Nature has designed roaches and palmetto bugs, with an open circulatory system.
This means that, unlike other creatures, they do not breathe through the mouth and lungs. Instead, they rely on respiratory openings on the surface of the body. These openings are called Spiracles.
Does Disinfectant Spray Kill Roaches?
Yes! disinfectant spray kills roaches by physically interfering with respiration. This is achieved by clogging the respiratory openings on the body and choking them to death.
- Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer for Indoor & Perimeter2 with Comfort Wand kills ants, cockroaches, spiders, fleas, ticks and other listed bugs; the formula is odor free, won't stain, and keeps listed bugs out
- KILLS BUGS INSIDE: Kills those annoying home-invading insects, including ants, cockroaches, spiders, fleas, ticks, scorpions, beetles, silverfish, centipedes and millipedes
- KEEPS BUGS OUTSIDE: Creates a bug barrier that will kill bugs you have and prevents new bugs for up to 12 months (applies to ants, roaches and spiders indoors on non-porous surfaces)
- NO STAINING OR STINK: This spray can be used indoors and out, leaves no residue, and has no odor; people and pets may re-enter treated areas after spray has dried
- WAND MAKES APPLICATION EASY: The Comfort Wand eliminates hand fatigue, and there's no pumping required, making it easy to spray along your home's perimeter--indoors and outside
Disinfectant sprays are made of a solution that contains alcohol and other antiseptic chemicals.
Due to low surface tension, they have excellent penetrating and absorbing properties, making them ideal for destroying eggs. So I am going to explain in detail does a disinfectant spray kills roaches.
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How does Disinfectant Spray kill roaches?
The market is flooded with insecticide sprays, and almost all of them contain a chemical neurotoxin that affects the nervous system of insects, including roaches.
No doubt that insecticide sprays are pretty effective and quick in action, but they do have downsides. Impact on the environment and aquatic life is notable, among others.
As discussed above, insects breathe through openings in their bodies, and physically blocking them will suffocate them to death. Disinfectant Sprays are intended for antisepsis due to the high percentage of alcohol. But it also contains a sticky substance called Benzalkonium Chloride, which makes it sticky.
Like any other sticky substance, if a disinfectant spray is sprayed on the roaches, it will either directly block the openings or cling the wings and legs to the body and block them. Hair spray will also kill a roach. You can check my article on does hairspray kills roaches here.
Quick Caution: It must be kept in mind that disinfectant spray works when directly sprayed on the bug. It does not work like a typical insecticide spray.
How quickly can Disinfectant Spray kill roaches?
In most cases, humans can’t withstand hypoxia (lack of Oxygen) for more than 5 minutes. But you will be amazed to know that cockroaches can remain alive for up to 8 to 10 hours without Oxygen.
So how quickly can Disinfectant Spray kill roaches? Once you spray onto the roach, it will immediately incapacitate the bug. It seems like the bug has died instantly, but the Disinfectant Spray takes 6 to 12 hours to kill a bug or a cockroach.
Depending on personal preference, once you incapacitate the bug, you may squash it to make the job easy.
Do all types of disinfectant sprays kill cockroaches?
Almost all commercial sprays, including disinfectants, fragrances, etc., have a spirit as a solvent. Since the science is to stop the cockroach from breathing, they will penetrate the spiracles and kill the cockroach.
However, disinfectant wipes and stuff won’t kill cockroaches. However, antiseptic-type sprays are most effective in killing cockroaches.
It is interesting to know that disinfectant sprays have an excellent ability to destroy the eggs of roaches. This is due to the high concentration of alcohol. Learn more on how to get rid of roach eggs. So it’s now quite evident if disinfectant spray kills cockroaches or not.
Is Disinfectant Spray More Effective Than Roach Killers?
Insecticide sprays have revolutionized the way we exterminate cockroaches. They are readily available, cost-effective, quick, and powerful to kill cockroaches like palmetto bugs.
The insecticide sprays contain D-Allethrin and DEFENSA, two potent neurotoxins that act very quickly by interfering with nerve conduction.
Apart from these benefits, the drawbacks to using insecticide spray include the damage to the atmosphere, aquatic life, and allergies to atopic people. On the other hand, a disinfectant spray is also effective at exterminating cockroaches but must directly be sprayed onto the roach and their eggs.
Given the above discussion, I conclude that a disinfectant spray is not better and more cost-effective than an insecticide spray. But if you do not have a readily available Insecticide spray, a disinfectant spray will do the job nicely.
You can also opt for natural palmetto bug repellants to keep these insects at bay.
- Start killing small roaches in hours
- Prevent them from returning for up to 12 months
- Easy to use
- Simply place them where roaches are found
- Best for under sinks, behind toilets, and behind appliances
- 18 child-resistant bait stations are included
- No vapor, fumes, mess, or odor.
- Kills ants and roaches by contact
- Visual reference of treated areas
- Foam expands into hard-to-reach places where pests hide
- Dries invisible and keeps killing for up to 10 months (German cockroaches on non-porous surfaces)
- Roaches find the bait strips and eat the bait.
- Roaches carry the bait back to the nest
- Stick the strip to a clean surface. Discard film in trash. Use all strips at once.
- For indoor and outdoor (adjacent to home) use
- This package contains 10 roach killing bait strips.
Is it painful to kill roaches with Disinfectant Spray?
Roaches do not have emotions and are devoid of specialized pain receptors; therefore, they do not feel pain but sense irritation. This is built to protect them from environmental insults and dangers.
You may see a bug flapping wings and legs after they are sprayed with insecticide, but this is not due to pain but is the result of uncontrolled spasms elicited by the neurotoxin.
To make it brief, it may seem painful to kill a cockroach with disinfectant spray, but they do not suffer any pain.