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I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this--but anyway, I have 3 cats who stay inside all the time, and 2 who stay outside all the time. I put out a can of food for them, and some hard stuff for later when they get hungry. Just as soon as the inside cats get through with the canned food, roaches jump in. Some times I go in the kitchen and the bowl is full of roaches. I scare them away and kill all I can with a fly swat. I'm scared to use Raid Ant and Roach Killer because of the cats, but these roaches are getting out of hand. How can I get rid of them without making the cats sick. If I spray Raid on the floor, the cats will get it on their feet and lick them and---who knows? What can I get to to kill the roaches with that won't harm my cats? The roaches are getting in other rooms also, last night in bed, I felt something crawling on me, under the covers. It was a roach! I hate those things! What can I do? Thanks.

Sounds like an infestation. I would sure hire a professional to deal with it. They will spray/bo-mb the house, and you and any pets will need to leave for a few hours. But I think this would be the best and most effective treatment.

Thanks. That does sound like the best thing to do. I'll try that. They are really getting out of hand.

Whatever the cost, your health and peace of mind (including sleep) will be so worth it. They get into places where you cannot get DIY spray.

Assume you are in a home, not apartment? If this is a recent infestation, they might have moved in from an adjoining unit or home. Be very cautious about bringing in or storing any cardboard boxes that are not brand new. They love to hide and lay eggs in the corrugation.

It is a battle! I agree with hiring a professional. You will have to have your house treated every three months - because of hatching eggs.

I helped someone with their home (seems like a lifetime ago now). The house was infested to the point that when you open the cabinet doors, they jumped on you. Gigantic, big, small, teeny, and everything in between. Creepy crawlies galore!

1. Seal any food stuff in containers...metal, plastic, etc. Cereal, dry catfood, crackers, etc. Roaches can chew through plastic bags, boxes, etc. It's a good time to go through your pantry and throw away out-dated and stale foods.

2. Put away all food immediately. This includes the catfood. Stay with them while they eat. When they walk off...refrigerate the leftovers or dispose of outside immediately.

3. Clean your kitchen. Leave no uncovered food out. Wash dishes at the end of each meal. Clean the strainer in the sink. Take all trash and garbage out NOW and do not let it accumulate inside the house.

I helped someone once. The wife went to the nursing home after a 9 month stay in the hospital. I put away all non-essential kitchen items in their storage building. ALL packaged food went in the refrigerator - cereal, crackers, etc. Since I had been asked to help, I threatened the husband to keep the kitchen immaculate! or I would not help. (Told him to tell his daughter to feed her dog at home and not put out any dogfood at all...she visited for an hour or two several times a week and was afraid her watermelon-on-toothpicks of a dog would starve before getting her home...but that's another story.)

Bottom line, you just cannot leave anything out for them to eat. Roaches can find enough of that on their own without having a banquet thrown for them.

In the end, 9 months down the road when I met the exterminator for the third time to let him in the house, he told me that he had been spraying that house ever 3 months for years and had it not been for me he would still be spraying (yep, patting myself on the back).

Now...if my son would only listen to what I tell him about roaches...

I think everyone has had this issue at sometime in their life.Years ago I moved into an Apartment.I started seeing some.I bought this product Combat,it's in a needle looking tube and used other spray to kill eggs.Easy instructions and did the job.

Also Boric Acid,powder form is wonderful and NOT harmful to animals or babies.It works by the bugs crawlng in the podwer and tracking back to the other bugs.Then the acid eats away the shell-body and k*lls them.So they crawl on other bugs it k*lls them too.Keeps on working even if more eggs hatch.We use this today,even though we moved in to this home when newly built 13 yrs.ago.Just to make sure no creepy bugs try to invade.
There are new products made today that are safe for pets and children.And no bad smell either.I dont like the bombsprays.You have to wash EVERYTHING afterwards,from walls,cabinets,bed covers,ect.Too much work.They can explode,saw this on news last year.A ladys home exploded when she left.And another women set off bombspray too,she had 2 small babies,she left came home and(didnt air out her home)went to bed.She woke up next morning and one child passed away from breathing in the chemicals.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jackierenette,

I only know of one tried and true method to get rid of roaches, and that is to hire a pest control company that will come and spray monthly- like Orkin. It has been many years since we needed to do this, but back then they sprayed once a month. It might have changed, but you definitley need a professional, I can tell you from experience that you will spend as much money, if not more buying sprays trying to do it yourself than if you just call an exterminator from the start, and you will never really rid your home of an infestation without them anyway- good luck to you.

Just a little info that I read a long time ago....
One drop of grease will sustain one roach for one year.

That's why everything has to be kept CLEAN!

Call Billy the Exterminator.

I'd call a pro cuz I agree with the other posters. They're nearly impossible to get rid of any other way. Good luck.

I agree to hire a professional BUT make sure they understand that you have inside pets to make sure that they make the right choice re method. Ask them for references for other customers that have indoor pets to let them know that you are serious that any chemicals used are "pet-safe."

And during the "procedure" and for several hours after, you will need to remove ALL of the cats from the home - is this "doeable" for you? You will need at least 3-4 cat carriers (since you have 6 cats) and an air-conditioned car! If you can manage that, then go for it!

Roaches have no place in our homes but sometimes they make one anyway! Goes without saying that, once the infestation is gone, that you need to keep everything spotlessly clean... but there is no need to quit feeding your cats on the floor! Get rid of the infestation and start over!

Good Luck and let us know how it goes!

PS. The cat food isn't the problem - the roaches are already there and are attracted by any food; get rid of the roaches = problem solved!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Idaho Resident,

A motel for the night - if affordable - is a good solution.

The pets have to be fed. Just when they are finished...put up the leftovers and wash the bowls. Same as we should do when we get through eating.

There was a horrible roach infestation in a house we were supposed to move into about 26 yrs. ago. I found an exterminator who also sprayed all the hospitals in a 50-60 mile radius. What he used was safer than most of the stuff you can purchase for DIY. Don't remember the name of it but it got rid of them & kept them gone. He sprayed once a week for 4 weeks, then once a month for 6 months and then we went to twice a year.

Former tenants had let them take over as well as fleas. This was down here in the heat/humidity where they seem to breed faster than up north.

I have also heard that living in the south or warm all year climates greatly increases the chances of insect infestations.
This is one advantage to living where it freezes part of the year, the other is some weather to look forward to, after the beastly hot summer some areas have had.

There are also some kinds of plants that harbor cockroaches such as Cabbage Palms. I've also "heard" but not confirmed, that cockroach eggs are present in the paper bags one may bring home from the grocery store.

Just want to add that the spray the professional used in our house was safe for our pets. In fact, our dog was allergic to most flea products, but not to the spray he used in our house. He would actually spray her when he came and he would leave some extra spray for us to use inbetween his visits. That was during rhe summer we fought fleas and finally won!

They can also be in the produce you bring in from the store. Don't just bring a bag of potatoes in the house and put bag and all in your potato storage spot. For years, I've set the bag of potatoes outside. Go in and get my 'potato basket.' Open the bag and put the potatoes in the basket one at a time.

The plastic grocery bags can also have vermin eggs in them.

It's a dirty world out there!

My son had such an infestation at one time that when he came to visit I would not let him bring his luggage/duffel in my house. He left it on the screened in porch...brought his clothes in and popped them in the washing machine. THEN the clothes were permitted in the bedroom. Luggage stayed outside.

When I see one roach - the ultra-cleaning and spraying starts! Nasty little buggers.

quote:

How can I get rid of roaches?

I have some steps on getting rid of the cockroaches in your home. This might be helpful before you hire a professional. The link is wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Roaches.

We do our own spraying. We shop at a store that only sells pesticides. We use demon and mix it by the directions on container. We spray every 2 months or longer depending. if we see them on patio or in garage, it is time to spray. It works great. I do put every sugar bag,flour, cookies, etc. into another plastic bag leaving it in the original bag but inserting it into another for double protection.Good luck!

I looked around the 'net a bit for a good answer and this looks like an intelligent discussion to join. Glad you're all here.

Like you all, I am very careful to keep attractants to a minimum. I live in Miami where indoor insects are a constant. Fortunately, I have never had a roach problem. I was traumatized in childhood by roach infestations, so the sight of just one in my home sends me over the edge.

Recently, a friend was moving and she gave me her wii game system. She warned me that is was probably infested with roaches, so I brought it home, poured roach killing powder into a plastic bag and placed the wii in the bag, and then tied it tight. I checked on it a week later and there was evidence of roaches and dead nymphs. And holes in the bottom of the bag. Rewrapped it. Two weeks later and there is fresh evidence, plus an empty egg shell. Again, rewrapped it in a fresh bag, with fresh poison, tied the bag and then bagged it in a 2nd bag and tied it. I let it sit for four weeks. Finally, I took it out, sat outside with it and gave it a good shaking and then cleaned it down with orange oil (goo gone). I figured four weeks, that had to be enough time for any eggs to hatch out.

Then I realized that I am missing some of the cords, so I placed the wii into a shoe box while I order new cords for it. In the week or so since, I have been seeing small roaches in the bathroom. This can't be coincidence, but for goodness sakes, I kept that thing wrapped tight in bags of poison for four weeks! I opened the shoe box, and yeah, there were new roaches in the box. I taped the box shut and wrapped it in a bag with poison in it, again.

So, on to the question. I can't find this out on the web, so far. Does anyone know if eggs can go dormant? Or if an adult can live inside the machine for weeks...thought it takes two to make the egg viable, doesn't it. And, how the heck can I clean this thing out once and for all? When I found the roaches in the box I started shaking. I am at the point where I am thinking I will need to throw it away. My little boy was so happy to be getting a wii, and it is an expensive machine. Does anyone have a good answer for this?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: victorial,

I think putting it all in the freezer may be an answer. The eggs and roaches surely cannot survive freezing temps for 24 hours.

The moisture in the freezer will not destroy the electronics? I guess at this stage, since I am close to trashing the whole thing anyway, the freezer is as good as any solution. But, does freezing kill eggs, too? I can google that one, I think.

Thanks, Conrad. I will try it.

I am thinking a lot of home freezers often don't get super cold? You need temps below zero (or a longer time) to kill off the eggs by freezing. I would put the electronics, cords, any paperwork you want to keep with it in a plastic bag and place it in the freezer for at least 5 days.

Paper items, boxes and such are often places where the egg pouches will be left.