Cockroach infestations aren’t common, but the worst thing about them is the baby roaches.
They are just as dangerous as their adult counterparts but with extra agility.
Moreover, they even shed their skins plenty of times before reaching maturity, increasing the chances of spreading dangerous allergies from viruses and bacteria they carry.
Getting rid of baby cockroaches is not impossible, but it’s also not easier.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about how to get rid of baby roaches in your house before they grow and spread the infestation more.
What do Baby Cockroaches Look Like?
Baby cockroaches are small in size and do not look much different from adult ones.
After getting out of the egg sac, they have a whitish colour; once they grow, their skin darkens and turns deep brown.
Another important thing to notice is that little roaches do not have wings, and while growing, they shed their skin many times before reaching full maturity.
Why do you see Baby Roaches in Bathroom?
Roaches prefer a damp environment where food is readily available; therefore, the bathroom is one of the best places to hang out.
They have plenty of water available there, and they can also access the drains to travel through other drainage holes scavenging food.
Another reason baby roaches are frequently found in bathrooms is that there are plenty of bathroom insects on which they can feed; these insects are a good source of food for them, making bathrooms a perfect hideout.
Considering all this, it is common to often find a cockroach in the bathroom.
Why do you see Baby Roaches in Kitchen?
Baby roaches need constant food and water supply to grow, and kitchens are one of their best sources; they crawl all over the kitchen sink, floor, utensils, slabs, and whatever they can find and spread the chance of viral and bacterial infections.
Kitchens offer roaches a warm and humid area with plenty of access to food and moisture; hence, kitchens are among the best places for a cockroach infestation to thrive.
Hence, finding baby roaches in the kitchen is very common.
How to Get Rid of Baby Roaches
Now that you know how dangerous these little roaches can be, your priority should be to eliminate them immediately; there are plenty of ways to eliminate them from your house.
You can use a commercial exterminator, try a homemade one with essential oils, and get help from a professional roach extermination agency.
However, if you do not follow a clean and hygienic lifestyle, it won’t be long before the roaches infest your house again.
Cleaning Your House
If your house is swarming with small roaches, then your house must have already been hit by a bad infestation.
One of the main reasons for a roach infestation to thrive in houses is the dirt and poor maintenance.
Dirty and unhygienic houses are fast targets for roaches, and so if you never want to see roaches in your house again, then cleaning is essential.
Clean your house properly once at least every week where you get the corners, cobwebs, waste food, etc.
Make sure that the drains are clean and there is no organic waste in the kitchen sink; it is recommended to use essential oils, especially mint oil, known to repel and get rid of baby roaches effectively.
Seal-up Holes and Cracks
Little cockroaches are not only creepy fast but are also experts in disappearing quickly; they can do so thanks to the holes and cracks in the walls, cabinets, and furniture.
Their tiny size and fast legs help them escape quickly, making killing harder.
Moreover, these holes and cracks are why roaches can easily enter the house; if these areas are not treated, it will increase the chance of roaches infesting the house again.
Therefore, while exterminating roaches, it is important that you cut off all their escape routes; once the escape routes are cut, they will have no place to run, making it easier to get rid of baby roaches.
Hence, it is recommended that you properly seal any holes and cracks found in the walls, floor, ceiling, furniture, or anywhere in the house.
Eliminate Moisture
Dirty dishes and excess moisture attract roaches fast; like humans, even bugs need constant water to survive, so roaches thrive with more moisture.
Sometimes, pipe leaks and plumbing issues in the house can lead to stagnant water, attracting roaches and other bugs.
Therefore, to keep roaches away from the house, it is recommended that you make sure that there is no source of excess moisture in your house.
Common places in the house with excess moisture where you can usually find roaches are toilet bowls, bathrooms, and the kitchen.
Ensure the floor is dry and the sink is clean to prevent and remove baby roaches nearby.
Clear Food Remains and Debris
Not cleaning the organic food waste and debris that falls on the floors is a major attraction for baby roaches.
Fallen food under the table, sofa, or bed should be cleaned immediately without any trace; this can be a great diet for these pests.
Also, ensure the garbage bin and its area are cleaned regularly.
Garbage bins are the favourite areas for cockroaches, so regularly cleaning the bin and surroundings is highly recommended to avoid and get rid of baby roaches.
Another great attraction for small to big roaches is the unclean kitchen sink; the dirty dishes and the moisture make an excellent environment for roaches to hang around.
To eliminate a cockroach infestation, keep your sinks and kitchen area clean.
Natural Cockroach Predators
Like every organism, even cockroaches have natural predators and are a part of the active food chain for many organisms.
For instance, amphibians, like toads and frogs, and small mammals, like mice and shrews, are all-natural enemies of cockroaches and are known for actively hunting and feeding on them.
Apart from these, plenty of other organisms like beetles, spiders, lizards, and other insects and arachnids are also fond eaters of roaches.
A few parasitic wasps also target roaches by laying their eggs inside cockroach egg cases, ultimately preventing the baby roaches from hatching and killing the infestation growth.
Plenty of natural enemies may kill and feed on cockroaches, but inside houses, these little creepers hardly fall prey to any organism.
That’s because apart from food and water, homes also provide a safe environment for them to grow; however, after they die, their body feeds many other tiny organisms in the house.
Cockroach Gel Baits
Gel baits are basically like food traps; plenty of cockroach gel baits are available for cockroaches with various insecticide formulations to control these dark crawling pests.
Gel baits work on the simple principle of enticing the roaches and making them eat the bait so that they also ingest the insecticide leaving them dead.
However, gel baits are not always effective; they dry over time and require constant reapplication of fresh bait.
Moreover, roaches avoid these traps if used too often or become immune to their effects.
Also, when ingested, these gel baits are dangerous for kids and animals; hence, it is essential to be cautious about where they should be placed.
How to use Roach Gel Baits
Using gel baits is very simple, yet you must be cautious about where to place them, putting them somewhere where roaches are not interested in wasting ammo.
Follow the steps given below for the best results on your gel baits.
- The first step is to test whether your gel baits are effective against roaches.
- Place a small portion of gel bait near the most recent place of roach appearance.
- If it works, plant the gel baits in small amounts all over the house where you think an infestation may exist.
- Cover sinkholes, kitchen area, around the garbage bin, holes and crevices in the wall, and bathrooms
- A huge disadvantage of gel baits is that it dries quickly and becomes ineffective after a while, so keep replacing the plants with fresh ones regularly.
- Be extremely cautious and ensure that the gel bait plants are not within reach of children or pets.
Cockroach Traps
Another way to eliminate cockroaches is by trapping and then disposing of them.
Plenty of innovative ways to trap small and big roaches; many are readily available in the market, while some you can easily make on your own.
Below, you’ll find information about how to place traps to kill baby cockroaches in your kitchen and other places like the bathroom.
How to Use Cockroach Traps
Trap 1: Trapping Roaches using Duct Tapes
- You will need duct tape and a food bait like a piece of fruit or vegetable; make sure it has a strong smell; onion and fresh banana peel are common choices.
- Ensure the tape is fresh and strongly sticky; you can use anything with strong adhesive abilities.
- The goal is to trap the roaches in the adhesive tape by stopping their movements.
- Place the tape upside down with the bait at the centre in an area where you find cockroaches in the house frequently.
- Keep the lights off and wait for them to get stuck
- Once they fall for the trap, kill them or dispose of them somewhere far away from your house
Trap 2: Catching Roaches in a Jar
- This trap is very similar to the duct tape trap; instead of tape, we use a jar to catch roaches.
- You will need a jar, some bait, cooking oil, and something sticky or slimy
- Apply the sticky-slimy solution on the inside walls of the jar
- Apply some cooking oil to the mouth of the jar
- Place the bait inside the jar
- Make way for roaches to enter the jar, such as a small elevated bridge leading to the entrance.
- Place the jar where you find cockroaches frequently
- Wait for them to fall for the trap and then dispose of them in any manner you see fit
Cockroach Spray
Besides the traps and gel baits, cockroach foggers and sprays are excellent weapons in eliminating cockroaches in the bathroom, kitchen, and anywhere around the house.
Sprays are convenient and can be used immediately; these sprays contain a neurotoxic substance that messes with their nervous system and kills them.
You can also make your cockroach-repellent spray in a spray bottle using essential mint oil, water, and vinegar.
Cockroaches hate the smell of mint oil, and hence it is an excellent home remedy for repelling cockroaches in the kitchen and bathroom.
How to Use Cockroach Spray
- Using roach spray is very easy.
- You must spray the solution directly over the roach as soon as you see it.
- You can also locate the infestation and spray directly on it to kill any eggs.
- Make sure to keep it out of reach for children and pets.
Natural Cockroach Repellents
Plenty of natural substances strongly repel cockroaches; these natural repellents, if used well, can be a great way to get rid of baby roaches from the house.
These natural repellents have a fresh and sweet odour and are also chemical-free and mostly safe for use around children and pets.
How to use Cockroach Repellents
Below are some of the best natural cockroach repellents and how to use them to eliminate baby roaches.
Garlic
Cockroaches hate the smell of garlic- sprinkle some garlic powder in and around the infested area. Replace the power every few weeks.
Neem
Neem is another strong natural roach repellent.
Research has proved that bait prepared using the neem seed extract killed small cockroaches and disabled reproduction in the adult ones.
To use, prepare neem baits and place them around the infested area.
Peppermint Oil
Essential oils are known to be one of the strongest natural roach repellents; even among them, peppermint oil takes the top spot.
To use against roaches, you can mix it with water, vinegar, or other essential oil.
For the best effect, mix eight drops of cypress essential oil with ten drops of peppermint oil in half a cup of salt water and put it in the spray bottle.
Spray it in and around the infected area and directly on the roaches when you find them crawling anywhere in your house.
Tea Tree Oil
Along with peppermint oil, tea tree oil is a widely used substance to repel cockroaches.
Mix a quarter cup of tea tree oil with vinegar in two cups of water.
Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray it around the house wherever the infestation has occurred.
Lemon
Lemon is another thing that cockroaches dearly hate; they cannot stand the smell of lemon and are strongly pushed away by it.
Cut a lemon into thin wedges and place them around the infested areas in a container.
Soap and Water
The combination of soap and water is an excellent way to kill roaches by suffocating them.
It’s possible because roaches, like other insects, breathe through microtubes present on their body.
Attacking them with soap water creates a thin film on these microtubes cutting the air supply; this causes suffocation and death.
Now, remember that using soap water can kill roaches on the spot, but it won’t do anything to the infestation that has occurred.
If you intend to eliminate the entire infestation, another hard-core method is recommended.
How to use Soap and Water
- Add dish soap to water and pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
- Shake the bottle well before using
- Spray the solution directly on the roaches to kill them immediately.
Borax Baits
Borax is supposedly considered one of the best insect and roach killers.
When cockroaches ingest Borax, it acts as a stomach poison and destroys their digestive system.
Moreover, its abrasive nature also destroys the roach’s exoskeleton, making it a strong and potent roach killer.
It is deadly, so it is important to be cautious and keep the substance away from children and pets.
In my other article, you can also learn about borax as a roach killer.
How to use Borax Baits
As Powder
- Using a bulb brush, you can use borax directly as a powder and apply it around the infected areas.
- This powder sticks to their feet and body when roaches pass through this area.
- Roaches may be filthy pests, but they clean themselves, and when they do, they ingest this borax powder.
- Once ingested, borax does its work and kills the roach.
As Paste
- Another way to use borax bait is by mixing equal parts of borax and sugar with a little water to form a paste.
- Place this paste around the infested areas and wait for the roaches to eat it.
- Again, once ingested, borax will kill the roaches.
Boric Acid and Water
Many people think that boric acid and borax are the same substances, which is not true; however, the correct fact is that they both work similarly.
Among these, boric acid might be a more popular option, but the use and effect against roaches are the same.
The most common way of using boric acid is with water; this can be effectively used to get rid of baby roaches.
Like the borax, mix equal parts of boric acid and sugar with a little water to form a paste; you can use boric acid simply as a powder and apply it around the roach-infested areas.
When roaches ingest it, they die due to stomach poisoning and dehydration.
How to use Boric Acid and Water
- Mix equal parts of boric acid and sugar with little water to form a paste
- Place the bait around the infested areas of the house
- When ingested, adult and small roaches die of stomach poisoning and dehydration
- Make sure to keep the substance away from children and pets, as it is extremely harmful
Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs)
Insect Growth Regulators, or IGRs, are like roach birth controls that can be used to get rid of baby roaches.
Like every other organism, roaches start reproducing when they reach a level of maturity; they do so by going through several moulting phases.
The insect growth regulators stop these roaches from reaching their sexual maturity, preventing them from ever-multiplying.
Apart from this, IGRs also work against roach eggs and make them go sterile.
However, it is important to remember that IGRs are not meant to be used alone but mixed with some other substance that can eventually kill the living population of roaches.
IGRs are meant to be used as a speed-up process for roach extermination.
How to use Insect Growth Regulators
By Itself
- Mix one ounce of IGR into one gallon of water added to a spray bottle
- Spray in and around the infested areas of the house
- Spray on immediately when you see cockroaches in the kitchen, bathroom, under sinkholes, cabinets, etc.
With Baking Powder
- Mix the IGR with baking soda and with little water to form a paste
- Place the bait in and around the infested areas of the house
- Baking soda is an excellent roach killer and acts to kill roaches, while the IGR sterilizes eggs and roaches
- Make sure to keep away from children and pets
Diatomaceous Earth
Known as a 100% natural insect exterminator, Diatomaceous earth is used for killing roaches.
In appearance, it is a rock salt with strong abrasive and absorbent properties; these properties are the main reason why diatomaceous earth is such a strong insect, bug, and roach killer.
When a roach comes in contact with it, the substance cuts through the exoskeleton and absorbs all the water, eventually killing it of dehydration.
It is effortless to use, but caution is recommended; ensure it is safely out of reach for children and pets.
How to use Diatomaceous Earth
- Applying the substance powder around the infested areas and over the path where roaches travel frequently is very simple.
- Once they walk over it, the powder sticks to their body and gets deep into their skeleton.
- The powder does its job, and the roaches die of dehydration.
- Make sure to clean the debris once the job is done
Baking Soda and Sugar
Baking Soda mixed with sugar is an excellent alternative to Borax and Boric Acid to get rid of baby roaches.
It is readily available anywhere, not as dangerous and toxic as them, and works wonderfully against little cockroaches; moreover, the added benefit is that baking soda does not pose any risk for children.
Once ingested by roaches, baking soda reacts with the acids in their body and expands by forming bubbles; it is not so strong that it can blow up roaches but can kill them inside.
So, using baking soda and sugar to control roaches is also an alternative.
How to use Baking Soda and Sugar
- Mix equal parts of baking soda and sugar to form powdered bait, or add some water to make it into a paste.
- In any case, place the bait around the infested areas and places where you can see roaches frequently, such as bathrooms, kitchens, sinkholes, etc.
- Roaches die if they ingest this mixture.
Exterminate Baby Roaches with Pest Control
If you spot baby roaches in your bathroom and kitchen, there is a sure-shot roach infestation in your home.
While the above-mentioned solutions might give you the desired results for some time, hiring a licensed exterminator who can handle these kinds of serious infestations more adeptly and permanently is always recommended.
Final Words
Finding baby roaches in the bathrooms, kitchens, and around the house’s dark corners can be extremely creepy and scary.
These little dirty crawling pests can cause great harm by spreading dangerous pathogens and bacteria, causing serious diseases and allergies if not eliminated.
Therefore, getting rid of baby roaches in any way possible is extremely important.
This article’s information and methods are genuine, authentic, and well-researched.
You can use any of the above methods to eliminate roaches and control the infestation from occurring again.
Tell us, how do you eliminate roaches from your house? Leave a comment below and let us know!