Anonymous wrote:OP: small roaches or large? This is very important. Small *the german* - you need an exterminator. Large *american* you can probably handle on your own using bait. The gel bait plus roach motels works great for the big guys, but I wouldn't mess with the small ones because they are intractable.

(my dad ran an exterminator business when i was growing up)

This is a key question.

OP, I would be crying too. Deep breath. I would call an exterminator, and then after he comes and sprays the place, maybe go to a friend/relative's house for the weekend or night.

Be careful about grocery bags/cardboard that you bring into the house. Don't let that or trash accumulate in your place. I have read that roaches can live off cardboard!

OP, find the money to pay for an exterminator. Clean your kitchen top to bottom as PP said, make sure there are NO CRUMBS of food anywhere. THen call the exterminator, and have a follow up visit 3 weeks later because there will be a new batch.

Boric acid from amazon (I treated outside only) was the only thing that solved our ant problem - and instantly. It supposedly works for roaches- I would give that a try.

OP, do you have pets? Roaches LOVE dog food. If you have some of that in your house, that could be what's attracting them. I wish you luck. I'm not bothered by spiders or most bugs, but roaches repulse me.

OP: small roaches or large? This is very important. Small *the german* - you need an exterminator. Large *american* you can probably handle on your own using bait. The gel bait plus roach motels works great for the big guys, but I wouldn't mess with the small ones because they are intractable.

(my dad ran an exterminator business when i was growing up)

A friend once suggested pouring bleach around the outside perimeter of my house. I didn't have as many as you, but it worked great.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crying will not help.

I know! thats why im on DCUM asking for help.

why not on the phone instead, looking for exterminators?

You're going to have to blast your house and find some place to stay temporarily. Those fuckers procreate like no other and can live off glue from a postage stamp.

If you're not filthy, please explain how you're getting roaches? Are your neighbors filthy? 50 ft btw homes may not be enough!

OP, trust me, it could be worse! Our last house was crawling with brown recluses, so I consider the occasional roach in our newer house to be a minor nuisance in comparison! But I did become an expert non-chemical exterminator!

You just need to find the entry point(s) and the food source and cut them off. To do so, you will need to obsess for awhile and your family will think you've lost it. I'm sure your kitchen is clean, but somewhere, there is a food source. Last year, when I started seeing a few roaches, I took the entire kitchen apart (ok, I guess it was more than a minor nuisance). I emptied the cabinets, washed every dish that we don't use regularly, wiped down the inside of the cabinets, and then sprayed them with an all-natural spray. I left all the drawers and cabinets closed for a few hours after spraying, but had them open to air out over night. You'll probably want to open some windows. I also cleaned the top of the cabinets because grease accumulates up there and they are attracted to it. I cleaned behind and under the refrigerator and stove. there was a disgusting mess under the stove and I think that was a big cause of it.

i also obsessed over filling in the cracks and holes. Look closely around your doors. there is probably a crack that they are getting through. Seal up every slightest crack or hole with a spray foam. go all around the baseboards. Look under the sinks and see if there are any openings. the roaches we found in the bathroom came through an opening in the wall around the pipes. I just sealed it up with duct tape.

Make sure all of your trash cans are covered. Our kids have wastebaskets in their rooms that are not covered, so they are not allowed to put any food or wrappers in there. The rest of ours are covered.

We haven't used anything other than the organic spray for the roaches. When we had the spider, we did fog twice a year, but we did not do the whole house. We knew they were coming from the attic and storage room so we would fog those two areas, and set them off right before weekend trips so we wouldn't have to be in the house for awhile.

Glue traps are good, but be careful if you have pets or small children. Even though we had small children when we battled the spiders, it was worth the risk to put the traps out. So I had them everywhere. At least 1 against every single wall in the house, including each closet wall.

Good luck!

No, i'm talking tiny balls rolled between your thumb and forefinger. If the ratios of ingredients are correct the smell dissipates quickly and its not like I had anyone over my house while i had roaches anyway.

Anonymous wrote:I have been in the same situation and even an exterminator did not work. The sense of despair i felt was overwhelming and I spent hours online looking for a solution. Boric acid balls was my salvation (google it). Make dough out of boric acid, flour, sugar, oil and minced onion. Roll out tiny balls and put them everywhere, bottom of cabinets etc. The problem might look like its getting worse at first as roaches come out of hiding to eat the balls and you might have to repeat the process two weeks layer as the ball lose their potency. This has worked for me in an apt and a house. The only downside is remembering where you placed all the balls when you want to dispose of them. If I ever have to do this again I will make a blueprint.

But doesn't it make the place smell like onion?

I have been in the same situation and even an exterminator did not work. The sense of despair i felt was overwhelming and I spent hours online looking for a solution. Boric acid balls was my salvation (google it). Make dough out of boric acid, flour, sugar, oil and minced onion. Roll out tiny balls and put them everywhere, bottom of cabinets etc. The problem might look like its getting worse at first as roaches come out of hiding to eat the balls and you might have to repeat the process two weeks layer as the ball lose their potency. This has worked for me in an apt and a house. The only downside is remembering where you placed all the balls when you want to dispose of them. If I ever have to do this again I will make a blueprint.

Anonymous wrote:Crying will not help.

I know! thats why im on DCUM asking for help.

Are they the small type? God, I lived in a tropical place and have NEVER seen 20 and some roaches at one time. I would want to cry too.

Crying will not help.

The roaches arent around during the day so the kids dont get freaked out. But if I go to get water or anything at night, the kitchen is covered in them. Ok fine, covered is exaggerating but there are at least 20. yuck!!! The house is really clean, its not an apt. and there are about 50 ft between the houses neighboring. i have tried borax, traps, sprays. we cannot afford a pest control person right now. how do i get rid of them. i have even been going around sealing up little cracks and they are still here! its been like 2 months. please help.