Mothballs can repel roaches, but they come with some safety concerns
The home is your sanctuary, so it can feel uncomfortable when roaches make their way in. While there are multiple ways to get rid of roaches, mothballs are a popular home remedy for keeping the pests away.
Whether you’re preventing roaches from invading your home or dealing with a cockroach infestation, knowing whether mothballs are effective against roaches can keep your home safe.
While mothballs are typically used to keep clothing safe from pests, they’re better at preventing a roach infestation than eliminating roaches. Roaches don’t like the scent of mothballs, making them an effective pest repellent.
Mothballs can only keep cockroaches away for a year or two since the pests adjust quickly and easily to new environments. For this reason, mothballs are only partially effective at protecting your home from wandering roaches. Even if you do use mothballs as a natural roach repellent, you may still need to find a new method for keeping roaches away every year or so. Keep in mind that professional cockroach extermination costs $100 to $600 on average, depending on the size and location of the infestation.
Mothballs are balls of pesticide that are used to keep natural fiber clothing like wool safe from mold, moth larvae, and silverfish. They’re usually made of naphthalene or para-dichlorobenzene, which are chemicals that stay solid when stored at room temperature.
Those chemicals slowly change to a gas over time—which is the familiar scent you smell on clothes stored with mothballs.
Mothballs are meant for pests, but they can be harmful to people and pets. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, naphthalene, one of the active ingredients in mothballs, is poisonous and can cause skin irritation, nausea, and vomiting when inhaled. Inhaling mothball fumes can be dangerous, so use this pest control method with caution.
Mothballs are not safe to keep around your children and pets. If a two-legged or four-legged family member were to consume one, it could lead to serious side effects, including kidney damage and stomach pain.
You know you’ve been exposed to the chemicals in mothballs when you notice that tell-tale smell. If you do choose to use mothballs to keep your winter clothing safe, use them in airtight containers and make sure you ventilate your room if you smell the vapor.
Follow these simple steps to use mothballs to get rid of roaches.
Start by inspecting your home to determine the most-visited spot by your unwelcome visitors. Look for areas with a high concentration of roach droppings, eggs, or shedded skin. Since mothballs aren’t good for humans or pets to inhale either, avoid areas related to food storage or prep or accessible to pets or children.
Put two to three mothballs as close to the roach-frequented site as possible. The roaches will immediately smell its pungent scent, leading them to venture closer. The overwhelming smell of naphthalene will block the roach’s respiratory system, repelling or, in some cases, killing them.
Mothballs last between two to six months, depending on the environment and climate you live in. If you’re using mothballs as roach repellent, be sure to replace them every six months at the latest to ensure the chemical properties continue to ward off an infestation.
While mothballs are somewhat effective at keeping roaches out of your home, you can also kill cockroaches using everyday household products. Try these natural roach repellents to make sure your home remains completely roach-free.
You can use diatomaceous earth as an inexpensive natural insecticide. Before you handle it, make sure to wear gloves to prevent it from drying out and irritating your skin.
Also wear a mask and protective eyewear while sprinkling it around—while diatomaceous earth is considered to be a safer pest control method, inhaling it or getting it in your eyes can cause irritation.
Place it where you notice roach activity to eliminate the pests. The diatomaceous earth dehydrates and damages their exoskeletons, making any corners or areas of your home unwelcome to roaches. After a few days, wipe the diatomaceous earth and see if there’s less roach activity in your home.
Rosemary oil is effective for repelling roaches: mix 1 part rosemary oil with 3 to 4 parts water in a spray bottle and spray the areas in your home where you notice roach activity.
Like with all essential oils, it’s important to avoid getting rosemary oil on your skin because it will irritate your skin. You’ll need your rosemary oil mixture to be very concentrated to work, so keep it away from your skin, nose, and eyes as you spray.
Use baking soda as another natural solution to keep roaches away from your home. Just dice some onions, sprinkle baking soda on top, and place it wherever you notice roaches. The baking soda causes gas to form in their stomachs and burst, leaving your home protected from further infestation.
Clean up the baking soda after a few days by wiping it with a wet towel. If you still notice roaches around your home, try using the baking soda again until the roach activity goes away.
Usually found in detergent, fertilizer, and hand soap, boric acid is effective for getting rid of roaches. While it won’t repel them, it’s poisonous to roaches when ingested. Just place the boric acid in places where you’ve seen roach activity and the roaches come into contact with it. The substance clings onto the cockroaches’ bodies, killing them when they groom themselves.
When using boric acid, wear a mask to protect yourself since it can be hazardous if inhaled. Also keep it away from kids, pets, and wildlife since it’s unsafe to eat—wipe away and dispose of boric acid after a few days.
With some simple steps, you can stop roaches from invading your space. Damp places, unsealed cracks, and unattended food are a few of the things that attract roaches to your home.
The best way to prevent a roach infestation is to:
Keep your house clean
Make sure your trash cans are tightly sealed
Wash your dishes often
Store your food in airtight containers
Seal all cracks by attaching door sweeps to your front door and installing weather-stripping in your windows
As long as you take these extra measures, your home should stay roach-free. If you have a stubborn roach infestation, you may want to consider hiring a local exterminator.
