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Cockroach chalk Explained!

I keep saying to my audience that everything that can kill cockroaches is never intended or should be used to kill them. For example, strong acid kills cockroaches but is never advised because it will destroy everything in its path. Similarly, although very effective, cockroach chalk is very dangerous and should never be used to kill roaches.

Cockroach chalk is firm chalk-shaped bait made by mixing gypsum, calcium carbonate, a roach attractant chemical, and chemical insecticide, usually cypermethrin. Cockroach chalk is a very effective roach-killing product. Many illegally imported chalks such as Pretty Baby Chalk, Chinese Chalk, or Miraculous Chalk are illegal in most states. These chalks look, feel, and write like regular chalk, lure children into consuming it, and cause severe poising.

Cockroach chalk also comes in other shapes such as balls, candies looking, and pellets. Unfortunately, all these varieties of chalk carry the risk of children and pets poisoning, just like mothballs. Therefore, you should use roach chalk with extreme caution or instead use safe alternatives. Details are coming in the blog below.

Tired of cockroaches? Invest in only these products and follow the guide to eliminate roaches!

Use these products, and you will be roach free in less than a week.

1. Advion Cockroach Gel Bait (Review)
2. Gentrol IGR Point Source (Review)

Other Products to try:

1. Combat Roach Traps (Easy than gel baits)
2. Hot Shot Foggers (To kill in masses – 95%)
3. Pet Safe Killers (Uses Essential Oils)
4. Ortho Defence Outdoor Roach Killer (Prevent Roaches)

What is cockroach chalk?

The market is flooded with hundreds of products that effectively kill roaches, yet some still stick to the old-school methods. For example, cockroach chalk was introduced to the US in the 90s and has been in the market for a very long.

As explained earlier, cockroach chalk is similar to ordinary white chalk that we used to write on blackboards and has many shapes, but the most common is cylindrical. However, cockroach chalk has an added insect killer called cypermethrin.

Usually, the insecticide sprays contain between 0.5 to 1 % Cypermethrin in their product. On the other hand, you will be feared to hear that cockroach chalk contains about 5% to even 10% of the deadly insecticide.

Cockroach chalk contain the following constituents,

  1. Gypsium or calcium sulphate dihydrate 90 to 92.5 % (This gives the chalk its color)
  2. Calcium carbonate 2 to 3.5%
  3. Roach attractant oils such as peanut or coconut oil 1 to 0.5%
  4. Moisture 1%
  5. Cypermethrin 0.5 to 10% (Insecticide)

Why is pest chalk illegal?

Pest chalk is different from other roach killing products in many ways,

  1. It contains high quantity of chemical insecticide
  2. It is a solid firm object
  3. It is used in a number of ways

Have you ever thought about why some children eat dirt or other non-organic products like soap or chalk?

According to the Journal of family medicine and primary care, pica is a condition in which a person, usually pregnant women and children, is prone to eating non-food items (Reference).

The problem with pest chalk or cockroach chalk is its shape and smell. As a result, children suffering from pica or even normal children are lured into eating it and can cause severe poisoning.

Cockroach chalk can cause vomiting, cough, fever, drowsiness, and irritability in children that have consumed it accidentally (Reference).

Therefore, cockroach chalk is mostly illegal in the United States, although some are licensed to sell under strict guidance.

Is killing a cockroach inhumane? Read this article to know more: Should I kill a cockroach?

How do you use cockroach/Ant chalk?

Cockroach chalk is a very effective remedy against roach infestation because of the high concentration of cypermethrin. Moreover, the good thing about using cockroach chalk is that it’s easy to use, stays on the surface for long, and is not messy like conventional methods.

Follow these steps to use cockroach chalk,

Step 1: Identify the level of infestation and cockroach hiding places

For roach chalk to be effective, you must ensure that you apply it at the correct location and in the correct quantity. For this, you need to know the level of infestation and the most infested areas of the house.

The ideal roach hiding places include,

  1. In and around the furniture and fridges,
  2. Under the carpet,
  3. In the basement and attic,
  4. Kitchen and bathroom cabinet.

To know more about how to get cockroaches out of hiding? Please read this article.

Step 2: Dry the area

If you apply the ant chalk in or around water, it will lose its killing power. Therefore, you must ensure the area is dry. If the floor is not dry, you can use the roach chalk on the walls.

Step 3: Draw three to four parallel lines

Now that you have done everything according to the guidelines, draw three to four parallel lines measuring at least 2 feet. If the infestation involves a large area increases the length and number of lines.

For shiny surfaces like glass and tiles, you can wet the tip of the chalk with a few drops of water to draw the lines. Never use large quantities of water, or the chalk will lose its killing power.

Read this article: How to get roach smell out of Electronics? to know the stepwise procedure.

Best Cockroach Chalk

The cockroach/ant chalk is not available on Amazon because of its illegal status in the US. However, some cockroach chalks are authorized by the Govt and are available at local stores but must be used with extreme caution.

All cockroach chalk works perfectly, so all are the best cockroach chalks, buy anyone.

Additional Read!