Got creepy-crawlie cockroaches? Curious whether roach sprays are safe for pets, or if there is a pet-friendly roach bomb? Luckily it’s the 21st century of pest control. If you read these tips, you’ll learn how to control roaches without exposing your pets to pesticide sprays or residues.
Roach Control that’s Safe for Pets
To get rid of cockroaches without exposing your pets to chemicals, we need to understand how roaches work:
- Cockroaches multiply quickly. According to UCIPM “a single female and her offspring can produce over 30,000 individuals in a year.”
- Cockroaches hide in the deepest, darkest crevices when they are not out looking for food.
- Sprays, aerosols and “bug bombs” are bad at reaching those tight crevices.
- Vacuuming, baits and dusts–applied to the crevices– are preferred by professionals to get pet safe roach control.
Here are the top 5 pet safe roach control tips used by a professional exterminator:
1) Vacuum Roaches
Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter if possible, especially if you’re susceptible to allergies. Triple bag and dispose of the vacuum bag after vacuuming roaches. If using a shop vac, fill the bottom with 2-4cm of hot soapy water before vacuuming roaches.
2) Flushing Roaches
While vacuuming roaches, use a can of compressed air with a straw nozzle to blast air into the crevices. This will cause the roaches to scatter from their hiding places, and be more susceptible to vacuuming, or your treatment.
The more roaches you’re physically able to vacuum before treatment, the less you will be depending on baits, dusts or other chemicals to control them.
Pet Friendly Roach Extermination. 
3) Cockroach Bait is Pet Safe
When applied correctly, cockroach bait is safe for pets –– because they won’t be exposed to it.
Roach bait is the ultimate pet friendly roach killer. It is not a spray broadcast across your house meant to kill roaches with pesticide residue. It is a poison bait meant to be ingested by the roaches.
The active ingredients are at a safe, low concentration, and the amount of product needed so miniscule, that typically these baits would be safe even if a pet ingested some.
Still, never apply the bait to exposed surfaces where pets can reach it. You’ll need to read the label and apply the bait according to the instructions.
To apply roach bait safe for pets –
- Apply the roach bait deep into cracks & crevices near where you’ve noted activity.
- Choose crevices around upper cabinets, hood vents, and above where your pet could possibly reach.
- Apply gel roach bait on a small piece of plastic or magazine folded into quarters, then drop it into the inaccessible crevice between your wall and the fridge or stove (so you can recover and dispose of it later).
Is Advion Cockroach Pet Safe?
Bait products like Advion cockroach bait and Maxforce are safe for pets when applied according to the label’s instructions.
4) Pet Safe Roach Killer Dust
You have to keep your beloved fur babies safe! Using dust formulated insecticides instead of roach killer sprays can be an effective way to get pet safe cockroach control.
The best pet safe roach killer dusts’ contain diatomaceous earth (DE) or amorphous silica. These naturally derived substances work by drying out the cockroaches, not poisoning them. Generally, dusts are safer than chemical sprays like Raid if your pet touches or even ingests some.
Dust products, however –like bait– should always be applied to cracks, crevices, wall voids and other areas where it wont be exposed or disturbed in your daily life.
Some dusts can be lung irritants, and long term exposure to inhaling DE should be avoided.
5) Pet Safe Roach Traps
Sticky glue traps are a great pet safe roch control tool. It will kill roaches, and will also help you monitor their activity levels.
Place roach traps behind the fridge, stove, under sinks, and anywhere you see cockroaches.
If you place it somewhere risky and your pet gets stuck, use regular cooking oil to dissolve the glue and free your pet.
Click to Get Rid of Roaches.
Is Boric Acid Pet Safe?
It depends. Roach killers containing boric acid or borax are pet safe when applied as directed. Borax and boric acid are low toxicity to humans and pets. However if small pets are somehow able to ingest a large quantity of boric acid, it could make them sick.
Avoid exposing your pet to borax, or boric acid dusts or baits.
Pet Safe Ways to Kill Cockroaches
The main ways:
- Flush roaches from their hiding places with compressed air, then vacuum them up.
- Place roach bait in crevices and places your pets cannot get to it.
- Apply dusts in crevices & cracks taking care to avoid inhalation exposure to you and your pets.
- Place sticky glue traps to control & monitor roaches.
- If you’re looking for expert pet safe cockroach extermination in Portland OR, please contact us today.
