You’re all tucked into bed, ready for a good night’s sleep when suddenly, you see it – a cockroach lurking in the corner of your room.
Panic sets in, and sleep seems like a distant dream.
But fear not! – because You have landed in the right place to learn how to tackle this problem.
In this article, I aim to help you regain control of your sleep environment and provide fast and effective solutions for immediate relief when a pesky cockroach makes an appearance in your bedroom.
Whether it’s a single roach or a recurring infestation, we’ve got you covered with a range of methods, from simple squash-and-sanitize to natural repellents and even essential oils.
So, take a deep breath, and let’s dive into these quick fixes to restore your peaceful sleep environment and reclaim your sweet dreams!
Let’s conquer your room back!
Rapid Roach Relief:
- Kill the roach with bug spray or trap.
- Squash the roach with a shoe or any comfortable tool, till death, and then sanitize the place.
- Repel roaches from the room using natural repellents such as garlic, lemongrass, pandan leaves, or essential oils.
- You can even scare roaches with light to go out of your room.
Quick Fixes for Immediate Relief:
If your room is all-time clean and you still spot a cockroach in your room, it’s likely a lone intruder, and you can quickly and easily get rid of it.
Here are some quick fixes for those bedtime encounters, as you’re probably not in the mood for complicated or lengthy procedures.
These methods are listed in ascending order concerning their time-saving and ease-of-use aspects – as you go down the list, the methods become more time-consuming.
Start by attempting the easiest solutions, and if they don’t work, you may need to resort to the more involved methods or just try any one which suits you best.
Ready? Let’s begin!
1. Try to Kill the roach
In my opinion, one of the best ways to sleep well at night is to simply kill the roach with any one of the below-listed methods.
Squash the roach:
The quickest and easiest option is to simply squash the roach with a brush, shoe, or any tall object available.
However, this can only be done if the cockroach is visible.
If you have katsaridaphobia (fear of cockroaches), this method is not recommended.
The World Health Organization (WHO) advises against squashing cockroaches, as they can spread bacteria into the surrounding area, potentially leading to asthma, allergies, and illnesses.
Despite this, if there are only one, two, or a maximum of three roaches, I squash them and promptly sanitize the area. You can follow this approach if you can sanitize the area immediately.
Bait or Traps:
Cockroaches stuck on a roach trap.
There are numerous traps available on the market, which works best,
Because the mechanism behind some of the best traps is that they combine two elements that roach love: Sugar and Moisture.
When roaches are attracted in by the prospect of moisture and the sweet smell, they consume a potent poison along with the sugary bait, leading to their swift demise.
Bug Spray:
Another excellent cockroach killer.
If you have bug spray at home, grab it, go to your room, and spray the area.
Ventilate the room for 20 minutes, and after that time, all the roaches should be dead.
Next, open your room door and leave it open for 10 to 15 minutes to let the spray smell disperse and avoid disturbance at night.
If there is no insecticide spray at home, you can use Lysol disinfectant spray to kill them.
However, in the case of Lysol, you must spray it directly onto the roach.
Alternatively, hairspray is also effective.
2. Repel the roach from the room
Garlic, Lemongrass, And Pandan Leaves:
Garlic, lemongrass, and pandan leaves are highly effective repellents, as proven by a study conducted at Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.
If you have any of 1 of these three utilize it, by placing it in the room or around your bed
According to the study, the most effective repellent is fresh lemongrass with an 80% success rate, followed by pandan leaves with a 60% success rate, and garlic at 31%.
| Plant | Repellent Efficiency |
|---|---|
| Lemon grass | 80% |
| Pandan leaves | 60% |
| Garlic | 31.6% |
For the methanol extract, lemongrass achieved a 91% success rate, pandan leaves had a 61.66% success rate, and garlic trailed at 22.22%.
| Plant | Repellent Efficiency |
|---|---|
| Lemon grass | 91.67% |
| Pandan leaves | 61.66% |
| Garlic | 22.22% |
Consequently, lemongrass was the best natural repellent in both types of tests.
This study was only focused on the American cockroach (Periplaneta Americana).
Yes, it is proved by a study, that they are effective. But it takes a little longer time as compared to directly squashing the roach and spraying.
Essential oils:
Essential oils are another excellent tool for repelling roaches.
You can create a spray by combining any essential oil from the list below with water and spraying it around your bed.
By doing so cockroaches would try to leave the room as soon as possible because they can’t tolerate the strong scent of essential oil.
If somehow they didn’t leave your room, they won’t be able to come near your bed, because of the essential oil spray around your bed.
I love using essential oils because they have multiple benefits, such as effectively repelling roaches and providing a pleasant smell.
It’s a win-win situation.
Popular essential oils include:
- Rosemary
- Oregano
- Eucalyptus
- Citrus
- Lavender
- Cypress
- Peppermint
3. Change the room
Lastly, if nothing works for you, or you are simply not in the mood to deal with cockroaches, ask one of your siblings (if you have any) to share their room with you or use any other available room in your house.
The next morning when you are fresh and energetic, employ a trap, bug spray, or essential oil to make your room roach-free for the next night.
Wrapping Up
If you have done your best, tried every method listed above, and still see roaches in your room, then you may have a serious roach problem and should consider consulting an exterminator.
By the way, if you want to know my favorite methods, I prefer squashing if they are one to three roaches and then sanitizing the area, or using essential oils due to their many benefits, such as a pleasant smell and a roach-free home.
Good night – if you have success, or otherwise, best of luck.
Sleepy? Go to bed and catch your ZZZs.
If not, then read the interesting and informative frequently asked questions below.
FAQS
Will sleeping with the light on keep cockroaches away?
No, sleeping with the light on will not effectively keep cockroaches away.
While they prefer darkness and are more active during the night, light does not harm roaches.
They seek to avoid light only because it prevents them from hiding or escaping predators.
When the lights are on, they will wait and observe their surroundings. Once they realize you are asleep, they will resume wandering.
What attracts cockroaches in bedroom?
Cockroaches are attracted to bedrooms for several reasons, including:
- Food sources:
Leftover food, crumbs, or dirty dishes left in the bedroom can attract cockroaches as they search for food. - Water sources:
High humidity levels, leaking pipes, or standing water in the bedroom can provide cockroaches with the moisture they need to survive. - Clutter:
A cluttered bedroom with piles of clothes, paper, or other items can offer hiding spots and nesting areas for cockroaches. - Warmth:
Cockroaches seek warmth, and bedrooms often provide a cozy environment, particularly near electronic devices or heating vents.
Do cockroaches crawl in your mouth when you sleep?
While it is possible for cockroaches to crawl on people as they sleep, the likelihood of one entering your mouth is extremely low since they are afraid of humans.
Cockroaches are generally more attracted to food sources, water, and dark, secluded places.
It’s important to maintain good hygiene and cleanliness in your living space to reduce the chances of attracting cockroaches in the first place
