You may want to use alcohol as a natural way to get rid of them, but is it really a good idea?
In this article, Pestweek will answer the question: does alcohol kill roaches and how to use alcohol to kill cockroaches?Â
1. Does Alcohol kill Roaches?
Yes, rubbing alcohol can kill roaches by suffocating them. Roaches breathe through small holes in their shells called spiracles. When rubbing alcohol is sprayed on their body, the spiracles get blocked, preventing them from breathing.
However, rubbing alcohol is not a very effective or safe method to control roaches. It is highly flammable and can cause fire hazards if sprayed near sources of ignition. It can also cause health problems if inhaled in large quantities.
2. How to use alcohol to kill cockroaches?
1. Select a sprayer and pour the alcohol into it
The best sprayer to use is one that hasn’t contained another liquid before.
The spray bottle must have a tight nozzle for applying the product at one point without spreading to untargeted areas.
After ensuring you have selected the right spray bottle, measure enough rubbing alcohol and transfer it into the sprayer. Fasten the nozzle tightly.
2. Spray the rubbing alcohol on the roaches’ shells
Firmly holding the sprayer, mist the rubbing alcohol directly on the roaches’ shells, and soak each thoroughly with the rubbing alcohol.
The product would steadily block the roaches’ spiracles and suffocate them within minutes. After two to three hours, you should see dead cockroaches on the surfaces.
3. Get rid of the roaches’ carcasses
Remove the dead roaches from the surfaces after killing them. Roaches love dirt and even feed on dead bodies of their kind.
Also, clear dirt from surfaces to prevent remaining roaches from feeding on them.
4. Target the roaches body and not surfaces
You must direct the alcohol at their bodies and not on surfaces. The cockroaches cannot die when they step on those surfaces because their spiracles will be open for breathing.
Furthermore, spraying rubbing alcohol on countertops, furniture, and finishes damages them.
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3. How Does Rubbing Alcohol Kill Roaches?Â
When roaches come into contact with rubbing alcohol, it initiates a process of dehydration by swiftly evaporating the moisture from their bodies.
This results in the breakdown of their protective outer layer. Moreover, the alcohol infiltrates their spiracles, disrupting their respiratory functions and inducing respiratory distress.
The solvent properties of rubbing alcohol further contribute to its effectiveness by dismantling the insects’ waxy outer layer and causing fat dissolution.
This holistic attack on the roaches’ physiological systems can induce paralysis and, eventually, demise.
4. Is it Safe to Use Alcohol to Kill Roaches?
No, it is not safe to use alcohol to kill roaches. As mentioned before, alcohol is highly flammable and can cause fire hazards if sprayed near sources of ignition.
It can also cause health problems if inhaled in large quantities.
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5. Important notes when using alcohol to kill cockroaches
Put off all flames
Rubbing alcohol is highly flammable and can quickly spark a fire if used near flames. When killing roaches from your property, put off all flames.
Don’t mix rubbing alcohol with other products
You might get tempted to mix rubbing alcohol with other home products like borax to make it more powerful when killing roaches. But these combinations will only do more harm than good.
When borax and rubbing alcohol combine, they form chloroform which is more toxic and corrosive.
Always ventilate the area
Rubbing alcohol is highly volatile; it evaporates quickly in a couple of minutes to form fumes of gases in the atmosphere.
When you use rubbing alcohol in a room with no ventilation, the toxic fumes collect and cause breathing difficulties and throat dryness.
Wear protective clothing
Rubbing alcohol irritates and corrodes the skin when it contacts it. Wear a long-sleeved shirt and heavy-duty hand gloves to prevent rubbing alcohol from contacting your skin.
Restrict movement into treated spaces
After killing the roaches, keep kids and pets away from the treated areas.
This is because the kids or pets can easily touch treated areas resulting in skin irritation or corrosion.
Read more Clove oil for roaches: The Truth Behind This Solution.
Conclusion
Alcohol kill roaches by suffocating them, but it is not a safe or effective method to control them. Alcohol is highly flammable and can cause fire hazards and health problems.Â
If you want to learn more about how to get rid of roaches and other pests, check out our blog at Pestweek.
Calina Mabel has over 15 years of experience in the field of journalism and communications. Currently, Calina Mabel is the Content Writer for categories such as Cockroach, Ants, Bed Bugs, Mosquito, Rodent, Termite, and Flies on Pestweek.com. She aims to build content for these categories with a focus on providing valuable and accessible information to readers, in order to create the world’s largest knowledge community about Pests.
All content written by Calina Mabel has been reviewed by Emily Carter.