradicated by having a little taller box, where the entry is at an elevated position, the outside is normal surface where the cockroach can climb up, and enter into entry, however the inner surface should be a slippery for cockroach so that they cannot climb up to the exit

this idea needs experiment & validation, please add to the post, changing all but the plan itself, :), for example, food, what should be slippery material for inside surface, etc. etc.

All i want is a clean kill of cockroaches, making very very less mess in kitchen.

I am thinking to implement above experiment, and post results here

Meanwhile, would be great if Cecil can provide some insights if the plan is ok to implement at all, and changes to this plan.

2

I’m afraid you’re a few decades too late. You’ve just described a generic roach trap that you can find at any hardware store.

3

Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Board, its4enjoy, we’re glad you found us. When you start a thread, it’s helpful to other readers to provide a link to the column you are commenting on. Keeps us all on the same page, and saves search time. I presume the link is:What’s the best way to kill cockroaches? - The Straight Dope … from 1983.

No biggie, you’ll know for next time. And, as I say, welcome!

4

Thanks!! C K Dexter Haven! Sure.

Thanks John W. Kennedy - Dint knew about “roach trap” :), sure, must be just one of the billions things i don’t know yet

For now, lets continue this discussion as a quick, easy, low-cost, clean, safer & better home-made roach trap, and, why not try, if it is effective than sprays (as some site i goggled out says)

5

I’m not sure about the bait you described, but since you’re trying to make some bait I have a tried and true method to create it. Apply petroleum jelly around the inner rim of a jar. Insert a couple of apple, potato or banana peelings into the jar. Leave out overnight where you’ve spotted roach activity. The pests should climb into the jar, but will be unable to escape because of the petroleum. Discard the contents into a trash bin. But the main point is to keep your living spaces clean. Cover your garbage cans at all times and store your food in sealed containers and bags.

Source :
I am a professional at : http://eliminateem.com/

6

Yes, I am with the [alternate solution] results.
I dint try my [original] solution described yet.

Thanks Sidrah for trying, and giving very good solution.
The solution I described slightly differs from this solution, and that small difference is the key for my solution.

Considering petroleum jelly:

  1. The thickness that you are spraying, I am not sure how much, as the Bigger cockroaches due to their weight they can fall into or outside of the jar you mentioned, with ease. Yes, it might work with small ones as you saw.

  2. If point 1 happens, the cockroaches with their legs with full or some of the jelly may come out and make a lot or little mess outside. This may not even be seen, if the jelly we would put on the jar is very little. If the jelly is a lot, it could be seen. This is not like 2-3 spider webs that cockroach may not come out, esp. for bigger ones. This might mean, its not that clean, as I wanted, my point by means of slippery could be some jelly you mentioned, but I mentioned it inside the box, so that the cockroach that goes in, doesnt come out at all, and the outside kitchen is still clean

  3. the cost of the jelly might increase for the bigger cockaroches, as we might need to apply more jelly, also the cockroaches dont die in a day or two, so this jelly requirement might be huge as the days pass on for bigger cockroaches.

I think, my original description still looks good, we shud try that one, still.

Again, **thanks **for your inputs Sidrah.

**In my case, it was easy, below alternate solution was very effective:

-------- BEGIN OF SOLUTION ----------

  1. Wait till the 11pm in the night
    (or, sometime where you would put all ur lights off)
    this is when the cockroaches come out

  2. Switch on the lights

  3. Kill if there are many of them with whatever thing you have to kill them, lets say a broom stick

  4. Observe the remaining panicked cockroaches, where they would go. Most probably small/tiny holes or thin-long openings in the modular kitchen or wall

  5. Close these small/tiny holes or thin-long openings in the modular kitchen or wall, with cement or something that does not open but quickly hardens.

  6. Lets hope most would not come out, and die in the holes, trying to come out.

  7. Supposing some cockroaches managed from [point 6], and managed to escape out thru another holes, you still win. Repeat [point 1].

The Repeat [point 1] in [point 7] is the key and more effective than you would think, it is not like a loop - because the easy escapes are now closed by you, and you can kill them at ur will as they would have to travel long for their escapes, you would soon see, the cockroaches becoming extinct (kidding) in your house

The above I tried and I am surprised, in just 5 days later, I rarely saw cockroaches, just 1 or 2 in a month, possibly the bigger ones are died and no one to reproduce more cockroaches.

Now, if I see a cockroach I wont kill it now straight away. I make it run for its life, to see where it came from, close these holes again.

-------- END OF SOLUTION ----------

I can say, I solved this issue to a 99.9%, as I only saw, just 3 cockroachs in last 4 months.**

This is a 5-day manual process (which is definitely worth when you have the problem first time, till it is reduced to 99.9%)

Now that I dont have the [real] problem, I still want to try my original automated-process, for the very rare 1 or 2 cockroaches I see in a couple of months or so, which if I ignore to apply above solution, can build back a military in a couple of months. This I would do it with food remains of last-meal in the night.

7

Boric acid based powder liberally applied where activity is seen, combined with keeping the house clean.

8

You could use a 12 gauge with number 8 shot. Make sure not to use the long brass though.