⚡ TL;DR: Quick Summary
- Does hairspray kill cockroaches? It can kill a single roach if you coat it heavily, because the sticky film blocks its breathing holes, but it can take hours and does nothing to the nest.
- Perfume and deodorant are unreliable: a heavy dose may stun a roach, but mostly they just make it run and hide.
- Soapy water is a safer quick fix: a strong dish soap and water spray works the same way as hairspray without the flammable aerosol.
- Home remedies target the roaches you can see, not the egg cases and hidden populations behind appliances and inside walls.
- Baits and sealing gaps work better: slow-acting baits get carried back to hiding spots, while cleaning and sealing remove what attracts them.
- Still seeing roaches? Rockypest cockroach treatments start from $250 with a 3-month warranty.
There are many sprays and medicines which are available in the markets for getting rid of cockroaches, but the problem in using these is that, they have strong chemicals present in them, which can prove to be harmful for humans as well.
Therefore, when trying to clean your home from the menace of these cockroaches, you can try the below top 10 tips for getting rid of cockroaches using home remedies.
Does Hairspray Kill Cockroaches?
Yes, but only one roach at a time, and not quickly. Cockroaches breathe through tiny openings along the sides of their body called spiracles. When a roach is heavily coated in hairspray, the sticky film gums up its legs and wings and blocks many of those openings, so it slows down, stops moving and can eventually die.
The catch is that you usually need to soak the roach, and it can take hours rather than seconds to die. Some roaches recover if the coating is light. Most importantly, hairspray does nothing to the egg cases and hidden roaches living behind your fridge or inside the walls, so it is a quick fix for a single sighting, not a solution.
🔎 What Household Sprays Actually Do to a Cockroach
✅ Soapy water (dish soap and water)
A strong mix sprayed directly on a roach coats it and blocks its breathing holes. It is cheap, non-flammable and easy to wipe up.
➖ Hairspray, perfume, deodorant or glass cleaner
These can stun or eventually kill a single roach if you drench it, but results are hit and miss, the fumes are unpleasant, and most aerosols are flammable.
⚠️ Any spray when you are seeing roaches regularly
Spraying the ones you see leaves the egg cases and hidden roaches untouched. Regular sightings, especially during the day, mean it is time for baits or a professional treatment.
Seeing more than the odd roach? Call 08 9592 2566 for advice on the next step.
Warning: hairspray, deodorant and perfume aerosols are flammable. Never spray them near a stove, gas cooktop, pilot light, candle or heater, and never towards children, pets or your own face. Use them in a well-ventilated room and wipe up the sticky residue afterwards, as it attracts dust and dirt.
Related → How to Kill Roaches | Pest Control Advice: How to Kill Cockroaches
10 Home Remedies for Getting Rid of Cockroaches
Below are the ten original tips, each with a short note from Rockypest on how well it works in practice.
☕ 1. Coffee Grind – The smell of coffee acts as a bait for the cockroaches, while the caffeine content present in it kills them.
Rockypest note: there is little evidence that coffee grounds reliably kill cockroaches. They are best treated as an attractant for a simple trap rather than a treatment.
🧂 2. Flour And Boric Acid – By sprinkling a mixture of boric acid, flour and white sugar, all in equal quantities, areas like kitchen cabinets, under the stove, bathroom drains, etc., you can kill the cockroaches in the most effective manner.
Rockypest note: boric acid is one of the more effective DIY options because roaches carry it back and groom it off, but keep it well away from food, children and pets.
🧺 3. Fabric Softener – Since the cockroaches breathe through their skin, any strong fragrance can kill them. Therefore, by spreading the fragrance of fabric softener, you can suffocate the cockroaches and kill them.
Rockypest note: cockroaches breathe through small openings called spiracles. It is not the fragrance that works: a softener and water mix sprayed directly on a roach can coat and block those openings, much like soapy water.
🌿 4. Pandan Leaves – Pandan leaves are an excellent cockroach repellent. However, they are effective only as long as they are fresh, once dry through them out and place new Pandan leaves.
Rockypest note: repellents may discourage roaches from one spot, but they will not remove a population already living in the home.
🌶️ 5. Cayenne, Garlic And Onion – A liquid mixture of the above contents, is a perfect solution for tackling the problem of cockroaches.
Rockypest note: strong-smelling mixtures may act as a mild repellent, but results are limited. Avoid spraying pepper mixes where children or pets could get them in their eyes.
💨 6. Hair Spray – Hair sprays are sticky and therefore, when sprayed on a cockroach, it will seal its wings and skin, thus suffocating it to its ultimate death.
Rockypest note: this can work on a single roach if it is heavily coated, but it may take hours and is flammable. See the hairspray section above.
🥄 7. Baking Soda And Sugar – While the sugar content in this mix acts as a bait for the cockroaches, the baking soda kills them.
Rockypest note: results with baking soda are inconsistent, and it works far more slowly than purpose-made cockroach baits.
🥒 8. Cucumber peels – The results of the use of these leaves are varied, while some find them to be extremely effective, others are not so satisfied with the use of these leaves for the killing of cockroaches.
Rockypest note: cucumber peels do not kill cockroaches, and at best may have a slight repellent effect.
🐈 9. Catnips – Catnips have no effect on humans and pets except for cats, which go crazy. Therefore, if you have cats in your home, do not use this herb for getting rid of cockroaches at your place.
Rockypest note: catnip contains a natural compound that may repel some insects, but it will not clear an established infestation.
🍾 10. Soda Bottle Traps – This is an old trick used by many housewives for trapping the cockroaches in their house. It is safe and can be real fun.
Rockypest note: traps like this, or store-bought sticky traps, are a good way to check how many roaches you have and where they are most active.
There are many other tricks which are used in different parts of the world for killing cockroaches, but amongst all of them, the above are the top 10 tips for getting rid of cockroaches.
Related → Alternative: Boric Acid, Nature’s Bug Control | Roach Repellent: 5 Ways to Keep Cockroaches Out
Why Home Remedies Rarely Clear an Infestation
Most home remedies kill or repel the roaches you can see. The real problem is the ones you cannot: nymphs and adults hiding behind fridges and dishwashers, inside cupboard hinges and in wall cavities, along with the egg cases they leave in cracks.
German cockroaches, the small tan species most common in Perth kitchens, are particularly hard to beat with home remedies because the female carries her egg case until it is almost ready to hatch. Spray the adults and the next generation is already on its way.
Important: cockroaches are nocturnal, so if you are seeing them during the day, the hidden population is usually already large. At that point, home remedies are unlikely to catch up.
Related → Cockroaches in Perth, Australia | Where Do You Find Cockroaches?
A Better DIY Plan for Cockroaches
If you want to tackle a small problem yourself, this approach works far better than spraying individual roaches.
Three Steps That Actually Make a Difference
Remove food and water. Wipe benches and stovetops nightly, store food in sealed containers, empty bins daily, and fix dripping taps and leaking pipes under sinks.
Use baits, and leave them alone. Place cockroach gel baits or bait stations behind appliances, inside cupboard corners and near hinges, and do not spray over or near them, as this stops roaches eating the bait.
Monitor and seal. Use sticky traps to track activity, then seal gaps around pipes, skirting boards and cupboards so fewer roaches can hide or get in.
Warning: keep boric acid, baits and any DIY mixtures out of reach of children and pets, and never place them on food preparation surfaces. Follow product labels exactly.
Related → Tips to Eradicate Cockroaches | Getting Rid of Cockroaches: What Do They Eat?
DIY or Professional?
🧹 When DIY is enough
An occasional large roach that wandered in from outside, or a single sighting you can monitor with a trap.
🛠️ When to call a professional
Small roaches in the kitchen, daytime sightings, droppings or egg cases in cupboards, or roaches returning after DIY treatment.
📞 Time to Call a Cockroach Specialist If
- You have tried several home remedies and are still seeing roaches.
- You are spotting cockroaches during the day.
- You find small tan roaches in kitchen cupboards or near appliances.
- Your traps catch more than a handful of roaches.
- Someone in the home has asthma or allergies.
- You want a treatment that is safe to use around children and pets.
💲 What Cockroach Control Costs with Rockypest
Prices as listed on Rockypest’s current price list. Gel baits are placed where cockroaches harbour, such as fridge motors, hinges and cupboards, and the problem may take a few days to a few weeks to fully resolve. Inside treatments require you to be out of the house for at least three hours.
Related → Cockroach Control Perth | Cockroaches in Your Home: How to Get Rid of Roaches
Done Chasing Roaches with Hairspray?
Rockypest’s licensed technicians target cockroaches where they hide and breed, with every cockroach treatment backed by a 3-month warranty.
Servicing Rockingham, Baldivis, Mandurah, Kwinana, Fremantle, Armadale, Secret Harbour, Port Kennedy, Canning Vale, Greater Perth.
Cockroach Home Remedy FAQs
Will hairspray kill a cockroach?
It can, if you coat the roach heavily. The sticky film blocks its breathing holes and gums up its legs, but it can take hours to die, a light coating may not work, and it does not affect the rest of the population.
How long does it take hairspray to kill a roach?
It usually stops moving within seconds of being soaked, but death can take several hours. Roaches that are only lightly sprayed may recover.
Can perfume or deodorant kill cockroaches?
A heavy spray may stun or eventually kill a single roach, mainly by coating it, but perfume and deodorant are unreliable and more likely to send it running into hiding.
Does soapy water kill cockroaches?
Yes. A strong mix of dish soap and water sprayed directly onto a roach coats it and blocks its breathing holes. It is a safer quick fix than flammable aerosols.
Will cleaning spray kill a cockroach?
Some surface sprays and glass cleaners can coat and kill a roach if applied heavily, but like hairspray, they only deal with the roach you hit.
What kills cockroaches instantly?
Direct-contact insecticide sprays or a heavy soapy water spray act fastest on individual roaches. For lasting results, slow-acting baits are more effective because roaches carry them back to where others hide.
See → How to Kill Roaches
Is boric acid safe to use at home?
It can be effective, but it should be kept well away from food, children and pets and placed in hidden spots such as under appliances and inside cupboard voids.
See → Boric Acid: Nature’s Bug Control
What is the best way to get rid of cockroaches?
Remove food and water sources, use baits in the areas where roaches hide, seal gaps, and call a professional if you are seeing roaches regularly or during the day.
See → Cockroach Control Perth
Source
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Rockypest Pty Ltd, servicing Rockingham, Baldivis, Mandurah, Kwinana, Fremantle, Armadale, Secret Harbour, Port Kennedy, Canning Vale and greater Perth, WA, with pest control experience since 1988.
