Cockroaches - how to prevent or discourage them? Help please?

[cliveshep]

Our grey-water manholes are alive with medium size cockroaches, while some of the larger specimens have appeared in the house over the last few days. I confess they make me squirm, I hate them along with spiders  and other creepy crawlies and while the antipathy might be irrational like many that's how I feel.

 

We also have a septic tank along with everyone else in our village, and all our drains are linked via the grey-water discharge into the street sewers so being a stand-alone and fumigating is neither possible nor practical and I don't want to upset the bacteria in the septic tank as that works very well.

 

So - is there a fuming or smoking pill or treatment I can put inside my manholes periodically to make them a less desirable residence? I don't mind cockroaches living in my drains or manholes in principle as I don't go there very often unless we have a blockage. That's an unlikely event now we have dug up and replaced in UPVC all the old cement fibre collapsing drains. I just don't want them using the drains as a route into the house. 

 

As far as we can tell the only point of entry is the 38mm stand-pipe drain in the kitchen for the washing machine which, in accordance with best practice, provides an air-break for the drain outlet pipe hooked over it. I have stuffed the air-gap as of last night with part of a stainless steel pot scourer as I doubt they'll chew through that but please anyone - what else can I do to persuade them to choose other manholes to live in? Of course if they come up the basin or sink drains and overflows or via the toilet I cannot do much about it except try to reduce numbers living outside in the drains..

 

I might add we have 4 dogs that cannot resist pouncing on any they see but then foam and dribble and the dog version of spit in distaste so clearly the taste is not to their liking. I also don't want to poison our dogs! Gassing the manholes with a poison gas pellet  like a mosquito coil that we can burn and hang down them periodically would be good if there is such a product available. Our manholes are those small concrete boxes sold everywhere that have concrete lids with hand hold notches in the ends to lift them. Unlike the UK there is no bottom channel or benching on any apart from one new one I built so there is always a sump at the bottom.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

You present a difficult scenario, but what I'd do is buy a water blaster and power clean all the grey water pipes from your house so there is nothing edible for them to seek. I'd do that every day, to flush any down into the sewer.

For the manholes, you can also put pot scourers in the hand holes to stop them going into the property.

[Speedo1968]

You can try hanging a string of moth balls in suitable places, the roaches don't like the smell.

 

Keep any kitchen waste you are trying to compost away from the house.

 

If you are using a standpipe for washing machine drainage I assume that you have a front loading machine.

You could look at finding a way that the final exit of water into the drain is above the drain and then put a yogurt cup or something similar to block the entrance to the standpipe - remembering of course to take it off when using the machine.

Front loaders are easier ( not that I like them ) as you can block the inlet and outlet of the drainpipe with a plastic cup - no floods so far.   The actual drain hose from the machine can be clipped upright when not in use and a plastic cup placed on top.

 

Stop taps from dripping water in to pipes - water attracts cockroaches.

 

Boric acid ( be careful ) and sugar to spread around kitchen places etc. - this will attract and kill.

Soap and water spray does the same through suffocation.

Cypress oil ( 8 drops ) and peppermint oil ( 10 drops ) + half a cup of water as a spray where you have roaches will deter them, smells ok as well. 

 

If you get centipedes in the house they may be coming in the shower drainage out let, I place a plastic salad dressing cup containing water to add weight on top of the drain after showering.    The other place they come in is of course under the doors, rubber strip does the job.    They bite / sting and it is often very painful.

 

Good idea of "thaibeachlovers" to place kitchen scourers in the manhole cover hand holes.

 

Like most scavengers they always remember where the best feeding place in town is ..... make yours a food free zone.

[tifino]

 

I address them personally, with a take-no-prisoners Chuck Norris style!

 

 - armed only with a can of Aerogard, and a lighter

 

 

they can survive a nuclear blast, but they cannot run without legs

[Boon Mee]

Don't leave food scraps around? 

[silver sea]

On 04/03/2018 at 3:42 PM, tifino said:

 

I address them personally, with a take-no-prisoners Chuck Norris style!

 

 - armed only with a can of Aerogard, and a lighter

 

 

they can survive a nuclear blast, but they cannot run without legs

 

 

You should never kill them. The following true story explains why.

 

If you are a lady, or are faint hearted, then do not read on!

 

A friend of mine visted Koh Tao to do some diving. He rented a cheap bungalow from a Thai lady.

 

That evening, after a day’s diving, he arrived back at his bungalow. He opened the door to his bedroom and switched on the light. There were 5 cockroaches on his bed. He felt sick at the sight of them.

 

He shut the bedroom door, and then spent the next hour chasing them round the room. He was able to squash four of them, but despite his best efforts, he could not find the last one.

 

It was now very late. He knew it was lurking somewhere in the room, but he just wanted to fall into bed; he was so tired. 

 

During the night, he began to have a very erotic dream. The lady in the dream was wearing long velvet gloves, which ran up her arms past her elbows. She kept running her hands over his naked body. One hand was rubbing, up and down, his you know what, while the other hand-in-glove was slowly moving over his stomach, up his chest, and then caresssing his neck. Finally, her hand gently touched his face, as she started to put her fingers into his mouth.

 

At this point, my friend woke up ... and found ... that the missing cockroach was trying to push its way into his mouth. With a screech of disgust, he brushed it away with his hand, grabbed a book from his bedside table, and squashed the cockroach.

 

The next morning, he searched out the Thai owner of the bungalow. He wanted to give her a good telling off.

 

When she heard what had happened, she was very angry. She told him that he should not have killed any of the cockroaches. The surviving one had lost its family, and so wanted to start a fresh one. That was why it was trying to climb into his mouth, so that it could lay some eggs in his cheeks.

 

Told to me by a good friend. I trust him, so it is definitely a true story!

 

So be warned! Be kind to cockroaches. 

Edited March 17, 2018 by silver sea
Correcting typos

[samsensam]

 

dont leave any food around, make sure all food surfaces are clean

[natway09]

Mix half a cup borax with same flour with same sugar & make pellets mixing with cooking oil

Job Done

[ThaiWai]

2 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Don't leave food scraps around? 

Common misconception. A roach can live off the glue on a postage stamp for a month. 

[Krataiboy]

Good to see  a self-proclaimed opponent of political correctness using one of the few gender-specific nouns to have survived the blitz on our language by feminists and cultural diversity jihadists.

 

Manhole.

 

I reckon it has a nice, er, ring to it compared with the likely possible alternative. Personholes doesn't exactly trip off the tongue and could lead to confusion.

 

Maybe this is why the gender gestapo has left it alone - one hole they might not be able to dig themselves out of.

[Jeffrey346]

Install P Traps on every drain pipe including the grey water ones as well. Don't for get the washing machine drain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[timendres]

2 hours ago, silver sea said:

 

 

You should never kill them. The following true story explains why.

 

If you are a lady, or are faint hearted, then do not read on!

 

A friend of mine visted Koh Tao to do some diving. He rented a cheap bungalow from a Thai lady.

 

That evening, after a day’s diving, he arrived back at his bungalow. He opened the door to his bedroom and switched on the light. There were 5 cockroaches on his bed. He felt sick at the sight of them.

 

He shut the bedroom door, and then spent the next hour chasing them round the room. He was able to squash four of them, but despite his best efforts, he could not find the last one.

 

It was now very late. He knew it was lurking somewhere in the room, but he just wanted to fall into bed; he was so tired. 

 

During the night, he began to have a very erotic dream. The lady in the dream was wearing long velvet gloves, which ran up her arms past her elbows. She kept running her hands over his naked body. One hand was rubbing, up and down, his you know what, while the other hand-in-glove was slowly moving over his stomach, up his chest, and then caresssing his neck. Finally, her hand gently touched his face, as she started to put her fingers into his mouth.

 

At this point, my friend woke up ... and found ... that the missing cockroach was trying to push its way into his mouth. With a screech of disgust, he brushed it away with his hand, grabbed a book from his bedside table, and squashed the cockroach.

 

The next morning, he searched out the Thai owner of the bungalow. He wanted to give her a good telling off.

 

When she heard what had happened, she was very angry. She told him that he should not have killed any of the cockroaches. The surviving one had lost its family, and so wanted to start a fresh one. That was why it was trying to climb into his mouth, so that it could lay some eggs in his cheeks.

 

Told to me by a good friend. I trust him, so it is definitely a true story!

 

So be warned! Be kind to cockroaches. 

Or kill every last one!

I never bother any cockroach that is outside.

But once they cross the threshold, it is the policy of the house to deal death.

 

As for the problem the OP faces, you can spend months trying to cure it with questionable methods and debatable results.

Personally, if it were sufficiently annoying, I would call in the professionals.

[charliebadenhop]

Boric acid is great to get rid of cockroaches!

 

Check YouTube and or Google in general. 

[Pdavies99]

Buy several bags of the LARGE mothballs available in Big C etc.

 

Put one of each in a small sealed plastic bag, making a small cut in a corner of the bag, place them everywhere, ie under the beds, in all cupboards in bedrooms, in bathrooms and all cupboards in kitchen. Near drains etc as well.

 

They will last at least 3-6 months and give off enough smell to kill and deter all bugs, and at the same time so little smell you will not notice it.

 

This works a wonder for all bugs.!!

Edited March 17, 2018 by Pdavies99

[Daffy D]

25 minutes ago, Pdavies99 said:

Buy several bags of the LARGE mothballs available in Big C etc.

 

Put one of each in a small sealed plastic bag, making a small cut in a corner of the bag, place place them everywhere, ie under the beds, in all cupboards in bedrooms, in bathrooms and all cupboards in kitchen. Near drains etc as well.

 

They will last at least 3-6 months and give off enough smell to kill and deter all bugs, and at the same time so little smell you will not notice it.

 

This works a wonder for all bugs.!!

If you have a suspended ceiling hang some in the roof space as also.

 

[Denim]

I was eating at an outside restaurant once when a large one ran up my trouser leg.

 

I'm a hopeless dancer but in the following minute I put Fred Astaire  , John Travolta  , and all the rest to shame . Invented some moves and footwork the world had not seen before or since.

 

The finale was me removing my trousers in the restaurant regardless of decorum. The other diners were laughing so much I should have charged for the free caberet .

[Jools]

Boric acid will solve many of your problems with cockroaches.

[Mansell]

1963 Singapore aboard an RN warship no air conditioning afternoon siesta......woke to find a cockroach eating at a cut on my leg.....within a week or so both legs started swelling up with some obscure disease no doctor could name.....ended up being casavaced to the UK. Legs kept swelling for some years and had to have the liquid aspirated from time to time. Beware of cockroaches.

[Jaggg88]

7 hours ago, ThaiWai said:

Common misconception. A roach can live off the glue on a postage stamp for a month. 

It's water they cant live without, which is why they like living in the back of fridges where they get water from the evaporation tray.

[pest]

We lost our dog and soon after we also lost the cockroaches and the birds that were feeding on the food and waste generated by having a dog 

[rosst]

16 hours ago, natway09 said:

Mix half a cup borax with same flour with same sugar & make pellets mixing with cooking oil

Job Done

Yes, the best way 

[silver sea]

16 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

Good to see  a self-proclaimed opponent of political correctness using one of the few gender-specific nouns to have survived the blitz on our language by feminists and cultural diversity jihadists.

 

Manhole.

 

I reckon it has a nice, er, ring to it compared with the likely possible alternative. Personholes doesn't exactly trip off the tongue and could lead to confusion.

 

Maybe this is why the gender gestapo has left it alone - one hole they might not be able to dig themselves out of.

 

 

But it hasn’t been left alone ... it has been changed ... sorry, I meant to say, the word has been “updated” in both Ameri Eng and Brit Eng:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/24/us/manholes-by-another-name.html

 

http://articles.latimes.com/1986-02-28/news/mn-12790_1_sewer-workers

 

 

 

[Krataiboy]

5 hours ago, silver sea said:

 

 

But it hasn’t been left alone ... it has been changed ... sorry, I meant to say, the word has been “updated” in both Ameri Eng and Brit Eng:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/24/us/manholes-by-another-name.html

 

http://articles.latimes.com/1986-02-28/news/mn-12790_1_sewer-workers

 

 

 

No real surprise to learn the London Borough of Hackney insists on sewer workers referring to manholes as "access chambers".

 

The same loony left-dominated outfit hit the headlines years ago for outlawing the nursery rhyme Baa Baa Black Sheep from local schools on the grounds that it was racist.

 

Past "progressive" policies included a bereavement course for black lesbians who had lost their partners (subsequently cancelled due to lack of custom!).

 

The borough's infamous Women’s Unit, which claimed to be in contact with hundreds of women's organisations, including Proud Old Lesbians, the Irish Lesbian Network and the Turkish Lesbian Group, once proclaimed Hackney "the lesbian capital of Britain".

 

If I fall on hard times and have to throw myself on the mercy of my former homeland, I shall insist on being re-housed - at taxpayers' expense, of course - not in a hell hole like Hackney, but in either MANchester, MANningree or MANsfield. 

 

 

 

 

[yrag]

Moth Balls ...also a snake deterrent.....

Chalk buy almost anywhere for insects...Has boric Acid...

Can Get the real 100 per cent Boric Acid at Good Karma i believe

 

https://healthfoodthailand.com/en/

[silver sea]

17 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

No real surprise to learn the London Borough of Hackney insists on sewer workers referring to manholes as "access chambers".

 

The same loony left-dominated outfit hit the headlines years ago for outlawing the nursery rhyme Baa Baa Black Sheep from local schools on the grounds that it was racist.

 

Past "progressive" policies included a bereavement course for black lesbians who had lost their partners (subsequently cancelled due to lack of custom!).

 

The borough's infamous Women’s Unit, which claimed to be in contact with hundreds of women's organisations, including Proud Old Lesbians, the Irish Lesbian Network and the Turkish Lesbian Group, once proclaimed Hackney "the lesbian capital of Britain".

 

If I fall on hard times and have to throw myself on the mercy of my former homeland, I shall insist on being re-housed - at taxpayers' expense, of course - not in a hell hole like Hackney, but in either MANchester, MANningree or MANsfield. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or you could settle in north London at Cockfosters. 

[cliveshep]

Believe it or not when we shipped everything out here one thing packed was an unopened packet of 1kg of Borax crystals because you can use it as flux in aluminium welding.

 

So we have loads of Borax!

 

So many thanks to everyone who offered advice - the winner is of course Borax, with flour, sugar and cooking oil to make home-made pills.

 

And I'll continue by putting some down the No.1 "access chamber" after lifting the "access chamber" lid.

 

Oh sod it!  I'll lift the manhole cover and put some onto the benching so the swine can save their little legs coming up the drains into the house, I'll serve dinner at source!

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎3‎/‎17‎/‎2018 at 9:13 PM, Mansell said:

1963 Singapore aboard an RN warship no air conditioning afternoon siesta......woke to find a cockroach eating at a cut on my leg.....within a week or so both legs started swelling up with some obscure disease no doctor could name.....ended up being casavaced to the UK. Legs kept swelling for some years and had to have the liquid aspirated from time to time. Beware of cockroaches.

That sounds horrible, but perhaps something it had been eating prior to your cut. If it was an actual cockroach disease it should have been known to medical science.

For both legs to be affected it sounds like a disease of the lymph glands.

 

You bring up a good point though- keep open cuts covered in the tropics.