How to kill a Cockroach on the cheap and not poison your cat at the same time.

 by shallwedave
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Even though roaches will be living in dome houses made of Tupperware™ and chewing on our bones after the nuclear holocaust, doesn't mean they have a right to take over your house and your wallet.
 
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Step 1: Find yourself some dishsoap.

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It doesn't have to be UltraGel Japanese dishsoap but you might get some geek points if it is.
bornokyo says: Dec 6, 2012. 11:26 PM
Put alcohol in a spray bottle. Spray directly on the roach... See it walk a bit and die... way cleaner
margann says: Apr 29, 2010. 10:48 AM
I once came home to thousands of them in my apartment. Truly an experience I'll never forget. Come to find out,  the apartments around me had bug bombed while I was gone.  I filled every crack and crevice in my home with steel wool. If I couldn't or shouldn't (think electrical outlet)  put steel wool in I sprinkled diatomaceous earth. Both scratch their carapace and kills them. For a while I would come out and sweep up the dead with more glee than a nice person like me should have. Your way sounds a lot easier, though mine was permanent.  
kinawera says: Sep 4, 2008. 4:18 PM
Good God - so much new information! We had an infestation when moving into a new house in Australia.... We got big pasta sauce jars and ran a rim of Vaseline inside the jar at the top. Then a tiny bit of red wine or tomato - or both (THEY LOVE IT) and they crawl in but can't crawl out. Jars and jars full of roaches in the morning. Make excellent presents, Jar O' Roaches. You just go round and pour boiling water into the jar. It took about a week of diligent roach trapping and we were more of less roach free in our previously infested house. Apparently this just means they go to the neighbours. This is something no-one tells you about beautiful lovely Sydney. It is located on top on a seething layer of roaches. Hustle and bustle of the big city!
cloner in reply to kinaweraOct 29, 2009. 9:01 PM
hey, i was looking for this and i thought it was an instructible! you should make one!
albylovesscience in reply to kinaweraAug 1, 2009. 11:59 PM
cool when you trap more roaches just throw the jar over your nehbors gate
dtc989 says: Aug 9, 2009. 6:11 PM
fill the full or nearly full jar with gasoline.....just add fire--FOOOOOMM!! roach gravy! LOL
a918bmxr says: Dec 22, 2008. 1:42 PM
you can also spray them with alcohol and watch them slowly squirm to their death i hate them >:-O
MasterBowyer says: Jun 20, 2008. 1:37 AM
How to: Have fun killing cockroaches... I'm sure most people have had problems with cockroaches and spent lots of money calling in pest control, now theres another way of dispatching the little bugs that will cost very little and if you're a sick little puppy you'll enjoy the method. The Method: Take a packet of Bicarbonate of Soda and sprinkle around the affected area where the unwanted bugs live, the greedy bugs will consume the bicarbonate of soda, as these bugs are hard case insects the cannot pass wind, so they EXPLODE! Bye bye cockroaches....
trikkedaddy says: Feb 13, 2008. 7:59 AM
Always flush the roaches in the toilet because they can still give birth when they are dead, just like in Species movie! ;0)
boxercurl says: Feb 6, 2008. 11:55 AM
Another really quick way to kill them is to use rubbing alcohol. Just pour a little onto them and watch them flip belly up. I put mine in a spray bottle because I refuse to get that close to them.
rocky946 says: Sep 28, 2007. 12:44 AM
Good idea man! Dog shampoo and water in a spray bottle will also kill cockroaches as well as most other bugs. It can be used as a cheap flea spray if needed
gotja says: Sep 2, 2007. 8:54 AM
steping on it?
UflipURmom says: Sep 1, 2007. 6:43 PM
lol where did u get that do u live in japan or just spend a little to much time on ebay
billien says: Aug 20, 2007. 2:11 PM
Another way is to catch roach in jar put in some type of detergent,[eg liquid hand soap or dish washing detergent] then fill with water. the roach drowns because the soap does something to the surface tension of the water. The roach can't float to the top and run away
LasVegas in reply to billienAug 30, 2007. 7:58 AM
Or used coffee grounds in the bottom of the jar. The roaches will crawl in and die. Interestingly, this doesn't keep more roaches from joining them! They'll fill the jar!
LasVegas says: Aug 20, 2007. 6:33 PM
Hmm... I've always preferred stepping on them... Even cheaper! :)
bowakowa in reply to LasVegasAug 30, 2007. 2:05 AM
My gf, who has a degree in restaurant/hotel management, and works as a sous chef at a 4 star restaurant, says stepping on them only allows the eggs to stick to your shoe if the roach is female and pregnant. You then carry them back to your house or spread them around. We live in an old converted school building now artist studios. When we see a roach, we cap it with something clear. Then we slide paper or thin cardboard under the clear dome and carry it to the toilet and flush it. They can hold their breath for quite some time, but at least it's gone.
LasVegas in reply to bowakowaAug 30, 2007. 7:38 AM
OMG! I never considered that! Now I have to sterilize my shoes! Another little fact to consider. If you're ever offered Paper or plastic at the grocery, you might think environment and say paper... DON'T!!! Roaches love the glue used to hold those bags together. They not only feast on it, but lay their eggs in it. On the other hand, the plastic used in modern grocery bags is 100% biodegradable in a very short time it dissolves into CO2 and if burned emits only CO2.
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