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Request How to get rid of roaches(r/howto)
I used to live in a large apartment building that had roaches inevitably. Because you could eliminate them from your apartment but they still lived next door and would come to visit when they got bored. And of course there were the trash chutes in case everyone was really clean.
We had a monthly exterminator who came, for free!
All that did was make me sick once a month. (WHAT was he spraying???)
The answer? [Boric Acid.] (www.amazon.com/PestGuard-Zap-Roach-Boric-Acid/dp/B…). This stuff is amazing. It will take a few days, but you can speed it up if you mix the boric acid with something edible, like powdered sugar.
It works two ways. It kills anything that breathes through spiracles, which is all insects. It is essentially non-toxic to all mammals, (ergo safe for your pets or tiny babies). Pharmaceutical grade boric acid is in sterile eyewash, so if you can wash your eyeballs with it, you have to know it’s pretty non-toxic. So that’s how it kills. But, since it’s a powder and it doesn’t kill instantly, the roaches get it on their legs and mouthparts and antennae and bring it back to their nests, where it kills other ones. I put a line of it around the edges of every cabinet, threw some behind the stove and fridge, and basically never saw a roach again. When they did come back (MONTHS later) I would sweep up the old powder and put some new out (I assume it degrades over time?).