Ahh roaches, lovely little critters that invade your home, and wouldn'tseem to die if you dropped an atomic bomb on them - they would just clean off their antennae and keep on truckin! The good news is, I have had "experience" in the past with this very problem (read that as a 3 and half year headache and pest control bills that could break a millionire). The first place to start is a clean home. People may not always *get* roaches from having a dirty home, but they tend to stick around when the eating is good. So to start, make it a rule to never leave food laying about, always keep your dishes washed, vaccuum like a maniac, and keep everything as clean and spotless as you possibly can! Roaches generally do not like to hang around in clean places. Secondly, you are gonna want to kill off as many as you can. You will find that there are literally hundreds of commercially prepared treatments for cockroach infestation. You also have the choices of professional extermination, bombs, foggers, etc, etc. One thing to know about all these treatments vs. roaches, is that cockroaches are HIGHLY adaptable insects and can become "immune" or resistant to certain chemical treatments. To illustrate: Let's say cockroach #1 is living in Bobs house. She's pregnant, and is about ready to have lots of baby cockroaches. Bob decides to spray her and her other roach friends with Raid. The Raid kills off, say, 95% of the population. But cockroach #1 survives, and starts to build up an immunity to Raid. She has her babies, which move to Joe's Apartment next door (yep that was an intentional joke). Being already somewhat immune to Raid, Joe might try to kill them with Raid, but will onlyl kill about 5% of them. So in summation, the treatment you may use may not work on "your" roaches. You may have to mix and match a few different kinds to get the best result. Now for the good news. One treatment that works extremely well on almost any infestation of roaches, is Boric Acid. It comes labled under many different names as roach treatment (frequently is called Roach-Proof), but is always a powder, and is blue or white in color. After you have finished getting your house super-clean, just sprinkle the roach-proof anywhere you can, along baseboards, doorways, underneath appliances, and anywhere roaches can hide. Roach hotels do a pretty decent job also if you buy the souped up kinds. Professional exterminators do a really good job, but are extremely expensive. Sprays, such as Raid and similar products, don't really do a very good job, and really only work if you can spray a roach directly on the head with it, and even then sometimes it doesn't! So basically, you want to look at cleanliness, treatment, and further prevention (keeping things clean!). You may have to use several combinations of the above suggestions before the roaches completely go away, but it *is* possible to eliminate them! Best of luck to you!

Boric acid kills roaches when they ingest it after grooming themselves. It is also toxic to humans and other animals in varying amounts (depending on the grade of boric acid you purchase). Diatomaceous earth can also be used to kill cockroaches. Here's a link that might be helpful: www.wvu.edu/~exten/infores/pubs/pest/hpm1004.pdf

Boric acid is the stuff, but the hard part is getting roaches to ingest it. Normally when boric acid is used, the roaches just stay away until the powder is swept up. When the roaches recognize it is "all clear", they come back. Yet, I have just now discovered a bait that gets the dang vermin to eat the boric acid. For the full story, log onto: http://www.seabrightlabs.com/roach.htm

The best success I have ever had is a bait I made from instructions in a book titled "Tiny Game Hunting" available through the L.A Public Library, (website is LAPL.org). This worked so well that I was misled into believing it useless and really disgusted until I realized that the flood after flood of roaches I was experiencing were different sizes, colors, and shapes. I was actually cleaning out one nest after another in a roach-infested building. Needless to say, not believing it to be my personal responsibility to clean out a building for an owner who wouldn't do more than spray an apartment on occasion, I don't live there any more. But it IS effective. The recipe is very clear and simple. A point to consider--when moving out of a known roach-haven, spray the inside of EVERY packing carton with a good roach killer before packing and also the entire floor and up two feet of wall of the new residence. This reduces both the chances of your carrying uninvited guests with you, and the odds of survival of any that do hitch a ride. My first month in my new apartment I found several dead roaches on the floor, which I assumed to be victims of my "spray everything" tactic, but I did not find live creepy-crawlies around.

Here is some stuff about roaches. I hope it helps. I put what I found to be the best or simplest natural remedies first. ---- a shoe applied with force ---- Glue Traps: These are those little cardboard boxes with "entries" which contain a strong sticky glue and an attractant. These are actually pretty effective for all kinds of bugs and spiders in the house, and safe. We have had great success with these for all the crawlies…as long as the boxes are periodically replaced. "Victor" is the name of a manufacturer that only sells environmentally sound pest control products and they make some excellent glue traps. ---- d.e. or diatomaceous earth (food grade, not the processed swimming pool kind) This stuff is great for getting those German cockroaches and waterbugs (big roaches)! It can be applied inside and outside and I have seen how effective it is for any type of bug with an exoskeleton (outer shell). D.e. is very safe to use and is in some of our foods, air or water filters, and can be used to get rid of parasites with animals by adding it to their feed. However, it is not healthy to breath a bunch of the dust because of its fine particles of silica. So, wear a mask if you throw it around the yard. It can be sprinkled around the house or in cracks in problem areas, some people use it on carpets to control fleas, and I have found it very effective against those big, nasty waterbug cockroaches outside near the house where shrubs, mulch, ground covers, and plants are located. Waterbugs tend to try to come inside as it gets cooler. You just toss this all around that area outside and it won't hurt the benefitial insects, but will get things like roaches and ants. It loses its effectiveness when it gets wet. It is fairly cheap in the big bags sold at feed stores or organic nurseries Here is some data on d.e. Diatomaceous Earth. It comes from a long dead, one-celled algae called a diatom, which created a shell of silica (glass-like, sharp sand-like). It looks similar to baby powder, with no odor and dry. It works by dehydrating target pests. When insects get some on them, the diatoms cut through their waxy exoskeleton which in turn leads to massive body fluid loss. They will then die of dehydration. ---- Roach baits, the plastic roach motel kind: Although not organic and they can contain some strong chemicals, they are not intrusive on one's environment unless there are pets or small children who might get into them. ---- Orange Oil bug spray (and cleaner): Orange oil, (or actually d-limonene), is the oil that is extracted from citrus fruits during their processing. Many commercial cleaners and products add this ingredient. I have found many uses for orange oil and it is very safe. One can make their own orange oil with the peels and pulp of limes, oranges, etc., but it just is not cost/time effective. About an ounce or two of orange oil to a quart of water along with a little liquid soap (not the anti-bacterial type which contains some toxic stuff) or shampoo, makes for a great bug killer and cleaner. Put in a spray bottle, shake before using, and spray. It will "melt" fire ants. It is great for most bugs and non-toxic. Smells nice. Do not use heavy concentrations of orange oil on most acrylic or some plastic products to clean with, because acrylics will melt from the heavy acid. Soaking a little of the orange oil on a gummy adhesive residue will remove the adhesive. Don't spray on plants with a heavy concentration of orange oil; because, like vinegar, it will burn the plant. It has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. It can be sprayed in air ducts to cut down on the mite or any mold activity. A little sprayed on the soaking, dirty skillet will help remove the stuck food. I clean with it often, but am sure to dillute it well for cleaning wood or some plastics. Orange oil comes in quart or gallon containers and is about 50 cents an ounce cost. There is a commercialized orange oil, called "TKO" without the oiliness. It is a bit more expensive. Orange oil can be difficult to find. Most organic places have it. ---- Horse Apples (from the Bois 'd Arc tree) I keep hearing that these green fruits will drive off roaches when placed under the bed or in the garage. ( I am not keen on one of those under the bed) I am doing some research on them now. An Iowa researcher is trying to isolate the effective chemicals. Recent experiments of mine show that horse apples tend to have some kind of effect towards keeping assorted pests from becoming invasive. ---- Boric Acid: I have had mediocre success. It does have a little toxicity and is not healthy for soils, killing longterm the benefitial microbes, so it isn't good for outdoor use or where pets or little kids get into it. It is anti-microbial and is often used for that purpose. It often attacks the microbes of the digestive system of some pests like termites. It is a great alternative to any type of pesticide. It can be used to control ants and a variety of other pests with exoskeletons. Sprinkling on the carpet to handle fleas (because of their life-cycle) works fairly well. It can be effective against invading pests by spraying into cracks and crevices. Of course, caulking cracks and crevices is a smart thing to do when fighting roaches. The smaller roaches are usually German cockroaches, the larger are called Palmetto bugs or American cockroaches. ---- Benefitial nematodes applied to the lawn will help knock out roaches, fleas, ants, grubs, termites, and a variety of pests. See my answer on termites. Here is some organic/natural ways data from www.dirtdoctor.com "Effective homemade baits can be made by mixing one part sugar and one part Arm and Hammer detergent. A pinch of boric acid added to this mix makes it even more effective. This mixture has extremely low toxicity, but it still should be put in bait stations or lids and located in areas where pets and children can't get to them. Stronger baits can be made by mixing two parts flour, one part boric acid, and one part sugar and moistening enough to form little balls or cakes. Add more moisture from time to time to keep them more appetizing. Always keep all pesticides, even these organic home remedies, away from the pets and the kiddos." Hope this isn't too much information. If you click on my name or do a search, you will find related data for natural pest control. The area on insects or mosquitos lists quite a few botanicals and herbs. One answer is under "Dieting and Nutrition".

There is a wonderful bait that costs very little to make and kills the little beasts off by the nestful. It consists of boric acid, flour, ground rolled oats, and powdered sugar. In this order (alphabetical, so that I can remember it) it is four parts boric acid, two parts each flour and ground oats, and one part powdered sugar. Because both the boric acid and the final bait are toxic to pets and people if ingested (as well as to bugs), handle carefully and keep the containers out of reach of children. Your home food processor or blender will grind the oats to a fairly fine powder in very little time. Then blend all together with a large spoon and close up tightly. The boric acid is what kills 'em, but it's very vulnerable to moisture; the oats help to absorb that. The powdered sugar attracts them, and the flour makes a smooth blend which will shake and scatter easily. Put some bait into a container with a small controllable opening (even a sandwich bag with a corner snipped off works) and shake it behind the refrigerator and the stove, in crevices where the little beasties have been seen to lurk, behind cupboards, etc., and wherever you can be sure it's inaccessible to pets and children. Because this stuff affects them a little more slowly than some of the stronger products, you may actually see more for awhile as they slow down. The real beauty of it is that the nymphs (intermediate growth stage) eat the dead adults and their feces so a thorough application can kill off a whole nest. I had to use the stuff for several months in my former building, and I swear I killed at least five nests because I saw different sizes and colors over that period. Where I now live I've only had to use it twice in the two and a half years; keep what you've made up tightly closed and it's good indefinitely.

Putting bay leaves in the cupboards and in the corners along with the boric acid really works. The Victorian women used it in their cupboards and it is very effective!

As a former exterminator, the best that worked---immed.---was chlordane.....blanket sprayed, under the house, inside perimeter, 3ounces p. gallon, I sprayed roaches and theyd freeze,dead.within days, every insect known to mankind willcrawl out and die..Its effective for months.One hitch: its illegal.wear a mask, chemical mask, while spraying, elbow length gloves, i didnt for two days had jitters and spasms........just like the lil roach

Clip em and light em up.

The best way to get rid of roaches is to start charging them rent. They will leave ASAP before they have to pay even one day of rent.

Napalm is usually 100% effective

I heard the only way to get rid of them tottally is to gut your home of all furnitionings, especially stove, refrig, they seem to camp out in warm places. Anyway then tent the house, and have it sprayed dont put same things back in. And clean thoughly all the time. And maybe just maybe they will stay away. :( Good luck. I have yet to see these varmits tottally exterminated I think they could live though a atomic bomb. This might seem expensive but for me it would be worth it. I hate those creatures.

Move!

Cockroaches! They seem to be immortal. I have tried a variety of way to put an end to their existence in my flat but failed to do so. The problem is that I hate their sight especially when I am having lunch or dinner. My wife keeps the house clean, but to no avail. Roaches are everywhere, even in the bathroom. The only method I am using now is killing them with my slippers whenever they put in an appearance. This method has proved ineffective so far for the number of roaches in always on the increase. I am now thingking of bombing them!!!!!!!!!!!! I once heard of a German gell that would inevitably bring abouit their death. I tried it but could see no positive results. I learned later that the gel I use was not genuine and that the genuine gel is not available in the country where I live. I have learned from the answers here that the most effective way of exterminating them is through the magic blend of boric acid and other stuff. I will try this method first then will tell you about the results I have got.

Someday... robotic roaches might just be the answer. Check out this cool article I found! http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/000322.html

get about ten gallons of gas an burn them out' burn the whole fucking house down! spare nothing' then burn down the houses near you just in case one runs over there' then build back !

Cockroaches are versatile creatures able to survive in harsh conditions ever since dinosaurs ruled the planet. They can easily adapt to any man made method created to destroy them.They have been known to be immuned to many insecticides when the same chemicals were used after some time. For the time being, I have used cypermethrin and tetramethrin based aerosol and found it to be effective by spraying every night until the population showed some reduction.. Usually they come out after 12 midnight when the temperature is a lot cooler.You must have a killing campaign to spray behind cabinet, dark holes, manholes, passages to man holes and areas where you have identified as their breeding space. Rearrange your cabinets, rubbish should be in plastic bags and never allow them the opportunity to reach your rubbish and food.You will never get 100 percent eradication; some how somewhere there will be some eggs hidden that will hatch and continue into a new generation. The best approach is to surrender and leave the house but be very careful not to carry along hidden eggs in your luggage boxes ,shoes and furnitures.

The best method I found, and the one we use for the storage rooms at the local food bank is a simple little ultrasonic screamer device ... most bugs, roaches included, just do not like the constant noise in the ultrasonic range that these things produce ... they may hunker down for a little while, but they will all just leave in search of a more peacefully quiet location within a day or two ... the power cost to run such a device is far less than the cost of continuously replacing poisons ... and these devices are harmless to humans and we can not even hear the ultrasonic noise being blasted out.

the ones in tom price chase you when you try to kill them but boric acid kills em. tom price roaches are huge

just maintain a clean environment and avoid letting extra foods, (like leftovers from used plates) go down the drain.,

to get rid of roaches permanently, guaranteed: boric acid this is a pretty safe powder you can get for around $3-$4 at a local convenience store or even some dollar stores. method: put it in corners, along walls, anywhere you have seen or suspect roaches to be.. dont clean it off, but read the warning label if you have pets or children at home.. oh yeah, dont inhale it. but other than that, its quite safe and has other uses too.. we got rid of our roach problem for good years ago following this method.

I got rid of roaches. Seems like every where we move, and we have lived in very nice and clean areas but I guess nasty people lived there before us. My kids said mom, why did the roaches follow us. THAT WAS IT!!!! I called terminex $422 for four visits, are you serious. The wonderful woman next door with 7 dogs had them coming 2 times a week for a few months (I thought it was for termites, they told me otherwise). What did I do!!!!! I cleaned up!!! and kept it clean...... (so instead of seeing 150 roaches a day of all sizes, I saw 100. I bought combat gel, combat baits, raid baits, Harris Famous Roach Tablets, Diatomacious Earth, and Some pesticide that cost me about $75 dollars and I apply it outside every 3 months. (I found that the roaches were coming from next door). I first put out the baits (waited 3 weeks), So instead of seeing 100 live roaches a day I saw 80. HUH, not enough gone. So I got the combat gel, put it all around the house, I got to know the roaches and where they like to hang out. On my bookshelf, counter tops, by my stove, refrigerator, and in my bathrooms. So I put this out and instead of seeing 80 live roaches I started seeing 10 baby roaches, who I figured their mom died, and they were now immune to the gel. My clean counter tops were then dusted with D.E., I put the HRTablets in all cabinets, under and the side of the refrigerator, Under and behind the stove and in my draw with my spoons and forks, basically anywhere where their was a shadow. I also put the DE in all of the bottoms of my cabinets kitchen and bathrooms. I also put tablets in these areas as well as gel. The whole thing is you much check to see what they are eatting, you can tell with everything but the DE. They are going to indulge in something. Once I did this the babies literally die within seconds from the DE, I watched several die in the matter of about 30 seconds. Amazing stuff. The Tablets seem to eat away from their insides out. I went from seeing 10 babies a day to seeing one every week if I saw them at all. Mind you I have yet to use the barrier because it is cold. I will use it when the weather breaks and use if faithfully until I am sure their gone for ever. I also used DE on my door sill and windows. I dusted wall to wall floors in my living room, bathroom, stairs, kitchen, I looks dirty yes but the results if you leave it are endless. Also you kinda have to leave the dead roaches who die from the gel dead around for about a week (trust me I know it is gross) but they are not social creatures. I just swept the dead ones in the corner and of course the other roaches feed on dead or injured roaches and then them selves die from the poison. They said one roach kills up to 45 additional roaches, at my rate I needed that extra kill. All in all it worked. I am rounding off the dollars I spent: Roach gel - $ 10 Harris Roach Tablets - $ 25 Diatomacious Earth - $50 Baits (combat and raid) $25 Professional Pesticide - $ 75 ( Haven't used it yet) ROACHES GONE ---- PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

to get rid of where they are coming from. Restaurant next door? condo building next door? they come from somewhere. Exterminator? keep in mind for every roach you see there are 15 you don't see.

I live in the country so I don't really have a roach problem. Occasionally I will bring one(or more) in from the grocery store. For immediate results, I use Bengal spray behind the fridge, stove and other inaccessible (to kids, pets, food and dishes) places. For long term control, I use Roach Pruf which is a boric acid based insecticide. Works very well.

Outside of your home roaches will accumulate anywhere there is decaying organic matter. Clean up and clear out dead leaves, overgrown grass and weeds, and any moist areas that collect organic wastes. Pay special attention to overgrowth that is right up against your home. In apartment buildings, roaches can gain entry to your living space through unprotected vents, ducts and drains. Combat this weakness by removing vents and placing screens behind them. Seal the edges of the screen against the duct opening with silicone caulk and replace the vent. Next, check that all of your windows have undamaged screens. Any small holes you find in a screen can be repaired with a dab of silicone caulk. Doors should have weather stripping applied over any crack that could allow a roach to enter, and drains should be closed up every night before retiring. source: http://www.howtogetridofstuff.com/pest-control/how-to-get-rid-of-cockroaches/2/

clean clean and clean some more, all food and toothpaste or anything of that ilk should be kept in plastic storage

Boric Acid is correct...the mineral sticks to the legs and bodies of the cockroaches and when the cockroaches clean themselves they ingest it and poison themselves. Regarding the comment on flames...boric acid is a fire retardant. Minimized danger from fire comes as an effect.

Arson.

Clean your kitchen real good then before you go to bed at night set out some small marshmallows on the counter. After the lights have been off for about 2 hours sneak into the kitchen with a lighter and canned hairspray turn on the light. Before the roaches scatter light the hairspray as you depress the top creating a blowtorch. Fry the little bastards to hell. As their flaming bodies try to run off laugh like hell when they finally stop and turn to black crust. It will not rid your house of all your roaches but will most certainly appease that vengeance stored up in you.

Cleanliness will reduce or eliminate the problem. But if you have to get an exterminator, remember roaches will not return to an area, where they are frequently poisoned. A roach can identify these, poisoned areas by their hairs. Now there are a number of herbs that will repel these critters. Cucumber peelings work great. Place them wherever there is a problem. They won't go in this area. Bay leaves are good too.