Simple and Effective Ways to Get Rid of Cockroaches at Home

Below are several simple yet highly effective methods to repel or eliminate cockroaches from your home. These remedies are easy to apply, safe for your family, and make use of common household items.

1. Repel Cockroaches with Citrus Peels or Cucumber Slices

Cockroaches strongly dislike the natural scent of citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons, as well as the fresh smell of cucumbers. Simply place orange peels, lemon slices, or cucumber slices in areas where cockroaches frequently appear—under the sink, inside cabinets, or near garbage bins. After a short time, you’ll notice that the roaches begin to disappear.

When the peels or slices dry out, replace them with fresh ones. Apart from keeping roaches away, these ingredients also help neutralize the unpleasant odor that cockroaches often leave behind.

Extra tip: You can also simmer citrus peels in hot water and use the cooled liquid to wipe kitchen surfaces. The lingering citrus aroma acts as a natural repellent.

2. Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint essential oil is one of the most popular natural cockroach repellents. Roaches hate its sharp, refreshing scent. Mix a few drops of peppermint oil with water and spray directly onto kitchen counters, sinks, corners, bathrooms, or any place where cockroaches tend to hide.

Although peppermint oil doesn't kill cockroaches as quickly as chemical pesticides, it is a safe, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly method—ideal for households with children, pets, or people sensitive to harsh chemicals.

3. Garlic

Garlic’s pungent smell is unbearable to cockroaches. You can place whole garlic cloves or sprinkle garlic powder in areas where roaches often crawl. They will naturally avoid those spots.

However, because garlic powder can easily scatter due to wind or air movement, make sure to place it in enclosed corners or narrow spaces for the best effect.

Extra note: Crushed garlic mixed with a little water can also be used as a spray for tight spaces like wall cracks and cabinet gaps.

4. Sugar Water Trap

This is a surprisingly effective DIY cockroach trap. Prepare a plastic bottle, some sugar water or sesame oil, bread crumbs for added attraction, and a bit of dish soap.

How to make the trap:

1. Cut the bottle about one-third from the top.

2. Remove the cap, flip the top section upside down, and insert it into the bottle to form a funnel-shaped trap.

   • This makes it easy for cockroaches to enter but nearly impossible for them to escape.

3. Pour sugar water or any sweet, greasy liquid into the bottle.

4. Leave a gap between the liquid surface and the bottle opening so that roaches cannot climb back out.

Roaches will be attracted to the scent, crawl inside, and eventually drown in the mixture.

5. Dish Soap Solution

Dish soap can kill cockroaches quickly and safely. Place a small dish filled with soapy water near areas where roaches appear—they tend to avoid its scent.

You can also mix dish soap with water in a spray bottle and spray directly onto cockroaches. The soapy film blocks their breathing pores, causing them to suffocate within minutes.

6. Bay Leaves

Bay leaves are commonly used in cooking but they also work as a natural roach deterrent. While their scent is mild to humans, it is overwhelming to cockroaches.

Place dried or powdered bay leaves in corners, cracks, or near wall crevices where roaches usually hide. You may also grind fresh bay leaves and store the powder to use later.

Expanded tip: Combining bay leaves with cloves enhances the repelling effect thanks to cloves’ strong aroma.

7. Baking Soda

Besides cleaning household items, baking soda is also excellent for eliminating cockroaches. Mix baking soda with a bit of sugar, breadcrumbs, or fried shallots to lure roaches to eat it.

Once consumed, the mixture reacts inside their digestive system, creating gases that cause the roaches to die shortly afterward.

8. Mouthwash Solution

Mouthwash is a familiar household product, but not many people know it can kill cockroaches effectively because it contains alcohol and strong aromatic compounds.

You can pour mouthwash directly on cockroaches or mix it with water and a bit of detergent to create a more powerful spray. Use this mixture in roach nests or hotspots to quickly eliminate them and sanitize the area at the same time.

9. Camphor Powder

Camphor has a strong, penetrating smell that roaches hate. Mix camphor powder with ground chili pepper in a 1:1 ratio and sprinkle it in corners, wall cracks, or damp areas where roaches commonly gather. Once they detect the scent, they will stay far away.

10. Rice Flour Trap

Mix rice flour, Ovaltine (or sugar), and white cement powder together. Place a bowl of this mixture next to a bowl of water in dark corners.

Roaches will eat the mixture and drink the water afterward, causing the cement to harden inside their stomachs. They will die because they cannot digest or expel the solidified mixture.

After a few days, make sure to clean the area thoroughly to remove dead roaches and prevent odors.