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Cockroaches do not like a certain smell, although it may seem that they are completely invulnerable. It remains to figure out which smells disgust these insects, and which, on the contrary, attract their attention.
Is it possible to scare off cockroaches with smells
Cockroaches belong to the order of insects from the suborder cockroaches. More than 7000 species are known today. These insects are a very ancient species, therefore they have been fairly well studied.
It is known that they are one of the most viable insects - they can go without food for more than a month, they are very resistant to radiation radiation. The eggs that the female lays are reliably protected by a special capsule from the external environment. Cockroaches have well-developed sense organs, especially the sense of smell. On their body are antennae with appendages (cerci), with the help of which insects are able to identify various odors. Cockroaches perceive them in different ways - they remain indifferent to some, some attract them. Of course, there are odors that repel insects for a long time. This feature can be used in the fight against cockroaches.
Why cockroaches are dangerous for humans
Unfortunately, not everyone understands how dangerous these insects are. Cockroaches roam freely between the sewers, the garbage chute, the basement with rodents and the attic with bird excrement. On their paws, they are able to collect a wide variety of bacteria. Everything that has been collected is carried by insects around the apartment, in particular, in the kitchen. The infection can be on the table, refrigerator, dishes. It has been proven that an ordinary cockroach can become a carrier of the following diseases:
- meningitis;
- toxoplasmosis;
- urogenital infections;
- gastroenteritis;
- dysentery;
- salmonellosis.
Cockroaches are also able to spread the eggs of such parasites as roundworms, pinworms, whipworms, and some types of amoebas.
They cause many problems for allergy sufferers. The chitinous scales that they shed during molting are mixed with dust particles, dry remains of cockroaches, get on the skin, into the digestive organs, and the respiratory apparatus. As a result, they cause dermatitis, conjunctivitis, asthmatic syndromes.
Faced with an allergen in your apartment every day, the disease becomes chronic and does not go away at all. Children often suffer from these allergies.
There are cases when cockroaches bit a person, gnawing particles of the skin of the lips. Sometimes, in search of shelter, they crawl into the ear canal of a sleeping person. It is very difficult to get him out of there, as he will hide, climbing further. In such cases, the help of a doctor will be required.
Cockroaches can be dangerous for pets for the same reasons. It happens that a cat or a dog eats an already poisoned insect and the poison acts on them.
What smells scare off cockroaches
Many would agree that cockroaches are an unpleasant problem in living quarters. They live in all regions, as they perfectly adapt to any natural conditions. Worst of all, getting rid of them forever is almost impossible unless the neighbors in the apartment building fight them.After all, sooner or later, cockroaches may return again.
There are a number of chemical and natural substances that have a strong and unpleasant odor for insects, causing cockroaches to move away from the source as far as possible.
Herbs
It is quite obvious that cockroaches cannot stand the smell of some herbs. Not all grass is suitable for repelling insects, but only one that has a sharp, specific aroma. These herbs include:
- laurel leaves;
- peppermint;
- chamomile flowers;
- sagebrush;
- wild rosemary;
- honeysuckle;
- tansy and some others.
Wormwood can be collected and spread around the house to spread the smell as much as possible. When the grass withers, do not throw it away - the smell of dry wormwood is also unpleasant for cockroaches. You need to arrange the stems into bags and put them in shelves and cabinets. You can make a decoction of wormwood and wipe the surfaces of furniture with it, especially in the kitchen.
Dry chamomile inflorescences, collected and dried on their own or bought at a pharmacy, must be put in textile bags and put in places of greatest concentration of cockroaches.
Peppermint has an unbearable smell for cockroaches, and refreshes a home with its aroma. Both fresh and dried mint will help get rid of insects. You can also use it as an infusion for wiping furniture surfaces.
The bay leaf is a real insecticide that repels cockroaches and does not harm pets. A packet of bay leaves (200 g) is poured into 1 liter of boiling water and insisted for 2-3 days. After that, the surfaces are wiped with the resulting liquid.
Tansy is one that has recently been torn off or has already completely dried out. You need to collect it when the first flowers appear - their smell has a strong effect on cockroaches. Infusion of tansy can be sprayed on the premises.
Elderberry is very toxic to insects, since all parts of this plant, except flowers, are highly poisonous. Elderberry branches are usually laid out in hard-to-reach places.
The smell of garlic and fresh cucumber is very unpleasant for cockroaches. The garlic is peeled and the cloves are laid out in the house. After a few days, the cloves can be changed. The smell of fresh cucumber is terrible for cockroaches in combination with aluminum. Therefore, the sliced cucumber should be placed in small aluminum containers.
Aromatic oils
The oils are widely used, and correctly selected aromas will create a high-quality repellent against cockroaches. It is cheap and easy to use.
Oil should be used with care. With prolonged use, some of them cause allergic reactions, excite the nervous system, and increase blood pressure.
Oils from plants such as mint, eucalyptus, fir, and many others can be used as cockroach repellents.
For example, tea tree oil repels not only cockroaches, but also other domestic insects. The oil will work much more effectively if you add lavender or any citrus oil to it. Can be applied after mixing with hot water, spraying or wiping surfaces.
Fir oil has antibacterial properties. Well cleans the air in the room from various microorganisms, acts on insects, including cockroaches. Prepare the composition by combining 0.5 g of water, 50 g of alcohol and add 30 drops of fir oil. This mixture is sprayed into the premises. But it is better not to use where small children and pregnant women live.
Geranium is well known for its insect repellent scent. Pink geranium has the sharpest aroma. You can buy the oil or make it yourself.For this, the upper part of the geranium is poured with alcohol and left in the sun for a couple of weeks. Next, the liquid is filtered and stored in a dark place. The room is treated by spraying the places with the greatest concentration of cockroaches.
Mint contains menthol, which affects the taste and gives the mint its smell. Peppermint oil is diluted with water and used by spraying the room.
You can use oils by putting a few drops on small pieces of bandage or gauze and spreading them indoors. It is sometimes effective to oil the surfaces of walls, furniture, bathroom doors and kitchens. It is often enough to fill the oil into the aroma lamp.
Pharmacy preparations
The drugs that are used to kill cockroaches are based on toxic substances. These include drugs with a pungent odor - ammonia solution (ammonia), sodium tetraborate solution (borax).
Borax is mixed with sugar or vanilla, and then, using starch, the mixture is brought to the state of a batter. The substrates are lubricated with this mixture and placed around the house. Cockroaches are attracted by the sweet smell, but after eating the mixture, insects die, as poison penetrates into their body.
You can do wet cleaning using ammonia. Take a teaspoon of ammonia per liter of water, mix and wipe all surfaces with the resulting solution. The action of the solution does not stop even after the pungent odor disappears.
Another of the poisonous mixtures is pyrethrum. This powder is found in some insecticides. It is made on the basis of medicinal chamomile. You can simply sprinkle the powder along the baseboards, but more often the bait is prepared. The powder is mixed with a boiled egg and sugar is added. The balls from the resulting mass are laid out around the house. The product does not have a pungent, unpleasant odor for humans and is absolutely harmless to children and pets.
Chemicals
The most disgusting smell for cockroaches is the smell of insecticides. It is considered the most effective remedy for any domestic parasites. For convenience, they have different release forms:
- aerosols;
- gels;
- crayons;
- traps.
All of them have advantages and disadvantages.
Aerosols are very convenient to use and act as quickly as possible. However, they can be dangerous for people with allergies, and if handled carelessly, they cause poisoning. Plus, they fade away quickly.
The gels are also easy to use and effective. But unlike aerosols, they have a mushy base, not allowing the product to dry quickly. They are based on contact and food exposure, therefore they are safe for humans. Food flavors are added to the gels to attract insects.
Crayons, like gels, do not immediately begin to affect insects, but they have long-term effectiveness. As a rule, with numerous damage to the premises by cockroaches, crayons do not have the desired effect.
The traps are very easy to use and safe for people and pets. They allow you to get rid of the entire population of cockroaches at once, which, by eating the poison, infect other relatives.
Other smells that repel cockroaches
Other unpleasant odors include the smell of gasoline, kerosene, naphthalene. Using such substances, you need to dilute them with water and arrange them in small containers around the house. Often housewives use ordinary table vinegar, washing the surfaces with it. Cockroaches react negatively to bleach and chlorine-containing substances. They are very afraid of whiteness, which many people use for cleaning floors.
You need to understand that having been poisoned by the smell, cockroaches weaken the effect of poisons with the help of water. Therefore, the water must be inaccessible to insects. Having successfully discouraged cockroaches with the help of smells from the house, do not flatter yourself - you will not be able to get rid of their larvae. It would be more correct to first use insecticides, and then use other means as a preventive measure.
Rules for the use of odors in the fight against cockroaches
It makes no sense to destroy cockroaches without knowing the reasons for their appearance in the apartment. Most often they appear where cleanliness standards are not observed. Insects are attracted by food debris on the table, trash cans, crevices, moisture.
The treatment of the premises from cockroaches should be aimed at creating unfavorable conditions for the reproduction and development of insects. Before starting the fight against them, you need to remember that they cannot live long without water, so using the plumbing, you immediately need to wipe it dry. Air vents, window sills, door jambs, baseboards, balconies, thresholds in the house should be processed. You will need to re-process in 4-5 days.
If the chosen remedy for cockroaches is an aerosol, then it is recommended to remove household members from the room for a while. This is especially true for children, pregnant women and the elderly, since the harm to the respiratory system and the whole body as a whole is obvious.
What smells do cockroaches like
Many people prefer to deal with intruders with homemade traps. These are some devices that allow you to catch and neutralize the cockroach population. Insects are lured into such traps by using fragrant products, the smell of which attracts cockroaches. Suitable as bait for them:
- meat (raw, smoked, dried);
- a variety of sweets or regular sugar, vanilla is fine;
- butter;
- beer;
- sweet fruits.
Using these products, you can also prepare a poisonous substance. It is advisable to treat the entire apartment with this mixture, especially the bathroom, kitchen and staircase.
Conclusion
Cockroaches do not like the smell and knowing this, you can successfully fight them. It is important to take all the necessary measures in time and prevent an increase in their population in your apartment. If there are already a lot of insects, it is better to use special chemicals.
