If you find your home isn’t safe and sound anymore because of the roach infestation, you have to understand how to get rid of roaches in walls. These sneaky, invasive insects can use your house as shelter, viewing the walls as a perfect spot to breed. That’s surely not any homeowner’s dream.
These household insects carry germs and allergens, so it’s essential to get rid of them as soon as possible to protect your health. Read my guide and make your walls roach-free.
How to Get Rid of Roaches in Walls: Easy Extermination Guide
- Examine your walls for the openings and signs of roaches.
- Make a roach bait from the boric acid powder, peanut butter, honey, syrup, or molasses.
- Slip bait into the wall crack.
- Don’t forget to use the bait in the attic.
How to know if roaches are in walls
Roaches do not appear in your house all of a sudden. There is some reason that has made your living place attractive to these pests. Your task is to find and eliminate it as soon as you can. Gaps in the walls and ceiling can be one of the roaches’ favorite hiding locations. Let’s discover the three signs that you have roaches in the walls.
1. You’ve spotted roach on wall
This is the most obvious sign one can imagine: You have seen an occasional roach going out (or in) the wall crack. Various types of roaches prefer distinct locations in the house, for example:
- Kitchen and bathroom. If you saw a roach there, I would bet on an Oriental or American species. These types prefer to occupy areas with high dampness, which makes your bathroom and kitchen ideal hiding spots for them;
- Bedroom and living room. The walls are dry there, and it is German roaches whom you can meet on the walls in these rooms.
2. There are cockroach smear marks on the walls
Another sign of the roach’s presence is cockroach smear marks on the walls. This is cockroach poop. You can find this nasty present on the walls of damp places in your house such as the bathroom, kitchen, basement, and laundry room.
The reason is that cockroaches that inhabit areas with high humidity eat wet filth and produce liquid poop in the form of smear marks. These are the American and Oriental roaches.
Roaches defecate right on their nests or near them. They do it to communicate with other cockroaches. Besides, the baby insects eat the roach poop too.
3. You hear sounds coming from the wall
Roaches usually don’t produce sounds audible to people. However, cockroaches hiding inside the walls can create a chirping sound that a human ear can perceive at times. If you are lucky enough to spot that natural phenomenon, you are likely to have an entire colony of roaches crawling in the walls.
This translates to dealing with a heavy bug infestation, especially if you have false walls and ceilings. Roaches find the area behind wallpapers and false walls ideal to hide there.
Why are there roaches in the walls?
Cockroaches are nocturnal creatures that prefer to go out at night time. When dusk comes, these pests show off themselves and scavenge for food. Thus you can rarely see a roach walking around your house during the day when they lay dormant or hide.
Cockroaches tend to nest in the darkest, hardly accessible corners of your home. They look for damp, warm places where they can find food, water, and waste. As for the walls, roaches look for tiny openings, cracks, and crevices and hide there.
How to kill roaches in walls step by step
I recommend this actionable solution if you don’t want to address a professional. The recipe is simple, affordable, and easy to apply. By following the next steps, you will receive an effective roach bait.
Step 1
Take the boric acid powder and pour 1/4 cup into the bowl. To prevent allergies, asthma, or other lung diseases, ensure efficient ventilation. It is better to do it near an open window or outdoors. Overall, boric acid is considered safe for humans and animals, but I’m always for the preventive measures so that you don’t feel sorry if something goes wrong.
Step 2
Mix the boric acid powder with 1/3 cup of peanut butter. Stir it thoroughly with the fork, and make sure the mixture is even.
Step 3
Add 1 tbsp. of honey, syrup, or molasses. Their sweet scents can help you attract roaches. Use the fork for the homogeneous composition. You should end with a thick dough consistency. If it is too thin, add one more teaspoon of peanut butter and a tablespoon of boric acid.
Step 4
Take tiny pieces of the mixture out of the bowl (nearly 1 tbsp.). Roll them into small balls. Congratulations! You have created your roach baits.
Step 5
Examine your home for the areas where the walls have openings. Typically, these are around pipes and under sinks.
Step 6
When you find the opening, slip a bait into the wall through it.
Step 7
Make your way to the attic. Toss several roach baits into the wall gaps that are open to the attic.
FAQ About Cockroaches in Walls
Even the most seasoned homeowner might shiver when they see a mustached roach crawling out of the wall. Knowledge gives strength, so read my answers to these commonly asked questions and get ready for the battle.
Can roaches live in the walls?
Yes, they can. You can use a credit card to check whether the opening in the wall is deep enough for a roach to penetrate it. If the card slips into the crack, so can a cockroach.
Can roaches live in drywall?
Yes, these pests don’t neglect drywall either. If there is a hole, this spot can become a perfect roach entryway. The signs of roaches in the walls I have mentioned above apply to drywall too.
Can roaches eat through walls?
These insatiable pests can build their nests near any abundant source of food, water, and shelter. However, cockroaches can’t eat through the walls. They can squeeze through the small cracks, crevices, and holes inside the walls. The best way to prevent the problem is to seal the walls.
What do roaches sound like in walls?
If the roach infestation is heavy, it is a sign an entire colony has settled there. When it happens, you can hear a chirping sound produced by roaches crawling inside the wall.
These Pests Are Not Pets
Roaches can sneak in and hide in the tiniest of gaps, which makes your walls susceptible to their invasion. If you see a cockroach on the wall, inspect your house thoroughly. The alarming signs are roach smear marks, a chirping sound coming from the wall, and a crawling roach you meet in person. They indicate you have to cope with a severe infestation.
Create roach baits and use them on the walls in your house. Hopefully, roaches will find them appealing and pass away.
Have you used any insecticides on the walls? What type of roach has occupied your house? Please, share your story with us.
Also read:
- How to Get Rid of Roaches in Car: No Passengers Allowed
- How to Keep Cockroaches Away at Night: Your Bed Is Your Fortress
- How to Prevent Cockroaches in Bedroom: Protect Your Sleep
- What Smells Do Cockroaches Hate? Using Aroma as a Weapon
- Does Coffee Have Roaches or Other Insects
- Where Do Roaches Come From in the Bathroom?
- Wood Roach vs. Cockroach: What to Be Aware Of
References
- Germs and allergens (C. Claiborne Ray):
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/03/science/cockroach-diseases.html - American species (Health.vic):
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/cockroaches-pest-control - Nocturnal creatures (WASHOE COUNTY DISTRICT HEALTH DEPARTMENENT EVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES PROGRAM)
https://www.washoecounty.gov/health/files/ehs/vector/v-cockroach2.pdf
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