[Treece]

OK, here is the dillema, we have a bad roach problem. Borax isn't helping, not even a little. Our WHOLE apartment is infested. It's gross really. DP kinda blames my housekeeping which is at best lax. I work, he's laid off, soooo....

Anyway, we had an all purpose cleaner called "Holy Cow" that I got at Wal-Mart, although now I 'm not so sure, I can't find it. It seemed to prevent them from coming back to wherever it was sprayed. WHAT can I do about these roaches? They are literally everywhere. Any ideas are greatly appreciated. Oh, of course, I am very leery of any chemically pesticide. I have a 15 mo. Is there anything at Whole Foods I could get?

 

[bender]

I tried natural methods for roaches, but ended up using an exterminator, and haven't looked back. We have cats, and the company used chemicals that are nontoxic to the animals after they are dry (and it drys pretty quickly)

If they are in your house, you probably have a tough to kill species and invasive species. Depending on the species, they may be in your furniture, curtains, appliances, etc. That's primarily why I went with an exterminator when I first noticed them.

 

[Treece]

I live in an apartment building. I really just don't know what to do. In fact, the only thing that has really worked has been the Holy Cow stuff. It's supposed to be all natural, but it kills them almost on contact. AND they won't walk across it. I was wanting to spray my whole kitchen down with it. WOuld you do that? (NOt mine, yours lol)

 

[ckberkey]

I would let the landlord deal with it.

 

[Treece]

I would but I'm afraid he would use nasty toxic chemicals and I have a 15 mo ds.

 

[hillymum]

At a guess the whole building is going to need to be treated. I really would let the landlord know about it.

 

[jeliphish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Treece I would but I'm afraid he would use nasty toxic chemicals and I have a 15 mo ds.

Contact your Landlord. Roaches carry a host of diseases. Even though they use chemicals, they are commonly used. These roaches are traveling through your entire apartment complex and bringing other people's germs/disease/illness into your home.
I would call the landlord, clean the home like a maniac (you and your DH) pack things in boxes and have them come spray. Roaches are not Sanitary in the least bit.

 

[phatchristy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hillymum At a guess the whole building is going to need to be treated. I really would let the landlord know about it.

In an apartment complex definitely.

 

[LionessMom]

move. the whole building is infested. the have hives. probably in the basement or attic.

did you know that they crawl all over you while you sleep.

move. somewhere cleaner.

 

[Storm Bride]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LionessMom move. the whole building is infested. the have hives. probably in the basement or attic.

I'd try an exterminator first. My ex and I noticed roaches in our apartment when I was pregnant with ds1. The landlord had an exterminator come in, and we never saw one again - and we didn't move until ds1 was a year old. I also had friends in the same building, and they never saw one, even though they lived there for about 2-3 years after we moved. Sometimes, you get lucky and get them all.

 

[Treece]

Right now, we can't afford to move. We live so far below the poverty line that it is ridiculous. I'm more afraid of the chemicals the exterminator would use. We are moving as soon as possible (ie when dp gets a well paying job, oh can't wait....). We are leaving this metro area. The whole city is inested. I've lived all over here, and well, that's the truth. I've lived in publis housing, mid level housing, houses, apartments, you name it. I've owned and rented adn they are just here. It's a reality. To get rid is a battle. One I want to fight WITHOUT exterminateors AND before we pack them with us (assuming we take this stuff).

Anyway, I like some info I've gotten. Thanks for all your input!!!

 

[I~love~pie]

Ive never dealt with them, but if they are in the apt building then I would really assume even if you got rid of them, they will just keep coming back.

 

[LionessMom]

i dont know how well these things work but my mom bought some for me when i lived in an apt with roaches. they plug into the wall and send out signals or something. they stayed out of my kitchen anyway. there are alternaitve products, but they ar e not going to work as well as chemicals. can you stay with someone for a few days or at least overnight after they spray?

 

[elsie]

Cut off their food supply. Keep no food outside of sealed glass, cans or in the refrigerator - at least you know they are not sharing your food. Rewash your dishes before you use them as they will have been walking over them. Stick roach baits everywhere you can - under the refrigerator, shove, cabinets. Take out the trash constantly. If nothing else, you will convince them your apartment is not as nice as someone else.

When we lived next to the world's filthiest people in an apartment, we had the place sprayed twice and never saw a roach again. They usually just spray the kitchen and bathrooms where roaches like to hang out.

 

[mamadelbosque]

Complain to your landlord. If neccasary escrow rent (means you pay it to the city and NOT your landlord). Thats what we ended up doing in college and eventually they got an exterminator out and killed off our roaches. It was really, really gross before. Walk into a room, especially at night and flip on the lights and they'd go running... yuck! We couldn't leave anything out for *any* mount of time - pizza for left for 10 minutes by itself would be coverd. :shiver:

 

[Storm Bride]

Roach traps definitely help.

re: the chemicals. I don't know how much difference it makes, or how long it lasts, but when the exterminator came to our apartment, the drilled tiny holes in the walls (behind cupboards and such), and put all their crud inside. It wasn't out on the carpets where ds1 could get into it.

 

[Owen'nZoe]

Just wanted to point out one more thing - I don't know anything about the cleaner you mentioned, but all natural does not mean something is necessarily safe. Some of the most toxic substances come from 'natural' sources. I'm leary of the chemicals exterminators use, too, but honestly, I would go with the exterminator in this case.

 

[mommathea]

I'm pretty sure it is Very toxic, but we found a raid gell kind of stuff at walmart. It is in a syringe aplicator, that way we were able to put it behind the fridge, washer, pantry area, ect.. without worring about our kids and pets.
Since using it we see maby 1 roach a month instead of daily. I'm pretty sure it's doing it job.