Two months ago, I moved into my first ever me-only apartment, or so I thought. Ever since day one, I've almost been over run by roaches. I've tried almost everything. My apartment has an exterminator who comes once a week, just as long as I let the office know that I need an exterminator. I've had my apartment sprayed 3 of the 4 times I've asked them to show up.
I've gone through almost 4 cans of Raid, my mom and I scrubbed my apartment from top to bottom, throwing away anything the roaches might like (cardboard, flour, etc.). Then we bombed the apartment with a fogger. I've put boric acid down everywhere and the number have diminished ever so slightly, but not enough to celebrate. I've even tried to spray and put boric acid behind the fridge and stove.
I refuse to move, nor do I have the time or money to move (some people I've talked to recommend I break the lease and move). I have woken up in the middle of the night with a roach or two crawling on me (needless to say those quickly became very long nights). Please, tell me if there's something I can do. I'm at my wits end trying to find a way to get rid of them
By Kim from Phoenix, AZ
The "whole" building complex needs an exterminator to treat it. If they do not, you can report them to the Board of Health Department. Someone could have easily moved into the apartment bringing roaches with them and thus the infestation began in another apartment and is now spreading throughout. Roach infestation is not an easy problem to fix. (09/14/2009)
By Myrna
Some things you might not have tried: put out sticky traps to catch roaches, then you will find out where they are congregating/coming from. Boric acid only works when they track it back into the nests and kill the small ones. Also plug up any cracks in your cabinets/walls, etc. which may be an entryway for the bugs. Make sure all food is in closed containers (like bagged cereal boxes, and so on.) Only have food in kitchen/dining room.
Try using herbal propellants. There are also roach chalks that can be put around areas of entry. They may be coming in for water, so check for water drips. And again, put sticky traps everywhere. They will immediately eliminate the walking population, and tell you where the points of concentration are, so you can attack those. Don't give up on the boric acid, it takes time to work. And good luck. I agree about alerting the health department about a general infestation, that's illegal to have, as it is a health hazard. Contact your councilperson or rep in city government about that. (09/14/2009)
By pam munro
Try a plug-in or electronic pest control (no chemicals) they run about $20:walgreens.com
Also, here's a natural bug killer made from Orange peels. It's safe to use around kids and in the kitchen:orangeguard.com You can buy it at Ace Hardware stores or on Amazon for around $12.
As far as sleeping, in Mexico they stick the legs of their beds in cans filled with kerosene to keep the roaches off of them. I'd never recommend kerosene, because of the fire hazard, you could use dish detergent in large cans as a temporary measure or even liquid laundry soap. These nasty critters must be living in your walls. Also, you might put down cardboard or poster board with double-stick carpet tape stuck to it (carpet tape is really strong and super-sticky) to catch the little buggers in their tracks.
I sure do feel sorry for you. Be sure to document these pests with a camera and a notebook of everything you've tried and on what date. Then if you have to break your lease you can take them to court if they mess with your credit. I'm sure you could get a cheap lawyer or paralegal to get them to drop you from your lease because of these nasty roaches. Any judge would understand. (09/15/2009)
By Cyinda
Go to Wal-Mart and buy a couple of cans of Bengal Roach Spray. (It's pricey, but worth it.) It works and you'll see a marked improvement in a matter of hours. Be prepared to sweep though. You'll be sweeping for several weeks if there is a gross infestation. I used this when I moved into an apartment that was infested with the critters and it is the only thing that worked. (09/17/2009)
When you spray they go next door. When they spray they come back. Unless the whole building is sprayed you will never get rid of them completely, (09/17/2009)
I got rid of a horrible infestation using boric acid only. The way you're using it, however, is not enough. We put it everywhere, around all the baseboards, on the cupboard counters, around the sink. Plus, because you're in an apartment building you'll have to create a barrier of it all the way around your apartment. It's cheap, non-toxic, and it works. Instead of pressuring the landlord to spray more poison all over my belongings I think I would be talking to the neighbors about putting up a united front with the non-toxic alternatives. (09/17/2009)
You can get roach chalk in Asian markets, and it does work, not better than other poisons, but it does work. It is also a poison and if you have pets or have children visiting you should not use it. It is cheap and will kill (some not all) roaches that cross it. I've used it, but prefer taking either the approach of moving out or going all through the apartment with a flashlight and sealing up any place where the paint doesn't close the wall junction. (09/17/2009)
Like one of the readers below I had some success with Bengal roach spray and the boric acid and both work pretty good. But you really should try Maxforce roach bait domyownpestcontrol.com. I have included a link to this product. But you can do a search on it and find it at a lot of different pest control places, some of them have free shipping. I just didn't have the time to find it right now. One good thing is you can buy as little as one tube for about $13.00 or so and this stuff is the bomb. No joke, it really works.
Oh yeah, when you put it out make sure not to put it directly on your counters or wherever your gonna place it. Put it on a little piece of tin foil or something like that cause eventually it starts to dry up, become sticky and hard to remove. That way when your ready you just pick up the piece of tin foil and discard. Easy as pie. No fumes, loading, and washing everything in the house and all the other mess. Good luck.
Shannon (09/18/2009)
I have tried all the products they have said to use and none of them work. What I have found that does work is Combat gel it has a domino effect, so even if they go back to the nest they die and the other roaches eat them and they die. Why spend big bucks on some thing that don't work? I put it around my sockets, under my stove, wherever you see little spots and keep it out. I do and I don't have them. I was getting wood roaches they are big ones and it works. You can get it at Wal-mart about $9 a tube. (09/18/2009)
I'm not sure if this is what did it. I had a problem with roaches and put sugar and cinnamon under some large appliances. (09/30/2009)
By s
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