If you have recently discovered cockroaches in your home, you may be on the hunt for a fast and effective way to get rid of every last one. These disgusting bugs can not only give you a fright if they come skittering across the hallway unexpectedly, but they can also get you or a member of your family sick.

Cockroaches are always looking for food. If you leave food out on the counter while you step out of the room, a cockroach that is carrying bacteria it picked up from a filthy place, can eat some of the food and transfer the bacteria to it. When you come back to take a bite, you ingest the bacteria, causing you to become ill.

Natural/ eco-friendly cockroach repellents

If you suspect that you only have a cockroach or two scampering around your home, you may want to try a few eco-friendly repellents to encourage those cockroaches to move on. A few options you can try with items you may have in your cabinets already are:

• Essential Oils:

Some essential oils, such as peppermint, eucalyptus, and lavender, are known to have a repellent effect on cockroaches. To make a spray, mix a few drops of essential oil with water and spray it in areas where cockroaches are likely to hide, like under the sink, in or around the toilet, or in a cool, dark basement.

• Diatomaceous Earth:

You may have some diatomaceous earth left over after using it in the garden to get rid of critters who are trying to eat your vegetables. Diatomaceous earth is a natural powder made from fossilized algae. It's abrasive to insects' exoskeletons and can cause them to die if they walk through it. To kill cockroaches, sprinkle diatomaceous earth in areas where cockroaches frequent, such as cracks, crevices, and behind appliances.

• Catnip:

Catnip contains a compound called nepetalactone, which has been found to repel cockroaches.

Place small sachets of dried catnip in areas where cockroaches are a problem.

• Citrus Peels:

The scent of citrus fruits like oranges and lemons can deter cockroaches. Rub citrus peels along baseboards and other entry points.

Call in the experts

Trying a few home remedies can help if you only have one or two cockroaches and you are able to get them to leave. But If you are seeing more than one cockroach a day, it is likely that you have a more serious cockroach problem. While there are repellents and insecticides you can purchase from the store, calling a professional pest control service can eliminate the problem quickly so more and more cockroaches are not hatching and frolicking in your home everyday.

If you do not want to waste another minute of time while cockroaches are living and breeding in your home, give Pest Raiders in Henderson, NV a call today.