how to get rid of roaches?

[ColeysMama]

Short of calling a pest killer (trans: paying someone to spray toxic chemicals around my house), does anyone know how I can get rid of roaches? I'm in the south, near a creek, and they won't go away! It's so hot and humid here, and only going to get worse. My cat does what she can, but there are too many for her to catch them all. I saw one in my bedroom earlier tonight.... eewwww!!!!! I hate them, hate them, hate them! Are there any natural (or at least not-terribly-expensive-and-harsh)?

Or should I just call the exterminator? DS will be crawling soon and I'd rather he not think buggies are tasty little treats and/or toys....

[monstermama]

I don't know about the south. . .

But I bought some boric acid at the home depot (I never shop at big box stores but this was the only place to get it) and it worked. I didn't have them bad though. It is really intense though. They go back to their nests with it and it isn't a pleasant death though, I'm sorry to say.

Jeanne

[ColeysMama]

I don't care if it's not a pleasant death. It's not pleasant for me to see them in my bedroom, or have to throw out food that they got into. The only pleasant part is watching my cat eat them.

Anyway... boric acid. What type of stuff is it (liquid?) and what do you do with it? Any ideas on how I can set it out to kill the bugs, yet keep my cat from eating it?

[Ann-Marita]

Diatomaceous earth is good for crawling insects. And it won't hurt your cat if she injests it - it's actually (supposedly) effective against worms in the digestive track for cats and dogs.

Be sure to get the "grade" that is NOT for pools. I think the grade you want is "food grade"?