Finding roaches in your home is a shocking and upsetting experience. Once the shock wears off, it’s time to take action. For many homeowners, roaches can be controlled with pesticides, but when pets are involved, that is not possible. These pet safe roach remedies will help you eliminate roaches without harming your pets.
Pet-Safe Remedies for Roaches
Baking Soda and Sugar
The best pest control products are those that are toxic only to the pest, and baking soda is a perfect example. A clean and effective poison for roaches can be made with baking soda and sugar.
Simply mix them in equal proportions and place this bait in a small container like a milk jug lid. Then fill another container with water and place it nearby. The roaches are drawn to the sugar and ingest the baking soda with it. When they drink the water, a reaction occurs in the roach’s stomach, killing it.
Boric Acid
Another common product that’s easy to find, cheap to buy, and very effective on roaches is boric acid. Combine equal parts of sugar, boric acid, and flour, then add water to create a dough. Roll the dough into balls to create a bait station.
The flour and sugar attract the roaches, who ingest the poisonous boric acid as they consume the other ingredients. Boric acid is also dangerous for pets, but a well-placed boric acid bait can kill roaches without being in their reach. Simply locate it in areas that pets can’t go, such as under the refrigerator, dishwasher, or stove.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is an organic material composed of a certain type of algae and a mixture of its sandlike shell material. Sprinkle it around the home, inside and out, in areas where roaches congregate.
The material will slowly break down the roaches’ outer shells and allow them to dehydrate. Diatomaceous earth is very safe; it’s actually used in some pet foods. For pet safe roach remedies, it doesn’t get any better than that.
Home Remedies
One of the best ways to avoid pesticides is to set up glue traps. They are easy to keep away from pets and pose very little risk if your Rover does step on one.
There are commercially-made glue traps, but you can also make them yourself with almost any glue as long as it doesn’t dry too fast. Slide them under the fridge or stove and check them regularly to make sure they aren’t getting full.
Preventing Roaches from Appearing
Cleaning House
Many people make the mistake of assuming that roaches are only found in messy, unsanitary homes. While those locations definitely have bigger roach problems, it only takes a little bit of food to encourage the presence of roaches.
Clean regularly inside any areas where food is stored. Remove all containers and thoroughly clean the cabinet or shelf. Then clean the containers themselves. Make sure stray pieces of food aren’t easy for roaches to reach, such as stray pieces of cereal inside the box but outside the bag.
Patching Cracks
Roaches must have access to your home to create an infestation. Check throughout the house for any cracks where they may come in. Consider door sweeps, thresholds, windows, dryer vent openings, and all the other places you typically adjust or caulk for winterization. The tighter your home, the less likely it is that roaches can come in.
Regular Trash Removal
Out of sight is often out of mind. When we throw away food scraps, we often think we’ve eliminated the roach threat. However, bags of trash stored inside or out can eventually tear and provide access for roaches, letting their numbers build and fueling an invasion.
Repairing Water Leaks
Roaches need water, just the same as we do. Not only can a leaky pipe provide a source of drinking water for roaches, but it can also do damage to the floor or walls and create entrances for roaches. Get leaks thoroughly sealed up and repair any damage they have created.
Storing Food Properly
Once again, food causes lots of problems with roaches. Cardboard boxes and paper bags for cereal, flour, and sugar are economical but are too weak for secure storage. Small tears can create opportunities for roaches to feed. Purchase airtight plastic containers for products like this.
Final Words
It can be a little difficult to create an environment where pets are welcome and roaches are not. These ideas can help you keep your pets safe and happy while making the home unattractive (and deadly) for roaches. With some pet safe roach remedies, some basic repairs on the home, and simple sanitation steps, you can accomplish that goal.
