During the warm season, cockroaches often settle in residential premises. They build nests in kitchen cabinets, under sinks, and in corners, and they also lay eggs. These crawling insects not only look disgusting but can also cause serious diseases by contaminating food.
Many people try to get rid of them using chemical sprays (such as Kala Hit), but the strong and toxic odor of these products causes breathing problems, and the cockroaches eventually return.
If you want to find a reliable and free solution for fighting cockroaches without using chemicals, you can use natural ingredients found in your kitchen, such as black pepper leaves (tejpatta), boric acid, baking soda, and neem oil. The pungent aroma of black pepper leaves and neem oil irritates the cockroach's respiratory system, forcing them to leave the dwelling without being killed.
The following components are used for preparation: 10-12 black pepper leaves (crushed), 2 tablespoons of boric acid powder (easily available in pharmacies), 1 tablespoon of ground sugar, 1 tablespoon of wheat flour or besan, 10-12 drops of neem or mint oil, and water as needed.
Spray based on neem/mint oil (for drains)
Mix 10-12 drops of neem or mint oil with 1 cup of water. Fill the resulting solution into a spray bottle. After cleaning the kitchen at night, spray this solution in the corners and around the drains. Cockroaches will flee upon smelling this odor.
Use of alum
Alum also helps fight cockroaches. For this, take a bowl of water, add half a lemon, 3-4 black pepper leaves, and a small piece of alum. Bring this water to a boil, then strain it. Then add a little baking soda, salt, and camphor to this solution. At night, place this solution near the cockroach habitats and close to the sewage pipes; the insects will start leaving the house.
Application of black pepper leaves
The pungent smell of black pepper leaves is intolerable to cockroaches. Crush 10-12 black pepper leaves into powder or small pieces and spread them under the kitchen sink, behind the gas stove, near the trash can, and in cabinet corners. The smell will force the cockroaches to leave immediately.
Boric acid and sugar balls
Mix 2 tablespoons of boric acid powder, 1 tablespoon of ground sugar, and 1 tablespoon of flour in a bowl, adding a little water. Form small balls from this mixture. Due to the sweetness, cockroaches will be attracted to them, and after consumption, the boric acid will destroy them.
Baking soda and sugar mixture
Mix baking soda and sugar in equal parts and sprinkle this mixture in places where cockroaches hide. After consuming this mixture, cockroaches experience abdominal bloating, which leads to their death.