There are various DIY methods to kill roaches that can be used in place of chemical pesticides and other products but does salt kill roaches?
Chemical pesticides are somehow toxic and contain dangerous substances that require strict observation during their use; therefore, people are always in such of alternatives.
So, in this article, I will discuss whether you can use salt to kill roaches or not. Moreover, you will go through the reasons behind the statement and the method for its application.
I have a great interest in roaches and am always in search of attractive and appealing facts about them, and in this blog, I will share some of them with you.
So, you will get everything you need to know about salt and its effect on troublesome roaches. Now, let’s start the journey of gaining knowledge.
Does Salt Kill Roaches?
The short and straightforward answer to this question is NO, salt cannot kill roaches but can keep them away, but the notable point is that I am talking about the table salt in our houses with the formula NaCl. However, magnesium sulfate, which is also known as Epsom salt, can kill roaches and also repel them by attacking the exoskeleton.
Common salt does not produce a toxic effect on roaches. It neither produces poisonous gasses nor attacks the exoskeleton. However, Epsom and alum salt can do all these jobs.
Moreover, roaches don’t like the taste of salt, so they don’t eat it separately; however, they can eat foods that contain small amounts of salt inside.
Do Roaches Eat Salt?
Now let’s discuss one of the most frequently asked questions. As you have gone through the fact that salt can not kill roaches, do roaches eat salt?
A short answer to this question is no; they don’t eat salt; instead, table salt repels them and keeps them away, but what are the reasons behind this? Actually, there is more than one reason.
The first one is that roaches don’t like the taste of salt. However, they can eat everything with which they come in contact, but roaches don’t consume food having repelling properties.
The other reason is the structure of salt; as you know that salt particles have a cubic crystalline structure that is hard enough. So, the biting structures of roaches don’t allow them to eat salt.
The mandibles of roaches are not strong enough to break such hard particles into tiny pieces, and they also don’t want to struggle for them because of their poor taste.
Roaches are more likely to eat food that is edible for humans, which is soft and easy to bite, and salt opposes these requirements. On the other hand, they can eat salty food.
So, roaches can eat the salt wholly dissolved in foods during cooking. The reason is they don’t come to know about its presence.
Moreover, the taste of other ingredients in food causes a decline in its taste.
Do Roaches Like Salt?
As discussed above, roaches don’t eat salt, but do they hate it or are there some other reasons? I have already explained that roaches don’t like the taste of salt.
Roaches also show liking and disliking for several foods. I have done tests to check the eating behavior of roaches and came to the conclusion that they love some food while hating others.
For example, roaches are attracted to sugary and fatty food while they avoid salt that is in its actual form which is solid crystalline. Similarly, they also don’t come near some plants as well.
You will be desperate to know what elements in salt are responsible for keeping them away, so let me disclose these compounds, which are ammonium nitrate and ammonium chloride.
These two chemicals prevent roaches from eating salt; therefore, roaches show their disliking towards it.
Moreover, Epsom salt, which is also known as magnesium sulfate, can kill roaches by causing dryness of the moisture inside, and roaches are intelligent enough to avoid danger.
Therefore, they avoid all types of salts in order to protect their bodies from dehydration and, ultimately, death.
Furthermore, it is also believed that table salt can also lead roaches to death by the exact mechanism if consumed in more significant amounts.
Is Plastic Salt Gun Effective Against Roaches?
Now let’s talk about an essential invention for killing insects. I am talking about a gun made of plastic that contains salt particles instead of bullets.
This gun looks like a toy but is actually very dangerous for insects, like the one with bullets, for humans. The gun contains individual salt crystals.
It has a trigger just like the original one; on pressing, it releases 80 particles of salt simultaneously, which means pressing two times releases 160 hard salt crystals.
Now, let’s come to the main point, which is about the efficacy of this gun against roaches. This greatly depends upon the type of crystals.
The gun contains crystals of magnesium sulfate and is effective in killing roaches, while the one having table salt will only repel them or cause minor injury.
Moreover, it is practical to some extent, even with common salt; this is because of the high-pressure release.
On seeing a roach, target it before it escapes and shoot the crystals; make sure to target its exoskeleton; in this way, the roach will die because of dehydration if the gun contains Epsom.
On the other hand, it will undergo minor injury if the gun contains NaCl crystals.
Drawbacks of Using a Salt Gun
You have gone through a modern invention to kill insects, but there are some drawbacks that make it less effective and unreliable. So let’s have a look!
As you know, common salt is not as effective in killing roaches, so the gun having NaCl crystals will not kill them; instead, they cause a fear stimulus in the roach’s body.
Moreover, it is hard to aim precisely at roaches as they are good runners and can escape the situation as early as possible.
Therefore, you can’t shoot them effectively until you are perfect at getting aim. Moreover, to eliminate roach infestation, the first step is to target the egg cases of roaches.
Female roaches hide their egg casings when they are about to hatch, and the eggs are so dangerous for an infestation that a single case can result in 50 baby roaches at a time.
The bug gun does not help to get rid of these eggs as they are enclosed inside complex cases that provide them protection.
Moreover, ootheca is mainly hidden in small cracks in walls, and it is hard to aim at such tight and cornered spaces. Therefore, using a gun is not reliable.
So, I will advise you to buy a gun only for causing fear responses in roaches and other pests or just for playing the hunting game for which it is actually invented.
Does Salt Repel Roaches?
As I have mentioned above, roaches don’t like salt due to its sour taste, but does salt mainly repel roaches? So, the answer is yes, it has the capability to keep them away.
But, in my opinion, salt is not as effective against roaches as the other repellents, but still, it can help you to some extent.
Salt has two essential chemical compounds that are responsible for its taste and repelling properties; one is ammonium nitrate, and the other is ammonium chloride.
Moreover, salt is slightly oversized and complex in crystal form; therefore, roaches don’t come near to consuming it. Furthermore, it also has commercial use in industries.
Industries use salt as a significant preservative material for saving products from microbial attacks, but do you know that it is also used to prevent pest attacks?
Yes, you have heard right; the raw salt, or the one in solid form, is melted in the packaging materials and submerged in the mixture to get a coat of salt.
Although this salt is not the same as the crystals of common table salt, it can also repel roaches if the condition is not worse, such as in the condition where there is a large infestation.
Is Epsom Salt Effective Against Roaches?
Now, the question is can Epsom salt kill roaches or not? So, you will be pleased to know that Epsom salt is the one which can kill roaches.
Table salt cannot harm roaches, but Epsom salt can do this well, so if you are serious about roach infestation in your house, then use Epsom salt to kill or repel them.
Now, the question arises, what makes it effective in killing roaches, and how does it kill them? Epsom salt is also in the form of crystals, just like regular salt.
But, the difference is in their shape; Epsom contains sharp crystals with pointed ends which can be embedded into the hard outer shell.
Moreover, Epsom is more toxic in liquid form, so you can melt the crystals to make a liquid spraying solution. Epsom performs a direct function on the roach’s exoskeleton.
Furthermore, ammonium nitrate and the other compounds with chloride, which are present in table salt, are also a part of magnesium sulfate.
These compounds are responsible for causing the fluids of roaches to come out by damaging the exoskeleton and drying them, causing the death of roaches after some time.
Method to Use Epsom Salt for Killing Roaches
As you have gone through the efficacy of Epsom so, now you know that Epsom salt can help to kill roaches as well as repels them more effectively as compared to table salt.
Now, I will guide you about the method of its application. I have listed some steps, so follow them for the preparation of an Epsom solution.
As I have already stated that it is more effective in liquid form, so prepare a liquid solution to kill roaches.
- Melt the Epsom salt crystals or take it in an already liquid form.
- Mix it with hot water.
- The amount of water must be double the amount of Epsom salt.
- Pour the solution into a spray bottle.
- Mix the solution by shaking the bottle.
- Revolve the nozzle in order to tighten it so that when you spray the solution, the particles are directly targeted to the roach exoskeleton.
Properties of Epsom Salt
I have listed the properties of Epsom salt, which is called magnesium sulfate. It can kill roaches and can even keep them away.
So, let’s have a look at its chemical properties!
| Density | 2.66 g/cm3 |
|---|---|
| Melting point | 1,124 °C |
| Solubility in water | 26.9 g/(100 mL) (0 °C) |
| Molar mass | 120.366 g/mo |
| Magnetic susceptibility | −50·10−6 cm3/mol |
How to Make the Epsom Solution More Effective?
Do you want to make your Epsom salt solution powerful? If it is so, then I can help you with this matter. You can add some additional substances to make it stronger.
- Mixing the Boric Acid
Boric acid is one of the most influential and famous poisons in DIY methods to kill roaches, you can add this to the liquid solution in the spray bottle.
Moreover, you can also make a bait by mixing boric acid and Epsom salt. Boric acid will help Epsom salt in the breakdown of tissues of an exoskeleton.
Furthermore, it also damages the gastrointestinal tract of roaches and dries the moisture content by causing death, So boric acid is an excellent helping partner of Epsom salt.
- Mixing the Repellent Oils
I have one more method for you through which you can make the salt more effective in killing roaches. Extract the oil from plants such as mint and lavender.
The oils from these plants are solid repellents and can even act on nerve transmission of roaches if used in large amounts, so mix 10 to 20 drops of such oil in Epsom salt liquid.
- Mixing It with Diatomaceous Earth
If you want to use Epsom salt in solid form, mix it with the powdered form of a poison known as diatomaceous earth. It has the same function as Epsom salt.
So, it makes the working of salt more effective and kills the roaches by breaking their exoskeleton and dehydrating them by drying all the fluids of a roach body.
Ending Lines:
In this article, I have discussed the answer to the question: Does salt kill roaches? So, unfortunately, the common table salt with the formula of NaCl cannot kill roaches.
But there is nothing to be sad about as the Epsom salt can kill roaches by drying their body and breaking their exoskeleton. It can also repel them effectively.
Moreover, I have listed a perfect method through which you can apply the Epsom salt spray on roaches and kill them. Furthermore, you can also make the solution more robust.
I have mentioned ways through which you can enhance the power of salt. Furthermore, Epsom salt is not applicable for large infestations.
So, I suggest you go for some other more effective methods.
FAQs:
Does Salt and Vinegar Kill Roaches?
The short answer to this question is no; this mixture is not strong enough to kill roaches but can serve as a suitable cleaning agent against microbes and can even repel roaches.
How Do You Make Cockroaches Go Forever?
The best way is to use baits, pesticides, and traps, or you can also use professional assistance. Moreover, keep your house clean and make it unattractive for roaches.
Why are Roaches So Hard to Get Rid of?
Roaches are hard to get rid of as they can survive harsh conditions by adapting their body mechanisms, such as they can survive without food for 30 days.