How to Get Rid of Cockroaches Without Killing Them {Top 10 Explained}

Do you hate cockroaches as much as I do? Do you wish to know, “How to Get Rid of Cockroaches Without Killing Them?”

Why is killing them even worse for you? Is there a great repellent to get rid of cockroaches without using insecticides?

In this article, we’ll find out how to get rid of cockroaches without killing them.

How to Get Rid of Cockroaches Without Killing Them

Cockroach release oleic acid when you kill them and this scent can attract more cockroaches. Repel them instead with thyme, citrus, basil, mint, citronella or bay leaves.

They have a sensitive sense of smell and will hate to go near these aromas that actually smell great for us as they freshen up our homes.

Remember to not leave open containers of food lying around, uneaten pet food and keep your kitchen clear of crumbs and edible debris.

How Do I Get Rid Of Cockroaches Permanently?

Did you know that cockroach infestations start mostly in the kitchen? These areas contain lots of crumbs and leftovers hiding in spaces behind counters or in kitchen cabinets.

There might have been some food dropped underneath appliances that have been rotting there for many weeks. A cockroach may discover them and call its friends over to enjoy the feast.

Here are 10 great tricks that I learned from my mom, the internet and first-hand experience when dealing with cockroaches:

  1. Bay Leaves
  2. Garlic
  3. Lemons
  4. Vinegar with Peppermint Oil
  5. Neem Oil
  6. Dish Soap Solution
  7. Catnip
  8. Baking Soda and Sugar
  9. Duct Tape Trap
  10. Coffee Trap

The Top 10 Explained

  1. Drop whole bay leaves in crevices and place them under appliances or hard to reach areas. I’ve got bay leaves tucked all over the place.
  2. Sprinkle garlic and onion powder in areas where you have last seen cockroaches.
    use lemon juice or squeeze lemons and mixed with water to create a powerful spray that cockroaches can’t stand.
  3. Fill spray bottle with vinegar and a few drops of peppermint oil. Spray this willingly all over your kitchen and bathroom areas.
  4. Try neem oil to repel cockroaches. Most insects cannot stand the scent of neem oil.
  5. Suffocate cockroaches who fall into sugary solutions that contain dish soap. The soap will clog their pores and not allow them to breathe.
  6. Borax or boric acid will dry out a cockroach from the inside.
  7. Cockroaches hate catnip. you can put catnip inside tea bags and leave them in areas where you think they may be hiding.
  8. Mix sugar with baking soda and water. If a cockroach takes a sip, the baking soda will be deadly.
  9. Drop sugar or any other kind of bait on top of a strip of duct tape. A cockroach will get stuck to the tape and you’ll dispose of it without allowing this pest to release oleic acid which draws and more cockroaches.
  10. Mix coffee grounds with water. Cockroaches can’t swim and they’ll fall into the container full of coffee grounds because they love the scent of coffee.
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What Smell Keeps Roaches Away?

Cockroaches hate the smell of most essential oils. Here are a few that will keep them away:

  • Peppermint oil
  • Cedarwood oil
  • Cypress oil 
  • Citrus oil
  • Neem oil

Cockroaches also hate bay leaves. You can crush them and sprinkle them or leave them whole. I buy a bag full of bay leaves and place them whole underneath appliances or dark areas way back in kitchen cabinets or the pantry.

Do not use anything sweet or coffee grounds. These scents will attract cockroaches instead of repelling them.

What is The Fastest Way to Get Rid of Roaches in your House?

The best and fastest way is the preventative way. Perform these routines regularly to keep cockroaches away:

  • Sanitize your home
  • Do not have clutter that creates more hiding spots
  • Do not keep stagnant water
  • Food should be stored and sealed in airtight containers. 
  • Repel them with lemon, essential oils or bay leaves. 

If you stay vigilant and keep a cleaner home, cockroaches will look for a new home.

What Gets Rid of Cockroaches Permanently?

Are you looking to get rid of cockroaches, repel them or kill them? You would prefer to not attract more insects or cockroaches and also steer clear of poisonous chemicals that could harm you or your pets.

  1. Use boric acid to kill roaches. They will ingest it if you mix it into a sugary bait trap. Boric acid is odorless and works well for most insects.
  2. Repel cockroaches with strong scents that they hate such as, neem oil, bay leaves, citrus oil and peppermint oil.
  3. Get rid of cockroaches by keeping a sanitized home that is free of clutter, hiding spaces, moisture and food debris.

Does Killing a Cockroach Attract More?

The next time you think of killing a cockroach, please think twice. Did you know that killing a cockroach may actually attract more of their species into your home?

This is because they release oleic acid after they die. The smell is pungent and sends a signal to other cockroaches to arrive.

This is absolutely something you can avoid by repelling cockroaches away instead of trying to kill them.

Conclusion

In many cases when it comes to dealing with nuisance pests, we are left wondering if we should use poisonous chemicals, call an exterminator or try DIY methods.

In the case of termites, we would recommend a professional to quickly inspect the extent of damage they may have caused. With cockroaches, although they release pathogens that are unhealthy for us, we can act first to repel them on our own with strong scents that they hate.

Bay leaves are my absolute favorite. They are tucked underneath appliances and scattered in areas where it’s dark and easy for cockroaches to hide. I haven’t seen a cockroach since the last time I scattered bay leaves 3 weeks ago. Good luck to you and we hope that this article has helped.

Thanks for visiting ThePestManagement.com for the best information to help you to make the pest control process easy, safe & affordable.