13 Ways to Get Rid of Cockroaches Naturally

Cockroaches are notorious pests that no sane person wants in their home. The reviled insects carry pathogens, eat human and pet food, and contaminate surfaces, but you don’t always have to call a professional exterminator to get rid of them.

There’s an old joke that the only two things that will survive a nuclear war are cockroaches and Cher, but the former is not unstoppable, even using natural methods.

Instead of calling in the big guns armed with toxic chemicals, try any of the following natural methods to deter cockroaches and prevent future infestations.

Empty the Garbage Often

Cockroaches are coming into your home because they smell food scraps and can easily access them. Your garbage cans, especially the one in the kitchen, are like fine cockroach restaurants that don’t even need neon signs to entice customers.

Simply emptying the trash often will remove this incentive for roaches to enter your home. If that is problematic for some reason, at least use a garbage can with lids that seal tightly if there is food waste inside.

Don’t Leave Dishes in the Sink

Leaving dirty dishes in the sink covered in food scraps is a terrible idea if you have roach issues. Not only will roaches be attracted to the food remnants, but sinks tend to have water, which a thirsty cockroach will appreciate.

Either rinse the dishes and place them in the dishwasher or, if you don’t have the latter, just get into the habit of washing your dishes after every meal.

Seal Entry Points to Your Home

Although it may not be immediately obvious, try to pinpoint how cockroaches are entering your home. Is there a large gap under a door? A window without a tight screen? A large crack around a pipe that leads outside?

Sealing these problematic entry points is like blocking off the major highway that cockroaches use to enter your home.

Baking Soda and Sugar

Baking soda is a common kitchen item that will kill cockroaches if they ingest it.

To get your unwanted guests to eat baking soda, you’ll have to mix it with something that looks similar to what they want: sugar. Sprinkle the mixture in corners or areas where you have seen roaches and emit a satisfied, evil laugh.

Neem

A neem is a large tropical Asian tree with seeds that have insecticidal properties. Both neem oil and powder will kill cockroaches.

Either mix neem oil with water and spray it in areas where you have seen roaches, or sprinkle neem powder in the same areas. Either way, if roaches could scream, they’d scream over neem.

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil is a substance that many insect pests, including cockroaches, find repellant.

Create a mixture of peppermint oil and saltwater — the better to dry you out, my dear — and spray the concoction in areas where you have seen roaches. Although the result won’t be as immediate as, say, baking soda, after repeated applications roaches will avoid the area.

Bay Leaves

Bay leaves aren’t just wonderful for certain recipes, they are one of the most common and effective natural home remedies for vanquishing cockroaches from your sight.

You can either crush bay leaves and sprinkle the dust in your cupboards where you have seen roaches, or you can boil the leaves and spray the water in corners that are known roach-congregating areas.

Pepper, Onion, and Garlic

No, we’re not making a pasta sauce right now. Pepper, onion, and garlic just happen to make an effective weapon against cockroaches when mixed together.

Mix a solution of pepper, garlic, and onion paste together with about one liter of water. Spray the mixture where you have seen the pests. They don’t like the smell, but hopefully you won’t mind it.

Cucumber in a Tin Jar

A cucumber in and of itself will not deter a hungry cockroach, but sliced cucumber in a tin jar or can is another story.

Simply place a few slices of cucumber in a tin jar or can and place it in a cupboard where you have seen roaches. The juices in the cucumber react with the metal and produce a smell that will send roaches running for the hills.

Deep Cleaning

Dirty homes with lots of clutter not only offer roaches food, it gives them plenty of places to hide.

Focus your deep cleaning attack on areas with sinks, including kitchens and bathrooms. Roaches are attracted to the scum and residue in sinks as well as the moisture. Be sure to check under the sinks for any leaks and remove any excess items under the sinks, especially if you find any wet spots.

Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring sedimentary rock that can be crushed into a white powder.

Not only is this magic powder harmless to humans and pets, but the substance compromises the waxy exoskeleton of cockroaches and causes them to dry out and die. If cockroaches aren’t taking the bait, sprinkle a little powdered sugar into the mix to help the “medicine” go down.

Declutter

Aside from depriving roaches of food and sprinkling and spraying substances that they don’t like, decluttering robs them of places to hide.

After roaches are done feasting in your kitchen, they love nothing more than to escape to a nearby laundry or closet with lots of jam-packed coats or stacks of towels. Try to give the items a little bit of breathing room so that roaches can’t get lost in the clutter.

Deprive Roaches of Water

Roaches are nocturnal and like it when it’s dark, warm, and moist.

Water is the reason you often find roaches in sinks, near drains, and in laundry rooms. If you have a leaky faucet, be sure to take care of it. Also, keep an eye on pet bowls and change the water often because they are roach magnets.

If you make an effort to keep your home light, bright, clean, uncluttered, and free from excess moisture, your house won’t be the cockroaches’ first choice for permanent lodging.