Can Hot Water Kill Cockroaches? The Best Tips and Tricks

In this blog, you will learn whether hot water can kill cockroaches and how to use it effectively.

1. Can Hot Water Kill Cockroaches?

Hot water can kill cockroaches, but only if they are fully submerged in it.

The temperature of the water needs to be at least 51°C or higher to be effective. Boiling water, which is around 100°C, can kill cockroaches instantly on contact.

Hot water can also destroy cockroach eggs and the sticky substance that attaches them to surfaces.

2. How to kill Cockroaches with hot water?

To get rid of roaches in clothes, wash them at 55°C for 30-60 minutes.

However, this depends on the type of clothes being washed. Some fabrics can be destroyed at high temperatures, so check the labels’ washing instructions.

Add a gentle detergent that helps kill roaches and their eggs once they break open from machine spins. Remember to check the detergent’s strength.

Use it in small bits if it is too strong since extra hot water combined with strong detergents can easily destroy your clothes.

1. Spraying bleach and hot water

Mixing hot water and bleach kills cockroaches by burning and dissolving their body cells. Bleach and hot water in equal proportions and douse them with it.

Have them drowned in the solution if you want them dead instantly.

2. Steamer

Steam cleaners are designed to release boiled water in the form of steam. This comes with enough pressure to penetrate fabrics and kill any hiding roach. The pressure produced from a steamer is enough to harm roaches in carpets or any surface it is used on.

The pressurized steam can also help get rid of cockroach eggs, but it will not kill them. Soak roach eggs in vinegar and equal parts of hot water for 15 minutes or more if you want them dead. Steamers can help remove them on any surface they are glued on.

Steam cleaners can also remove cockroaches on patios and wooden floors. However, do not use a steamer on unfinished wooden floors. The head can damage unsealed wood, and using it frequently on those can reduce its durability.

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3. Can cockroaches drown in hot water?

They do, but complete submersion is necessary, as it’s the heat that kills them, not just the water. Roaches cannot survive temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius.

Hot water can also harm their open circulatory system and dissolve their bodies.

However, they can hold their breath for up to 30 minutes underwater by closing their spiracles, tiny breathing holes on their body.

They can even trap air and float on the water’s surface. So, drowning them in hot water may require prolonged submersion or the use of soap or detergent to break the surface tension.

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4. Does hot water kill cockroach eggs?

Yes, hot water can kill cockroach eggs. Hot water can destroy the protective casing of the eggs and the sticky substance that attaches them to surfaces.

However, you need to make sure that the water is hot enough and that it reaches all the places where the eggs are hidden.

Boiling water is the most effective, but you may also use steam or hot air to kill the eggs.

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Conclusion 

You have learned the answer to the question: can hot water kill cockroaches? You have also learned how to use hot water effectively to get rid of these pests, as well as the pros and cons of this method. 

We hope you found this blog useful and informative. If you want to learn more about cockroaches and how to deal with them, check out our other blogs from Pestweek.