Get rid of the cockroaches, please!
By Katak
@submerryn (1304)
Malaysia
July 10, 2009 1:28am CST
Each time we leave the house and come home at night, I'll see roaches in the washroom. They love coming out when it's dark and cold, dont they? I am on my wits end trying to get rid of them.
I'd call the pest control and all they did was use some kind of chemical to fumigate them. I am not too keen on chemicals as I have a little boy at home.
My house can be categorise as clean. I keep it in a tip top condition. Somehow, these roaches still roam freely. I am so mad at them, and yet, so afraid of them! I dont know what to do. I am a strong person, but become weak in the knees at the sight of them!
What do I do? How DO I get rid of them? What can I do to keep them away? Any tips and tricks here? Please help.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@ShellyB (5241)
• United States
10 Jul 09
I wonder why did you place this discussion in Love. And second, aometimes the problem is not your home but your neighbors, roaches do not stay in one place, they can travel in many ways, even in groceries bags if they are from the store. Or the house next door.
I am not sure how you can get rid of them if fumigation did not do the trick, I will say call the fumigation store, and complaint to me them that their job did not nothing to stop the bugs. Maybe there is a warranty or something like that.
1 person likes this
@submerryn (1304)
• Malaysia
10 Jul 09
ShellyB, OMG, I am so sorry! I did not realise I posted it under LOVE! Gosh, is there anyway I can recategories it to LIFE instead? Oh dear, thanx for letting me know though.
I did complain, and they came doing the same thing all over again and the roaches kept coming back! something in my house must have attracted them there. Maybe the Love? haha..
1 person likes this
@ShellyB (5241)
• United States
10 Jul 09
LOL I guess there is a lot of love there 
Well I do not think we can edit discussions but I do believe that sometimes the problem with roaches is not the house itself but the neighborhood. They are bugs and are not going to stay contained in one place.
I had the same problem with field mice, I would do whatever I could to get rid of them but hence the name, they come coming from the outside, they stop untill we got a couple of cats.
Go to a home depot or a big department store and see what do they have in traps for roaches, I have seen these cool traps for ants, so why not think they can make something new and better to trap roaches?
Well I do not think we can edit discussions but I do believe that sometimes the problem with roaches is not the house itself but the neighborhood. They are bugs and are not going to stay contained in one place.
I had the same problem with field mice, I would do whatever I could to get rid of them but hence the name, they come coming from the outside, they stop untill we got a couple of cats.
Go to a home depot or a big department store and see what do they have in traps for roaches, I have seen these cool traps for ants, so why not think they can make something new and better to trap roaches?1 person likes this
@submerryn (1304)
• Malaysia
10 Jul 09
Have you tried the roaches trap? It's like sticky glue in a box house. I tried that and all that got stuck to it was lizard! Double eeww! LOL. I wont give up though, will keep on looking until I find my solution. Be it to fight it with force or with love, whatever works!
1 person likes this
@gcorp09 (940)
• Singapore
11 Jul 09
Well, I have recently started a topic about it too. 
For us, they like to come out in the night after we switch off the lights to sleep, and most of the time, we found them in the kitchen area. They like to hide to the cabinets or the toilet area. I will say that I don't fancy calling the pest control company as well, as I got 2 kids. We recently got a whole lot of pandan leaves and put the pandan leaves in bunches inside each of the cabinets and drawers where the cockroaches may be hiding. So far, for the past 2 days, I had yet to see one, and I hope that it will be gone...
For your case, I don't know if putting some bunches of pandan leaves inside your washroom helps to repel the cockroaches. However, you may want to try it. Another thing is that I remember cockroaches cannot handle soapy water. Maybe, you can add some soap or bleach in your sink everyday before you leave the house. This may help...
For us, they like to come out in the night after we switch off the lights to sleep, and most of the time, we found them in the kitchen area. They like to hide to the cabinets or the toilet area. I will say that I don't fancy calling the pest control company as well, as I got 2 kids. We recently got a whole lot of pandan leaves and put the pandan leaves in bunches inside each of the cabinets and drawers where the cockroaches may be hiding. So far, for the past 2 days, I had yet to see one, and I hope that it will be gone...
For your case, I don't know if putting some bunches of pandan leaves inside your washroom helps to repel the cockroaches. However, you may want to try it. Another thing is that I remember cockroaches cannot handle soapy water. Maybe, you can add some soap or bleach in your sink everyday before you leave the house. This may help...1 person likes this
@gcorp09 (940)
• Singapore
12 Jul 09
Well, it's good that you can get them easily. However, do note that you have to keep them dry, of which you can do by hanging them or putting them in shelves where water can't reach them. Do let the fragrance of the pandan leaves fill up the whole bathroom to repel the cockroaches. So far, in these few days where I started with the pandan leaves, my kitchen smells nice with the pandan leaves fragrances, and I had yet to spot any cockroaches around the house. 
As for the soapy water, I read somewhere on the Internet about these. They need water, and like wet areas, but if it's soapy, they can't handle it. I do agree the above are simple ways, and do make the house smells nicer and natural too. That's why I use these methods instead of the chemicals. In addition, these are also cheap ways, and I feel that there's no harm trying in my house. By the way, when the pandan leaves dry up, and lose the fragrance, you will have to change a new bunch...
As for the soapy water, I read somewhere on the Internet about these. They need water, and like wet areas, but if it's soapy, they can't handle it. I do agree the above are simple ways, and do make the house smells nicer and natural too. That's why I use these methods instead of the chemicals. In addition, these are also cheap ways, and I feel that there's no harm trying in my house. By the way, when the pandan leaves dry up, and lose the fragrance, you will have to change a new bunch...1 person likes this
@submerryn (1304)
• Malaysia
12 Jul 09
gcorp, pandan leaves? Serious? I can get them easily over here! I love the smell too! Will put a whole bunch in my loo rite away. I never knew roaches cant handle soapy water. That sounds like too easy. But I'll try anyway. Pandan leaves and soapy water will only make my washroom smells nicer. So why not try? Thanx!
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
10 Jul 09
Roaches enter into the washroom or bath area due
to the water.
They swim up from the sewer and get into the drains
and toilet and bathtub.
To keep roaches out of your water, put bleach
in the toilet or spray with lysol before you leave
the house.
The purpose is to make the water taste bad to repel bugs.
Cover your sink and tub drains so they do not enter that way
either. They are just after the water and nothing else.
Also, put out a little bit of Boric acid mixed with corn meal
or bread in corners and that will kill most of the bugs
that come into the house.
Best of luck!
@submerryn (1304)
• Malaysia
12 Jul 09
Oh, now I know that roaches are after the water and nothing else. That information helps alot. But I wont dare to put the bread with acid in the corners as I have a 2 year old boy running around the house. Afraid he might pick them up and put it in his mouth instead. But, I'll do try the spray with lysol method. I've already cover my sink and tub drains before I leave. So now I hope lysol will help big time!
1 person likes this
@Barbietre (1438)
• United States
11 Jul 09
I lived in an apartment and was fine until after my friend moved out from upstairs and was replaced by a very dirty group of people. Sadly at that time I could not control them because as soon as I had them gone, they would come back from upstairs. And when I bought a house I guess a few eggs had followed. But being it was my own home I eradicated them very quickly with boric acid. My aunt, a real clean freak suggested this as she was also an apartment dweller.
You can be very clean, but it is the people around yo who can bring them in. The boric acid is not harmful to humans.
1 person likes this
@submerryn (1304)
• Malaysia
12 Jul 09
I see, boric acid is not harmful to humans? Even to toddlers? That is a relief. I dont know much bout these stuff so you can imagine why I am so paranoid. I was living a peaceful life too until my neighbour moved in. Maybe that is the reason for the roaches 'party' at my place. Sigh..
1 person likes this
@jayrene (2708)
• Philippines
10 Jul 09
we have had that problem here too. we live in a townhouse, and townhouses here have only wall that separate us from our neighbor. sometimes when one of them sprays those cockroaches escapes and some run to us, arrggh... we have bought insect spray here too, and i have it within reach all the time, so that if i ever see one i can spray on it right away.
i have read in this other site i am a member in , this is a good one, most of what the people said there that tried, havent yet tried though i remembered it just now, will try it later. mix same portion of sugar and baking soda, then put it in a place where cockroaches mostly comes out, or put it where you see them often, sugar attracts them and they eat it, baking soda kills them. they said there it really worked.
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@submerryn (1304)
• Malaysia
10 Jul 09
WOW jayrene? Really? I must try this. I tell you, I am in a stage where I'll try ANYTHING to get rid of them. I hate them maximum and I'll do anything in my powers to crush them. I just hate them. Period. Thanx for that great tip, I'm heading to the stores right now to get some baking soda. I have sugar but no baking soda at the moment.
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