Anyone here have to bomb for cockroaches before?

[New Earth]

Ok, got a bad cockroach problem in this apt. I had an exterminator come in once a while back and lay down that gel stuff - it killed some of them, but not all of course. then i laid around some roach baits - that helped too, started seeing more dead ones.

then while i was on vacation in England they decided to mate a lot and make lots of babies. the infestation is heavy now.

so i went out and got some "Deep Reach Foggers", the 'bombs' that are supposed to kill them all on the spot for up to 3 months.

i'm too afraid to do it myself, i'm afraid to blow up the house lol. anyone else ever have to use these things?

i know i'm supposed to unplug everything, which i can do, except for the refrigerator. i have no way to unplug that, i have no one to help me move it. it's going to have to stay plugged in.

i guess i have to turn off the heater and leave it off for a while to cool down before i set off the bombs.

i only have an electric stove, so i don't need to turn off pilot lights or anything.....i think ??

then i need to cover up appliances, electronics, clothes, toys, etc. with newspaper.


am i missing anything? anyone here ever use them before and leave things plugged in, like the refrig?

i want these damn fuckers out. i really don't need the company :eyes:

[Shine]

1. Yuck, sounds like a bummer.

I've never had to deal with that problem (thank god), so sorry, no advice to offer. However, I wanted to wish you the very best and I hope you get rid of those damn things soon.

Ewww...

Good luck,
Shine
:hi:

[necso]

2. You want to unplug

anything that can create a spark/flame that could reach the gas they spew(!).

The refrigerator shouldn't be an issue. And, generally, the issue is more one of what has a flame going, could start a flame going, arcs electrically, could turn on and do so, etc.

Typically foggers create a mist that leaves residue behind, so anywhere that air can go, they can go. But fogging is nowhere nearly as good as tenting, and penetration into walls and such may (will) not be that great.

Beforehand, I would cover anything that I didn't want a residue on, take clothing out of the house, etc; and afterwards wipe down counters and sinktops, wash bedding, etc.

Moreover, I would plan on still laying out traps and baits. And, generally, if a building has them, so will you, its just a question of how bad -- and how noticeable.

[New Earth]

3. what is tenting?

[necso]

4. It's when they "tent" a whole

building and fill it full of gas.

Most likely not appropriate for you, just saying that it takes something more than foggers to really do the job.

And you should leave cabinets, etc, open if you want good penetration there.

I have used fogging and it's a hassle but it works ok. However, the battle against vermin of all sorts is never really over.

[nytemare]

5. The bombs work good, follow the instructions on the back

and you should be good. Boric acid is good, as well. Thing with Apartments is, sooner or later they will come back because using the bomb will drive them to another apt.

on edit: there is a lot of stuff you will have to cover up. It has been a while since I used one, but I remember the instructions being good on the cans.

[New Earth]

6. i wanna do it tonight

but i don't know where to go and take my bird. unless i go shopping and leave him in the car :shrug:

still afraid my house is gonna blow up if i leave the fridge plugged in :scared:

[henslee]

7. If you must use a bomb --DO NOT BRING BIRD BACK TO HOUSE for a while....

I personally would avoid bombing but But if you had to, leave for 3 days... with your bird. Or why nut just chuck out all sorts of stuff from cabinets, closets and then bomb indiv. rooms. Then just aggressively fight the bugs for a while.. COMBAT works great. Now that I live in the south, I never leave a dirty dish/spec of food out for more than ten minutes. Also, you must deprive the roaches of water -- very key. They will not go where there is no no water.

[New Earth]

9. the biggest problem

is that they are all over my computer desk area too, and i'm sure IN the computer PC itself. they are also in my printer.

my biggest peeve is the microwave. that's where a lot of the 'babies' stay. it is so disgusting to put my food in the microwave and think of all the nasty roaches that have been in it. but then what do i do, throw that one out and just wait for the new one to get infested?

i need to move out of this apt. complex very soon, but i can't for a while. so i'm stuck living with them as long as i'm here. this is so disgusting :cry:

[xmas74]

8. Don't worry-they're not that hard to use.

But if you live in an apartment they will come back. They'll go back and forth between one neighbor and then another.

[spacelady]

10. get some boric acid powder, sprinkle some on newspaper and slide it

under the stove, refrigerator, microwave, etc. wherever you have the worst problems. Best stuff I have found & since you control it, no toxic residue in unwanted places.

[New Earth]

11. i actually have some

just never got around to putting it around. i lost interest in it when i heard it takes up to 2 or 3 weeks to start working.

i guess i should have used it anyway considering how bad it is now :(

[bliss_eternal]

12. I've lived in apts that had this problem--

Thankfully I don't anymore--but I'm always happy to pass on the info. I got from that time. One apt was near my college, one in Chicago--really bad there. I got the best tips for it when I lived in Chicago, apparently it's something most deal with if you live in apartments--at least most of the people I worked with and knew had at one time or another.

Boric acid is GREAT! So is cleaning with bleach. The roaches hate bleach, and tend to stay away longer with that. Another nifty trick I picked up was closing up any cracks and crevices I could find in the apartment with caulking. A few still managed to get in from time to time, but not as many once I did this.

Go ahead and use the bombs--they are good--don't worry about the refrigerator. It won't affect that. I've had guys come in and do professional spraying in addition to bombing, they never unplug the fridge.

Try to open every kitchen cabinet and drawer--pull out drawers if you can, stack them in a room you aren't bombing or off to the side, and cover with a sheet or plastic tarp. With all the drawers pulled out, the spray can really get into those kitchen cabinets and get at the areas where they lay those eggs.

After you bomb, then go into the cracks and crevices and caulk them.

After caulking, clean floors, sinks, tubs, etc. with bleach or white vinegar--diluted with some water.

After caulking and cleaning lay down your boric acid.

Try not to keep cardboard boxes, newspapers or paperbags from the grocery store in your home at all. They are drawn to that stuff, and will get in it and lay eggs. Bleh!

After all of those measures you should see a measurable improvement. I met a couple in Chicago that did all of this in their apt, and they got rid of their roach problem entirely.

[Porcupine]

21. Use the Boric Acid, it really works!!!!

Spread it around behind anything that you will not disturb. Behind all appliances, under and around the refrigerator and especially the stove and definately in any cracks around a dishwasher.

You will especially want to carefully check all possible water sources as posted above (including under the dishwasher) to make sure there is no water that you are overlooking. Roaches MUST have a water source to survive so there has to be one close by.

For things like computers and PC's you can put them in a bag with a chunk of dry ice or (in the summer) set the bagged appliances in the sun for a few hours. Roaches are tropical forest floor critters and don't survive extremes. If you're waaay north you could just let your apartment freeze solid for a few nights.

Does it sound like I really hate roaches?

[Whoa_Nelly]

13. Ummm..This might be a dumb question

If you rent and there's a bad roach infestation, wouldn't it be the landlord's problem to rid you of the roach health hazard? :shrug:

[LeftyMom]

14. Yep. (At least it would be here)

The down side is that if the landlord believes you're causing the problem with cleanliness issues that could create problems.

Still, I'd advise notifying the landlord in writing. Ideally get a neighbor or two to report the issues at the same time so the landlord/property manager/etc knows that the problem isn't that you're a slob.

[Whoa_Nelly]

15. Have to wonder

Seems from those I know who have lived in apts. and duplexes that if one place gets bombed, the little fuckers that survive, (and many do survive a bombing), just move into other places nearby.

Have helped after a fog bombing in a small apt. Even hours later the tiny ones were still running around, and big ones kept falling out of placesd like flushmount ceiling fitures. Oh..and there was so much of cockroach poo all over the place. Guess killing them makes thme really lose it all.

(cockroach poo...hmmm...would make a great band or screen name
:rofl:
god...am so easliy amused. )

[spacelady]

20. Rent the movie "Joe's Apartment" then Laugh, hahahahaah

[GoddessOfGuinness]

16. We bombed a long time ago

but we didn't get rid of the things until we used the Combat bait traps...the ones that have birth control in the poison.

I've occasionally seen a roach after buying a new plant, or purchasing something in a corrugated cardboard box. As a result, all boxes go to the recycling bin on the porch immediately, and I try to buy plants in the warm months, when I can keep them outside for awhile.

[serryjw]

17. I live in a 100 year old building in DT DENVER

and have this problem all the time. All good recommendation and I might add...DO IT WEEKLY FOR A MONTH! I know it is a pain in the ass but if you don't babies will survive..and they do procreate fast!

[NNadir]

18. We did it about 20 years ago, when we first were married.

You should seal your food in ziplocks and that sort of thing. (Leave it in them afterwards, since sealed food prevents cockaroaches from entering again. You pop the the thing; leave (I held my breath on the way out the dooor; and come back after a few hours. Open the door and after a while go back in and open the windows. Let the place air out for about an hour. Sweep up the dead cockaroaches who are everywhere.

The Combat type baited traps are also excellent. The thing is that using that, you have to tolerate them running around until they die, but ultimately they will die.

[MikeDuffy]

19. Highly rec: Black Flag "Roach Ender" -- birth control for male roaches...

if they still sell it. It doesn't kill the roaches, so much as make the males sterile. It is a spray that the roaches take back to their nests (on their feet, I think) which sterilizes all the males in short order. Before long (I can't remember how long it took), no more roaches -- and they stayed away for at least 10 years).

If it is no longer on the market (I haven't checked), it may have been dangerous to humans. (Is that a thought for a new product: "People Ender" -- doesn't kill humans, highly contagious, just makes people sterile -- a lot of problems solved for earth's species in a couple of generations?)

[RebelOne]

22. I swear by Combat.

Use that and you will never have any trouble with roaches.