Does Baking Soda Kill Roaches? Unveiling the Truth

It can take between 12 to 24 hours for baking soda to kill roaches depending on how much they consume. However, the total duration depends on the quantity of baking soda ingested and which baking soda combination you use. 

You can mix baking soda with bait to ensure that the roaches consume copious amounts of the product, increase its effectiveness, and reduce the overall time it takes to eliminate the bugs.

A sugar-baking soda mix takes about 12-24 hours to kill roaches hiding in your home. However, it might take several more days before you notice the implications of the product within your space. 

Dry bait does not activate the baking soda, making it last for longer durations than wet bait such as vinegar. However, as the vinegar is wet bait, the concoction has a reduced lifespan than other dry bait ideas.

How to get rid of roaches with baking soda

Baking soda can act as a suitable home remedy for dealing with roaches. You can try different baking soda combinations to find the best fit for your home. Cockroaches are not naturally attracted to baking soda and are more likely to nibble on more nutritious foodstuffs within your kitchen and storage rooms.

A combination of baking soda and attractive baits is always the best solution. You can also use this to get rid of cockroaches in bathroom and kitchen. Tasty and sugary baits can lure these pests into consuming your DIY pesticide. Sugar, onion, and vinegar can help you attract the roaches to your baking soda mix to make your concoction more effective.

Alternative DIY like using baking soda to eradicate roaches from your space can always work if the infestation is not really big. Below are a few ideas on how you can use baking soda to eliminate roaches

Baking soda and vinegar to kill roaches

Vinegar is a common product available in many kitchens as a disinfectant, food additive, etc.

It can also help you get rid of roaches, but not by itself.

Vinegar kill roaches only when it is mixed with soap or shampoo, which can clog their breathing tubes and suffocate them.

However, vinegar alone can act as a deterrent, as its strong smell and disinfecting qualities make the space unappealing to the pests.

A baking soda and vinegar mixture can also work, but with mixed results.

White vinegar is a more preferred option as it also doubles up as a cleaning agent keeping your kitchen spotless. However, its deterrence fades as the vinegar loses its smell over time. Adding a small amount of baking soda to the solution adds to the lethality of the solution.

Here’s how to use baking soda and vinegar to kill roaches

1. Mix equal hot water and vinegar parts in a small cup and stir.
2. Add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water-vinegar solution and sprinkle it along pathways, hiding spots, etc.

Baking soda and sugar for roaches

Cockroaches love sugar! You can use a sugar-baking soda mixture to lure and eliminate the pesky pests from your space. The blend gives homeowners (and caretakers) a natural, easy-to-implement, DIY solution to effectively deal with roaches and other insect intruders living within your home.

Sugar is an ideal bait to entice roaches into ingesting baking soda. The high-energy substance also has an attractive smell that the insects can’t resist. It also resembles baking soda and is rarely hazardous to pets and other people when accidentally ingested.

Here’s how to use a baking soda and sugar mixture to kill roaches

• Add about 2 teaspoons of sugar and 2 tsp baking soda to a small bowl.
• Mix the products and place/sprinkle strategically along critical paths, hideouts, and other spots with a roach infestation.

How to get rid of roaches with Baking soda and onion

Onions can act as suitable bait when dealing with roaches. You can use an onion-baking soda concoction to attract, trap and eliminate bugs from your space with relative ease. Baking soda has harmful effects on cockroaches who purposefully avoid it. 

You can use raw yellow onions as a natural deterrent for cockroaches. Their strong smell dissuades the insects but does not kill them. Some people use an onion-pepper blend, but the mixture provides mixed results. 

Instead, it is better to use an onion-baking soda combination to ensure the product remains lethal long after the smell wears off. Besides, the thick onion juice does not allow for the baking soda to activate.

Here’s how to use a baking soda and onion mixture to keep roaches at bay

1. Pick an onion and cut it into several parts.
2. Mix your onions with about 2 teaspoons of baking soda and place the pieces strategically in different locations of your home. It’s best to do this at night when the insects are most active. 
3. Change the onions every 2-3 days.

Peanut butter and baking soda to kill roaches

Peanut butter is a favorite diet for cockroaches considering its sweet smell, numerous fats, and proteins. You can use peanut butter to attract the bugs to your pesticide. Roaches have a strong sense of smell that you can use as leverage to eliminate them. 

A peanut butter-baking soda mixture is difficult to separate because the baking soda disappears into the peanut butter. The product is also non-hazardous to humans and pets, but it can retain lethality to roaches for a considerable duration.

Here’s how to use peanut butter and baking soda to kill roaches.

1. Scoop 2-3 spoons of peanut butter and place in a mixing bowl.
2. Add about 2 teaspoons of baking soda and mix the two products thoroughly to have a consistent paste.
3. Scoop small amounts of the mixture and place them on small-cap lids, bowls, etc.
4. Position the caps on strategic locations within your space, such as under kitchen sinks, cooking cabinets, etc.
5. Conduct regular checks on the roaches’ favorite hiding spaces to remove the dead insects.

Mixing Baking Soda With Sweets 

For those households rich in sweet treats like candies or donuts, there’s a potential roach remedy right at your fingertips. The key is to generously coat these sweets with baking soda to kill roaches. Depending on the severity of the cockroach infestation, the quantity of baking soda roach killer required might vary. 

Nonetheless, in terms of efficacy, this method parallels the one that employs baking soda and flour. So, for those with a sweet tooth, you’ve got a dual-purpose remedy in your kitchen. 

Mixing Baking Soda With Potatoes

Starch-rich foods, such as potatoes, are a magnet for roaches. Their aroma is undeniably appealing to these pests. To harness this allure, there’s a precise preparation process for the potatoes. Start by dicing them into small cubes, followed by boiling them until they reach a semi-cooked state.  

Employ tissue paper to pat the cubes dry. When you’re confident about their dryness, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over them. Strategically place these baited cubes in roach-infested areas. 

Though this method might test your patience, taking a couple of days to showcase results, perseverance is paramount. By innovatively pairing baking soda with various baits, including potatoes, you’re equipped with an arsenal to combat these pesky invaders. 

Besides baking soda, there’s another effective method to kill cockroaches, which is borax. You can learn more about borax through the following article: Does borax kill cockroaches ?

Conclusion

In summary, the answer to the often-asked question, “Does baking soda kill roaches?” is a resounding yes. Baking soda kills roaches not only acts as a fatal agent for these pests but when combined with various household items like sweets or potatoes, its efficacy is unparalleled. The reaction within the roaches, from exoskeleton cracks to internal organ crushing, ensures they’re dealt with in hours. 

For more invaluable insights and innovative methods to tackle common pests, don’t hesitate to dive into other enlightening blogs from Pestweek. Your journey to a pest-free home continues with us!