DIY to professional solutions: Combatting the menace of roaches in your home

In the cockroach family, you'll find both oriental and German roaches. These originate from Asia and are distant relatives of mantises. Oriental roaches can be found in stores, bars, bakeries and basements, and they can be distinguished from German roaches by their larger abdomen. They can multiply rapidly, and a lack of timely intervention on our part can lead to disaster. But what attracts them?

Cockroaches aren't just attracted to filth, contrary to a popular myth. Instead, they prefer access to moist areas, such as sewers, and easy sources of food. Regular housekeeping doesn't guarantee a roach-free home, quite the opposite in fact. These small pests invade when we fail to clean up our leftovers, much like other insects such as ants. Both oriental and German roaches multiply very quickly, with female roaches being capable of laying eggs up to nine times in a year.

Battling cockroaches alone seldom achieves the desired result, as they have a tendency to reappear. The best solution to this problem would be to engage professional services that can tackle both oriental and German roaches. These insects can spread diseases, with salmonella, staphylococcus, and the polio virus being the most dangerous to our health. Thus, it is important to not delay the decision to remove cockroaches from one's home.

The key to eradicating cockroaches centres around preventing their presence in your home. You must repair any issues with your sewer system and seal any cracks that might be infested by them. Regular cleaning and thorough floor washing can also help, as can storing food in air-tight containers. Cockroaches love to rummage in garbage, so it's important to store trash in areas inaccessible to them.

One efficient way to evict cockroaches is to prepare a paste made of half a finely chopped onion mixed with 4 teaspoons of boric acid. You'll also need a little sugar, water, and half a cup of flour. After mixing all the ingredients, transfer the paste into small caps, and place them in areas where you often encounter cockroaches. A bowl filled with beer can also help by trapping these pests, causing them to drown and die.