16 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Cockroaches & Ways to Keep Roaches Away

Cockroaches are one of the most common yet most annoying pests. They are not only annoying, but they can also spread a lot of different types of diseases.

The worst thing about cockroaches is that they can crawl all over your house, and they can do it really fast, making it very difficult to catch them and get rid of them.

However, there is nothing to worry about, you can easily get rid of them using natural and safe methods. 

How To Get Rid of Cockroaches Naturally?

Below are 16 effective natural ways to get rid of cockroaches. These methods include homemade cockroach traps. homemade cockroach baits, homemade cockroach repellents, and several other natural ways remedies to get rid of cockroaches.

1. Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth is one of the best ways to get rid of cockroaches. This powder has microscopic shards that can pierce through the exoskeleton of the cockroaches, which will eventually dry them out and kill them.

This is a great way to get rid of cockroaches because it is non-toxic and completely safe for humans. This method is also great for getting rid of a large number of cockroaches.  

Required Items:

• Diatomaceous earth powder

Step by Step Process:

• Create a line of diatomaceous earth powder around the areas where you commonly see cockroaches roaming around. This could be around your kitchen sink, or on your pantry shelves. 
• When cockroaches walk over the line of diatomaceous earth, their body will be pierced with the material and they will die soon afterward. 
• Leave the line for 2 to 3 days to get rid of all the cockroaches in your home. Make sure that the powder does not get wet, if it does, remove it and lay a new fresh line. 
• You may notice dead cockroaches around your house, which you can then discard off in a garbage bin. 
• To clean up the line of diatomaceous earth powder, you can vacuum it up and then wipe down the surface with any cleaner. 

Precautions:

This method can take 3 to 4 days to work, so do not remove the diatomaceous earth too quickly. 

2. Boric Acid

Boric acid is a great way to get rid of cockroaches from your home safely. It is also very easy to use and quite effective. Boric acid is poisonous to cockroaches, so when they walk over the powder, they will die. This is also a  great way to get rid of a large number of cockroaches at once. 

Required Items:

• Boric Acid Powder 

Step by Step Process:

• Clean up all the areas that usually get attacked by cockroaches. These would be areas such as your kitchen sink, cabinets, under the sink, etc. Remove any excess items from those areas. 
• Spread a thin layer of boric acid powder on all those surfaces. Do not leave any piles anywhere. You can also spread some boric acid powder on the floor, but be careful not to slip on it.
• Leave the powder to work overnight. As the cockroaches come in contact with the powder, they will be poisoned. Within a day or two they will start to die. 
• Clean up any boric acid powder by vacuuming it up, and then by wiping down the surface. 
• Discard any dead cockroaches from your home immediately. 

Precautions:

Do not ingest or inhale any of the powder, as it can cause poisoning. Also, don’t use it if your child or pet has access to the area of your house that has boric acid on it. 

3. Homemade Cockroach Bair using Baking Soda

Baking soda is an ingredient everyone has in their kitchen, but it can be used to get rid of cockroaches from your house.

This method involves mixing baking soda with sugar to create a bait, which when a cockroach consumes, produces carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide eventually causes the cockroach’s stomach to explode and the cockroach to die. 

Required Items:

• Baking Soda 
• Sugar 

Step by Step Process:

• Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with an equal amount of sugar.
• Place this as bait on a plate in the areas where you find the most cockroaches. 
• The cockroaches will be attracted to the sugar, but they will also eat baking soda along with it. The baking soda will create CO2 in the stomach of the cockroach, which will eventually burst their stomach and they will die. 
• You will start seeing dead cockroaches only a few hours after you have set out the mixture. Dispose of them as soon as you find them. 

Precautions:

It is important to use this method for a few days to get rid of all the cockroaches. 

4. Homemade Cockroach killer using Plaster of Paris

Plaster of Paris is a cement-like material that is used in construction. You can use this material to kill cockroaches as well.

When cockroaches ingest plaster of Paris, it starts to absorb water in the stomach of the cockroach and hardens, which eventually kills the cockroaches.

This is a method that can get rid of a good number of cockroaches, but it can take a few days to get rid of all cockroaches. 

Required Items:

• Plaster of Paris 
• Corn starch 

Step by Step Process:

• Make a mixture of 1 part corn starch with 1 part plaster of Paris. Mix it thoroughly.
• Place this mixture on a number of dishes and place them around your kitchen and any other place that may have cockroaches. 
• You can also fill in any cracks and holes in your walls with this mixture, just pack it in loosely. 
• When cockroaches come near it, they will eat it, because of the corn starch, but when they do, the plaster of Paris will start to start to harden and kill the cockroach eventually. 
• You’ll find dead cockroaches around your house the next day. Discard them immediately. 

Precautions:

Make sure this mixture is out of the reach of any children or pets, as it can cause serious problems in them as well. 

5. Cockroach Sticky Traps

Sticky traps are a great way to trap and get rid of cockroaches from your kitchen, bathroom, or any other place in your home.

This method is best for a certain area in your house, and not the best for an infestation. However, it is quite effective and easy to use. You can easily tuck it under furniture or a shelf and catch any of the cockroaches that may be hiding there. 

Required Items:

• Sticky Trap
• Peanuts 

Step by Step Process:

• Start this process at night, so that it is easy to clean up later. 
• Open up the sticky traps and put them in areas that might have cockroaches. You can put them under furniture and behind shelves as well. 
• Put one or two peanuts on the trap to work as bait for the cockroaches. 
• As the cockroaches walk over the trap to get to the peanuts, they will get stuck to the glue. 
• The next morning, discard the traps along with the cockroaches into the bin. 

Precautions:

Try not to get the glue from the trap on your hands or your clothes as it can be difficult to remove. For the same reason, do not use these traps if you have pets in the house. 

6. Homemade Cockroach Traps using Duct tape

If you do not want to purchase a sticky trap, you can also use duct tape to catch the cockroaches. However, duct tape is less sticky, so it is not as effective.

However, it is quite a bit cheaper, so you can keep using one roll of tape over and over again. This is great for getting rid of small cockroaches as well. 

Required Items:

• Duct tape 
• Peanuts 
• Soapy water 

Step by Step Process:

• Cut a long strip of duct tape, then attach two small pieces of duct tape on each side of the longer piece, with its sticky side facing up. 
• Now stick this piece of tape on any area that is usually affected by cockroaches. You can lay as many of these strips as you want. 
• Drop one or two peanuts on the tape strips. 
• As the cockroaches try to reach the peanut, they will get stuck to the tape. 
• You can spray the cockroaches with soapy water to kill them before you discard them the next morning. 

Precautions:

Make sure that the cockroaches are dead before discarding them, otherwise, they may get unstuck and run away. 

7. Vinegar Spray

Vinegar will kill cockroaches on contact. You can create a vinegar spray easily at home, and keep it in the fridge to use whenever you need it.

This method is not great for getting rid of an infestation, but if you have one or two cockroaches climbing up in your kitchen, you can definitely see success using this method. 

Required Items:

• Vinegar
• Water
• Spray bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water and transfer the mixture to a spray bottle. 
• Spray any cockroach directly with the mixture. Make sure to drench them in it. 
• The cockroach should die within a minute or two. 
• Once dead, discard the cockroach carefully, and wipe the surface clean.
• Repeat until all cockroaches are dead. It may take a few days to get rid of all of them. 
• You can also spray this directly onto a cockroach nest.  

Precautions:

This process will take a few days to work, as you may not find all cockroaches in a single day. 

8. Soap Spray as Cockroach Repellent

Soap spray is one of the most commonly used household pesticides. It is a relatively safe option and works wonders. Soap spray will suffocate the cockroaches and kill them in a very short amount of time.

Even if you’re unable to kill the cockroaches, they will still run away. It only takes around 3 to 4 sprays to kill a cockroach using this method. 

Required Items:

• Dish Soap 
• Spray bottle 
• Water 

Step by Step Process:

• Fill a spray bottle with ½ cup of water. Add 2 teaspoons of dish soap to the water. 
• Close the bottle and shake well. 
• Spray the mixture directly onto any cockroach you can find. You can also spray directly onto a cockroach nest. Try to drench the cockroaches with the mixture. 
• The cockroaches should die within a few minutes. 
• Discard the cockroaches immediately. 
• Wipe down the area making sure that no soap residue remains. 
• Repeat until all cockroaches are dead. 

Precautions:

Always make sure to clean up the soapy liquid afterward, otherwise, anyone can slip on it. 

9. Ammonia

Ammonia is a potent chemical that also has a strong smell. Spraying ammonia directly onto cockroaches could kill them, but the strong smell can also mask the trail left by cockroaches, thus keeping other cockroaches away.

This is a good method to use if you have a few cockroaches, but it is not effective against an infestation. 

Required Items:

• Ammonia
• Water 
• Spray Bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• Make a 50-50 mixture of ammonia and water. Pour the liquid into a spray bottle. 
• Spray directly onto cockroaches. You can also spray directly in a cockroach nest. Try to drench them in the liquid as much as possible. 
• The cockroaches will die within a few minutes. Once dead, discard them immediately. 
• Wipe away any remaining liquid from the area where you sprayed the mixture. 
• Repeat until you have killed off most of the cockroaches. It may take a few days to get rid of all of them.  

Precautions:

Ammonia is a strong chemical, so wear gloves, and take eye and nose protection while handing it. The spray itself is much safer.

10. Lemon scent

Lemon is one of the most common scents used to drive away cockroaches. Firstly, cockroaches do not like the smell of citrus, and secondly, spraying an area with a strong smell like lemon can cover up the trail left by other cockroaches, so more cockroaches would not be able to follow.

This is an effective method to drive away and prevent cockroaches from entering your house. However, it is only effective for a few days, so you will have to keep repeating the process. 

Required Items:

• Lemons
• Water 
• Lemon essential oil (optional)
• Spray bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• Peel the skin off of 4 to 5 lemons. Put the peels in ½ cup of water and simmer it for 30 minutes. Let the water cool down. 
• You can add a few drops of lemon essential oil into the water if you want to make the spray stronger. 
• Strain the lemon peel water and add it to a spray bottle. Squeeze the juice of the lemons into the bottle as well. Mix thoroughly before using. 
• Spray it in all the areas that are usually affected by cockroaches. You can spray it in any cluttered areas as well, where cockroaches usually live. 
• You will start to see cockroaches running away from your home immediately. 
• Repeat the spraying process for a few days in a row, and you should be able to get rid of all the cockroaches. Spray every 3 to 4 days to prevent them from coming back. 

Precautions:

This method works as long as the smell lasts, so frequent re-application is required. 

11. Garlic

The strong smell of garlic is a very common way to get rid of cockroaches. It is easy to make at home and can be used again and again.

The garlic spray will not only drive the cockroaches away, but it will also prevent them from coming back. This method is effective for a few days at a time, therefore not ideal for getting rid of an infestation, but great for a few cockroaches in your home. 

Required Items:

• Garlic 
• Water 
• Spray Bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• Take one garlic, cut it into 4 parts, then add it to a blender with ½ cup of water. Blend the mixture for a few seconds, 10 to 15 seconds.
• Let this blended mixture rest in the fridge overnight. Strain it the next morning using a fine mesh or a cloth. Make sure there are no garlic chunks in the remaining water. Transfer it to a spray bottle.
• Spray in all the areas that are usually affected by cockroaches. Spray under furniture, behind cabinets, and around your kitchen. Also spray it in any cluttered areas, as cockroaches love living in those areas. You will start to see cockroaches escaping immediately. 
• Repeat this process every day for about a week, until you see no more cockroaches are escaping. 

Precautions:

This method is temporary, so you must use it in addition to more long-term methods. 

12. Peppermint Oil as Natural Cockroach Repellent

Peppermint is a well-known insect repellent. Peppermint plants are often planted in the garden to keep insects away. Similarly, peppermint oil can be used to keep cockroaches away from your home.

You can buy premade peppermint products or make your own spray at home. It is easy to make and works quite well for getting rid of as well as preventing cockroaches in the house. 

Required Items:

• Peppermint Essential Oil
• Rubbing Alcohol (90% or above)
• Water 
• Spray Bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• Make a mixture with a ¼th cup of water and 1/4th cup of rubbing alcohol. Add 5 to 10 drops of peppermint oil into the mixture. Add it to a spray bottle. 
• Mix the liquid well before using it. Spray everywhere in your kitchen, and anywhere else that may be affected by cockroaches. Concentrate on the areas that are cluttered or have food items inside. 
• You’ll start to see cockroaches escaping immediately, and more of them will escape in the following hours. 
• Repeat the spraying process the next day to get rid of any cockroaches that are left. 
• Spray the mixture every 3 to 4 days to prevent the cockroaches from coming back. 

Precautions:

Peppermint oil can irritate your skin, nose, and eyes, so handle it carefully or wear gloves and eye protection while working with it. 

13. Cedarwood Oil

Cedarwood has a very strong fragrant smell. Cedarwood blocks are often used in closets to keep out any unwanted insects. Similarly, you can use cedarwood oil to keep out cockroaches from your home.

The smell will disrupt the trail left by previous cockroaches, so new cockroaches won’t be able to follow. Moreover, it will also mask the smell of food, so the cockroaches will not be attracted to your house anymore. 

Required Items:

• Cedarwood oil 
• Rubbing alcohol 
• Water 
• Spray bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• Make a mixture with 1/4th cup of water and 1/4th cup of Rubbing alcohol. 
• Add 10 drops of cedarwood oil into the mixture. Transfer it into a spray bottle. 
• Shake well before using it. Spray it in all the areas that may have cockroaches. You can spray around your kitchen, in your pantry, in your cabinets, and even in your kitchen sink. 
• You’ll immediately see cockroaches running away. Keep spraying your house until most of the cockroaches have escaped. 
• Repeat the spraying process every 4 to 5 days to keep them out for longer. 

Precautions:

This is a temporary solution, so use it along with a more permanent prevention method. 

14. Catnip Oil as Natural Cockroach Repellent

Catnip oil can work as a repellent for cockroaches. Not only does catnip smell amazing, but it can keep away these nasty creatures from your home.

Use can easily make a DIY spray at home using catnip oil and use it regularly to keep cockroaches away. This is a good method to use if there are few cockroaches, but not ideal for an infestation. 

Required Items:

• Catnip Oil 
• Rubbing Alcohol 
• Water
• Spray bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• Make a cup of a 50-50 mixture of water and rubbing alcohol. Add 10 drops of catnip oil into the mixture. 
• Transfer this mixture into a spray bottle and shake well before using. 
• Spray directly onto all the areas that might have cockroaches. You can also target any cluttered areas such as your attic. Cockroaches will start to run away immediately. 
• Keep spraying all-around your house until you have gotten rid of most of the cockroaches. 
• Spray again every 4 to 5 days to keep the cockroaches out. 

Precautions:

This is a temporary method to get rid of cockroaches, so a more permanent solution needs to be put into place for long-term effect. 

15. Camphor

Camphor is a fragrant chemical that is often used topically for its medicinal properties. This strong scent is also often used to keep insects away from areas like your closet or your kitchen cabinet.

It is also great for keeping cockroaches out of your house. It is great for driving away cockroaches from a certain area, but it is not meant to be used for an entire infestation. 

Required Items:

• Camphor

Step by Step Process:

• Dust camphor powder around the areas that usually have a lot of cockroaches. 
• You can also use camphor blocks in your cabinet and closets. 
• You’ll start to see cockroaches escaping almost immediately, and within a day or two, all cockroaches will go away. 
• Since camphor evaporates rapidly, you will have to re-apply it every 2 to 3 weeks. 

Precautions:

Do not use this method if you have pets or small children, as eating camphor blocks can poison them. 

16. Incense

Incense is a good way to drive away a number of cockroaches at once. However, it has to be used in the correct way for it to be effective.

Incense also has a strong smell, so the lingering smell will keep preventing the cockroaches for a few days. You can in fact use incense even if there is an infestation of cockroaches in your house. 

Required Items:

• Incense
• Matches 

Step by Step Process:

• Take a few incenses, about 4 to 5. Light all of them and blow out the flame, so that they start to create smoke. 
• Take the smoking incenses and hold them near the areas that have cockroaches. Make sure not to hold it close to any material that can catch fire. 
• Spread the smoke around your house, and try to get it under furniture, behind cabinets, etc. 
• Cockroaches will start to run away immediately. The lingering scent will be able to drive away more cockroaches. 
• Repeat this process for a few days to get rid of all the cockroaches.  

Precautions:

Be careful while using fire and smoke in your house, as it can easily become dangerous or set off the fire alarm by accident. Always be cautious while using incense inside your house. 

How to Keep Cockroaches Away?

Below are 8 natural ways to prevent roaches. These methods help you to prevent cockroaches in your home and kitchen.

1. Squash the Eggs

If the cockroaches have made a nest in your house somewhere, there will definitely be cockroach eggs. Once you start taking care of the adult cockroaches in your house, you should also make sure to hunt down the nest and kill the eggs to prevent any further cockroach infestations.

To do so, you can simply squash the eggs with your feet or a heavy tool. Additionally, you may pour some bleach or pesticide to ensure that all of them are completely dead. 

2. Prevent entry points

Cockroaches can enter through pipes, drains, dustbins, etc. They can also enter through any cracks and crevices in your home. Keep an eye out to recognize all the areas that the cockroaches are entering from.

Once you have identified the areas, cover them up with a suitable material. For any cracks and crevices, you can seal them with caulk or silicone. For drains or pipes, you can consider adding a net mesh to prevent the cockroaches from entering. 

3. Remove clutter in your home

Cockroaches love clutter. Cockroaches would make nests in clutter, and lay eggs in any congested place. This is why it is extremely important to get rid of clutter from your house, in order to prevent any growth of cockroaches.

Remove any pile of paper, cloths, wood, etc. Regularly cleaning a narrow space is also important since that is where the cockroaches start making nests. 

4. Store your food in an airtight container

Cockroaches are usually looking for food when they enter your house. So if you do not use airtight containers to store your food, you could be potentially eating contaminated food.

Any container that has a hole or a gap on it can give out the food smell to attract cockroaches towards it. It is extremely important to keep the lids closed as soon as you are finished using the container. 

5. Use closed bins

Another common area that usually becomes a breeding spot for cockroaches is the dustbins, especially wet waste bins.

Dustbins usually have food items inside, which attracts cockroaches to them, so if you do not regularly clean out your bins or use closed bins, it is very likely that the cockroaches in your house are living in the bins.

Always use closed bins to keep the cockroaches out, and regularly wash or clean your dustbins to keep them free of any food scraps that may attract cockroaches towards them. 

6. Clean the pipes

Cockroaches love living in the pipes and drains of your house. It provides them with an area that has water and food. This issue can be solved by cleaning your drains and pipes regularly.

Simply use drain cleaner or Sodium hydroxide to clean out any organic matter from your drain, and it would make sure that the cockroaches do not live there. 

7. Clean any food scraps

If you have food scraps laying around in your house, it is the perfect attraction for cockroaches.

If you do not clean up the food scraps from your kitchen or any other part of your home, you are bound to have cockroaches running around your house. So make sure to always clean your kitchen or any area where you have eaten food. 

8. Get a cat

Cats are natural predators to cockroaches, so when a cat sees a cockroach, it will chase it away or kill it. It is worth getting a cat as a pet in your house to get rid of cockroaches in the long run. 

Top 5 Natural Repellents to Get rid of Cockroaches

If you are looking for readily available natural repellents to get rid of roaches, check below listed best Natural and Organic Cockroach Repellents.

Final Words:

Cockroaches are nasty insects that no one wants in their house. They can also be dangerous as they carry a number of different diseases, so if your food is contaminated by cockroaches, it could potentially cause serious diseases.

It is very important to get rid of cockroaches because of this reason. If you have children, it is even more important as babies tend to crawl on the floor, which could be contaminated by cockroaches.

In the article above, you have learned several ways you can get rid of these pests, and we hope that you can make your house cockroach-free using these methods as well.