The market is flooded with many products to kill roaches, and many of them are also pretty effective. However, many products are expensive, or we don’t want to use them somehow. Therefore, we are constantly searching for a cheap, somewhat effective method. Therefore, many of us ask, Does bleach kill roaches?
Bleach is not an ideal roach killer, but still, it can kill roaches by interfering with cellular respiration and destroying the exoskeleton. In addition, the oxidizing and corrosive action of bleach is not always but sometimes strong enough to kill roaches instantaneously.
Bleach is a pungent-smelling chemical and is available in both liquid and powder form. Bleach has many applications, from cleaning clothes to use as an antiseptic agent. However, because it has got corrosive properties, it can also kill insects, including roaches. I have tried to use bleach to kill roaches for the past month. I will be sharing my personal experience and results in the blog below.
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How Bleach Kill Cockroaches?
Upon reacting with water, the common household bleach releases free chlorine that helps remove stains. The same free chlorine also has corrosive properties. The strength of a bleaching powder depends upon the amount of free chlorine released.
Bleach kills cockroaches by,
- Interfering with the cockroach respiration at cellular level.
- The corrosive action of bleach abosorbes and destroys the exoskeleton.
Cockroach killing power depends upon the strength of the bleach. Therefore, the greater the free chlorine released, the greater the corrosive power and ability to interfere with respiration.
Is Bleach a Good Alternative to Kill Roaches?
Powerful laundry bleach has a strength of 5.25 %. It is a 5.25 percent solution of sodium hypochlorite. This strength is enough to kill cockroaches if used purely without dilution. However, the bleach needs to be sprayed directly and multiple times to achieve results.
Moreover, The Bleach also has a strong, pungent smell that is enough to make you go crazy. It will also discolor or destroy items like furniture, clothes, electronics, walls, etc., if it comes in contact with them. The corrosive action of bleach can be dangerous for you and your pets too.
On the other hand, the market is full of potent roach-killing products devoid of the disadvantages of using bleach.
Therefore, bleach is not a good alternative to kill roaches.
Bleach can Destroy cockroach eggs
If you are lucky enough to spot cockroach nest and egg cases, destroying them is the need of the hour. These spots are the powerhouses of roaches from where they fuel to infest other parts.
The corrosive action of bleach is strong enough to absorb the shell of the cockroach egg hence destroying it. All you need to do is,
- Prepare a fresh solution of bleach using bleaching powder. If you have bleaching solution, use it in pure form.
- Put the solution in spary bottle.
- Aim at the nest and the eggs and spray untill they are flooded.
- Wait for 15 minutes and repeat the method.
- Wash the area with clean water.
It is important to take care of yourself and items around you when using bleach.
Do you know that peanut butter contains crushed bugs? Read Are there Bugs in Peanut Butter? to learn more
Bleach is not a Good Roach Repellent
Cockroaches stay away from strong smells. There are a number of Natural Roach Repellents available that have proved pretty effective at keeping roaches at bay. However, a good roach repellent keeps on emitting odor for a long time.
Similarly, bleach has a pungent smell from the free chlorine released. It can be strong enough to take you on your nerves. The smell of bleach stays until all the free chlorine is released, taking almost 30 minutes when sprayed on a surface.
After 30 minutes of spraying bleach, the pungent odor is almost gone. Unfortunately, therefore, bleach is not a good roach repellent.
Moreover, the corrosive action of bleach can also damage the surface it is applied to.
The most dangerous roaches to infest houses are small roaches! Read the article to know more about them.
Method to Kill Roaches with Bleach
Now, if you have decided anyways to kill roaches using bleach, I recommend a method that will help you get the best possible results,
Step 1: Select the Best Possible Bleach
Select the bleach powder or liquid with a high percentage of sodium hypochlorite. Bleach with a lower percentage will fail to kill roaches. I recommend Clorox Bleaching Liquid because it contains enough sodium hypochlorite to kill roaches.
Step 2: Safety
Bleach is corrosive and can erode skin or damage eyes. Before using bleach to kill roaches, use gloves, and safety google.
Step 3: Cover Objects Properly
Bleach can damage or discolor your valuable items. It is also hazardous for pets. On the other hand, bleach does not penetrate or react with plastic. Therefore, Remove or cover your valuable items, including electronics, fabrics, and furniture, with a plastic sheet.
Step 4: Use a Spray Bottle
It is essential to spray bleach on roaches directly, or otherwise, it will fail to give any results. Therefore, use a spray bottle with an excellent throw to kill roaches. Moreover, the spray should be thick enough to submerse the roach completely.
Step 6: Wait for the Results
Before declaring the bleach useless, you must wait for 15 minutes to see the results. You may also require to repeat the procedure.
Step 6: Rinse the Area Clean
Once you have used bleach, it is essential to clean the area with water. If you fail to clean the bleach, it may damage the surface, including tiles.
Exterminators Never use bleach, so How do exterminators get rid of roaches? Read this article to know more.
How do You Get rid of Roaches Overnight?
Roaches are pretty resilient creatures and are known to survive a number of insults. Thanks to modern science, Now we have the recipe to kill roaches overnight.
To kill roaches overnight,
- Set up roach traps and gel baits around multiple locations inside the house including under the furniture, inside the bathroom and kitchen.
- Seal all escaping routes.
- Turn off lights completely.
- Just before the sun rises, spray all the rooms and hiding places with Bengal Roach Killer and wait for 45 minutes.
- ventilate the rooms.
Congratulations! You are roach-free overnight.
Conclusion!
Many chemicals around us can kill roaches. However, it doesn’t mean that you should use them to kill cockroaches. For example, Strong acid can kill cockroaches. But will you use it to kill a roach? Obviously not. The same goes with fire. Will you put your house on fire because it will also kill roaches?
Therefore, Keeping the disadvantages insight, Killing roaches with bleach is not recommended until and unless you are using it with extreme caution.
Additional Interesting articles to Read!
Cockroaches in a Fridge: All you Need to Know!
