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How to Kill Cockroaches With Homemade Traps

Cockroaches are one of the most common pests found in homes. They can enter through tiny cracks and crevices in windows, doors or your home's foundation. Cockroaches are capable of spreading bacteria and germs throughout your home and can reproduce often, causing an infestation quickly. If you discover cockroaches in your home, there are many simple and inexpensive homemade cockroach traps that are effective at eliminating roaches.

Things You'll Need

Glass jar
Petroleum jelly
Food scraps
Tape
Playing card
Boric acid
Caulk
Weather stripping

Instructions

- 1
  Fill a clear glass jar with water and put some food scraps at the bottom. Coat the rim of the jar with petroleum jelly and place the jar behind the refrigerator, other appliances or where roaches frequent. The cockroaches will enter the jar in search for food and will not be able to climb back out once inside.
- 2
  Dump the jars of roaches outside when they are full. Wash the jar out and repeat the process every two to three days. Place the jars in locations where cockroaches frequent.
- 3
  Place a strip of double sided tape down the middle of a playing card to trap roaches. The cockroaches will crawl over the tape and get stuck. Check the tape daily for cockroaches and discard in a plastic bag in an outside trash container when the tape is full.
- 4
  Sprinkle a light layer of boric acid around the perimeter of your home. The substance is lethal to cockroaches and will remain potent as long as it does not get wet.
- 5
  Prevent roaches from entering your home. Seal all cracks and crevices in your home's foundation. Use weather stripping around windows and doors to eliminate voids for cockroaches to enter.

Insects & Science