If you’ve been shopping for a gentler roach bomb, you’re probably after two things at once: getting rid of roaches, and not filling your home with more chemicals than you need to. That’s a reasonable goal. The trouble is that a bomb, whatever is in the can, works in a way that doesn’t fit how roaches live. Here’s how roach bombs work, what the plant-based versions actually are, and how professional roach treatment works differently.
How a Roach Bomb Works
A roach bomb, or total release fogger, empties its whole can at once. The mist fills the room and settles on whatever is exposed: counters, floors, tables, the tops of cabinets. Roaches that are out in the open when it settles, or that walk through the residue later, may be killed. Our roach bomb guide covers how bombs and bug bombs work in more detail.
Most of the roaches in a home aren’t out in the open, though. German cockroaches, the small tan roaches behind most indoor infestations in the Treasure Valley, hide in cabinet hinges, behind the refrigerator and stove, under sinks and inside wall voids. A fog settles on top of surfaces. It doesn’t reach into those spaces, so the bulk of the population is untouched.
What About Plant-Based Foggers?
Some foggers and sprays use plant oils such as peppermint, cedar or clove instead of conventional insecticides. They still work the same way: they coat open surfaces and only affect roaches that contact them. Plant oils also break down quickly, so there’s little or no lasting effect. And a plant-based label on the front of a can doesn’t mean you can skip the instructions. Every product still comes with a label that spells out how and where to use it.
If your real goal is using less product in your home, a fogger is the wrong tool either way. It puts product on every exposed surface in the room in order to reach the few roaches that happen to be there.
Other Problems With Roach Bombs
- They scatter roaches. Many fogger products are repellent. Roaches move deeper into walls or into other rooms, which can spread an infestation.
- They miss the eggs. Egg cases protect the next generation, so new nymphs keep hatching after the fog clears.
- Cleanup. Residue lands on counters, dishes left out and kids’ toys, so a fogger means a lot of washing afterward.
- Fire risk. Fogger propellants are flammable. Too many cans or a nearby pilot light has caused fires, which is why the EPA’s do’s and don’ts of pest control recommends reading and following the label every time.
How Professional Roach Treatment Works
Professional roach work is built around putting small amounts of product exactly where roaches live, rather than a lot of product where they don’t.
1. Inspection
A technician uses a flashlight and monitoring traps to find harborage areas: cabinet hinges, appliance housings, plumbing gaps, drawer tracks and wall voids. Droppings, shed skins and egg cases show where activity is heaviest.
2. Targeted placement
Treatment goes into those cracks and voids. Depending on the home, that can include small placements of gel bait in hinges and corners, a fine dust in wall voids and behind outlet plates, and non-repellent crack-and-crevice products that roaches don’t avoid. Open counters and floors aren’t the target.
3. Breaking the egg cycle
An insect growth regulator interferes with how young roaches develop, so the nymphs that hatch from surviving egg cases can’t mature and reproduce normally.
4. Fixing conditions
Drips under sinks, grease behind the stove, cardboard in the pantry and gaps around pipes all help roaches. Correcting them makes the treatment work better.
5. Monitoring and follow-up
Sticky traps show whether activity is falling. If monitoring shows roaches are still active, the technician comes back as needed to re-inspect and treat those spots.
What You Can Do Before Calling
- Skip the fogger, and stop using store sprays, which can make roaches harder to treat
- Set a few sticky traps under sinks and near appliances to see where activity is concentrated. Our post on cockroach traps covers placement.
- Wash dishes nightly, wipe counters and store food in sealed containers
- Get rid of cardboard boxes and paper bags
- Fix leaks under sinks
If you’re not sure what kind of roach you have, our cockroach identification guide will help. If you live in an apartment, our post on roach bombs in apartments covers the extra issues with shared walls.
Roach Treatment With ProGuard
Roach treatment is its own separate service. It isn’t covered by the quarterly plan in our residential pest control, and follow-up visits are scheduled as needed. We treat roaches in homes and in commercial properties, including restaurants, offices and apartment buildings.
ProGuard is based in Eagle and serves Meridian, Boise, Nampa, Caldwell, Star, Middleton, Emmett and Garden City. Call us at (208) 352-2062 or send us a message.