I. General Facts about Roaches

No pest is more ubiquitous than the cockroach. Cockroaches have been with man since the dawn of humanity. Knowing their immunity to radiation, among other things, they may even outlast human existence itself. Certainly then, cockroach termination is no easy task.

This ultimate survivor insect has roughly five common pestiferous species in North America, and each species differs to some extent in predilection to habitat and appetite. The German cockroach, for instance, is as comfortable indoors as it is outdoors and will eat anything, while the smoky brown cockroach prefers to live outdoors and is considered primarily an herbivore.

II. Roaches as Pests

To say the cockroach is resilient is like saying water is wet—obvious and understated. That’s not to say getting rid of cockroaches is an exercise in futility. It might take time, but the best ways to manage roaches are really quite straightforward and applicable to all species of cockroach. Then again, there are some subtle differences in the approaches to cockroach control based on the species.

The first step in achieving roach control is to set out some sticky traps (like the ones used for mice) around your house. This will achieve two things. First, it will help you get a better look at the roaches that have infested your house so that you can identify them. Second, it will give you an idea where the “high traffic” areas are for cockroaches in your home. If you choose to use roach sprays, roach baits, or roach poison, you’ll know where to apply it.

III. Identification and Basic Cockroach Control

* The German Cockroach

They can thrive in just about any environment and are less reliant on moisture than other roaches. For these reasons, the German cockroach has become the most common pest and roach species in the American household; ironic, considering their moniker.

The German cockroach has one flaw: its preference for warm air (like that of its native North Africa). Heating vents and furnaces are some of their most common hiding places. Cleanliness is, of course, one of the most effective ways to get rid of German cockroaches, but simply putting out borax-laced roach bait will usually take care of the problem.

* The Oriental Cockroach

This type is less common than either the German or brown-banded cockroach, and prefers very wet environments. You will often find the Oriental cockroach feeding on decaying food, in garbage containers, and anywhere else food has been dropped.

Because of the Oriental Cockroaches’ affinity for sewers, drains, refrigerators, basements, cellars, and any other cool, moist environment, your best option for comprehensive roach control is to keep your home warm and dry.

A dehumidifier set to "high" in a basement or in the first floor of your home will help take much of the moisture out of the air, leaving the floors and other surfaces dry enough to dust with boric acid as a secondary precaution.

* The American Cockroach

They prefer dampness and warmth, which is why they’re so frequently found in basements, boats, bathrooms and sewers. The American cockroach is one of the bigger species of pestiferous bugs in the States, but luckily for you, it’s less common in homes and apartments.

In spite of this, if you’ve identified the American cockroach as your problem pest, perhaps the best way to get rid of the American cockroach is to cut off access to your home and reduce the amount of residual moisture in it.

Use a dehumidifier to keep your humidity down. It will also help deter American cockroach populations from getting uncontrollable. Applying boric acid (borax) on the areas where you notice the most roach activity will help finish off your more stubborn roaches.

* The Smoky Brown Cockroach

This type is primarily an outdoors roach that will wander indoors only if there is a food source. The smoky brown cockroach prefers plant matter as its primary food source, so you will often see these roaches in gardens and greenhouses–rarely in areas where humans tend to dwell.

Because of the smoky brown cockroaches’ appetite for rotting fruits and vegetables, it’s a good idea to begin a roach control regimen by cleaning away any organic matter from doorways, windowsills, and the edges of buildings.

Ground level walls and foundations should be inspected and caulk should be used to seal any cracks that are observed. You may even want to consider lining the perimeter of your home with an organic desiccant like diatomaceous earth.

* The Brown-Banded Cockroach

Like the German cockroach, this one prefers warmer, drier climates, making it a problem them the upper floors and attics of your home. The brown-banded cockroach is a notorious eater of clothes, fabrics, glue, and other starchy substances, which why you’ll often find clusters of them in shelf spaces and warm, upstairs closets—especially bedrooms.

To control brown-banded cockroach populations immediately, you may want to vacuum your rooms thoroughly, using a crevice attachment to suck roaches and their eggs from their hiding spots. Then, dust with boric acid powder in those inconspicuous places. Caulking cracks beneath baseboards and around cabinets and shelving will stop brown-banded roaches from returning.

IV. Natural Roach Control on All Roach Species

* Borax: Dust boric acid powder in inconspicuous places, like behind cabinets, your refrigerator, your oven, and any other nooks or crannies where children and pets may not be able to reach.

* Weather-stripping: Weather-strip windows and doors to prevent the migration of cockroaches from outdoors to indoors; mending any broken or torn window screens is also a good idea.

* Washing: Wash everything with soap and water. Clean your entire apartment or living space down to the very last surface. This can be done in an ecologically sound manner by using products made by companies like Ecover and Seventh Generation. These companies provide cleaning products for just about every surface and situation.

* Proper Food Storage: Store your food and garbage in sealed, roach-proof containers, making sure to take your garbage out on a regular basis. You know, before it starts to smell like crap.

* Caulking: Caulk any cracks or gaps between pipes (gas and water), walls, baseboards, cabinets and counter tops. Sealing these areas up will give cockroaches fewer places to hide, and when cockroaches have nowhere to hide, they’ll find somewhere else to live.

* Vacuuming: Vacuum your house thoroughly at first, making sure to use the appropriate attachments to reach cracks and crevices, even ceilings, furniture and throw rugs. After that, it’s a matter of convincing yourself and others to vacuum on a regular/weekly basis.

V. Killing Roaches

* Why get rid of roaches? You don’t have to be an anthropologist to understand why people desire cockroach eradication. Cockroaches bequeath the gifts of saliva and excrement on your dishes, your cookware, your counter tops and any other surface they traverse. But it’s not just the food poisoning, dysentery, and diarrhea that cockroaches may cause—there’s also the threat of childhood asthma.

* How to kill roaches: Cockroach slaughter is easy: you just stomp on them, right? Wrong. Besides the obvious mess you’ll leave behind, cockroaches (when they’re hungry enough) will eat the remains of other cockroaches, so squishing them isn’t the best way to do it.

Kill cockroaches by dehydrating them. This doesn’t sound easy, but most roach killing sprays first grind the exoskeletons of the roach before delivering a neurotoxin to turn off their brains. Many roach-killing dusts, like boric acid (borax) also abrade the exoskeleton, but do not deliver any other chemical. They simply allow the roach to dehydrate and die of thirst.

VI. Roach Poisons and Roach Bait

Picking your cockroach poison or bait comes down to the question of how large your problem is. If you’ve lain out sticky traps and they’re getting completely covered, or if you see cockroaches during the day on a regular basis, chances are, you’re dealing with a considerable cockroach infestation. Cockroaches only feed during the day if the population is too great to support a strictly night time feeding schedule.

Many roach poisons, dusts and sprays are called desiccants. A desiccant doesn’t need to be ingested to take effect. Desiccants basically scratch the exoskeleton of the cockroach (that hard surface that keeps moisture and the cockroach’s guts inside), allowing moisture to seep out slowly—eventually killing the roach that comes into contact with it.

It’s not a quick death, unless of course the dust or spray you’re using contains a secondary ingredient like a neurotoxin to kill the roach more quickly. Such sprays and dusts to consider are Raid’s line of roach and ant sprays, Drione dust (which uses silica aerogel to abrade the exoskeleton), Shellshock (which uses Diatomaceous earth to dehydrate the insect), and Diacide (diatomaceous earth + pyrethrin). Boric acid, or Borax, is also considered a desiccant.

In conclusion, even though the roaches may outlast humanity in the long run, the best you can do to survive each other, sadly, is mass roach genocide to protect you and your family from harm. Is this intolerance to other species? Most certainly, but this is also survival of the fittest, so anything goes. Sorry, roaches.