There are a lot of ways to murder cockroaches. From pest treatment to cockroach baits, you’ve got a variety of options at your disposal to kill them.
There’s also a way of killing a roach, which is disgusting yet compelling, is by stomping on them and crushing them to death.
But a lot of people question – Can you squish a cockroach?
And it’s followed by a few more questions like –
Does killing a cockroach attract more roaches?
Do the eggs of a squashed cockroach spread?
Does a squished dead cockroach stink?
…and many more.
So, in this post, we’ll answer all the questions above and a few more.
Let’s get into each of them, one by one.
Can You Squish A Cockroach?
Yes, you can squish a cockroach. If you’re not disgusted by the cream-colored mucus splashed out of the cockroach’s bellies, then you must squish a roach.
But roaches are hard nuts to kill. They can be alive even when you’ve mangled the roach underneath your shoes.
So, what’s the best way to squish them?
The best way is to use as much force as you can to squash them underneath your shoes.
Don’t just bang the roach once and leave it. There’s a good chance that it isn’t dead.
The right way to squish a roach is to step on it and twist your feet right and left for a few seconds till it’s completely crushed.
Stomp on the roaches’ head as a final blow. It’s essential to dismantle the head of the roach to be sure that it’s dead.
When you are squishing a roach to death, always do it by wearing a shoe. Please don’t do it barefoot. The mucus that comes out of the roaches belly when squished can cause skin problems on your foot.
Can You Kill A Cockroach By Stepping On It?
Cockroaches don’t die when you step on them. Some may, but most don’t.
Why?
Because the roaches’ exoskeleton is designed to contract a lot.
Cockroaches sneak into your home from little cracks and fissures because they can contract their body.
But if you use some force on a roach to completely squash it, then they die.
If you just step on a roach like you’re walking, then the cockroach won’t die.
Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs When Killed?
No, cockroaches don’t lay eggs when they’re killed. Their eggs don’t even spread when you kill them.
When killed, all the eggs of the roaches die too. And the best part is that the eggs don’t come out from a squished cockroach.
So, you don’t have to worry about the egg spread if you mercilessly murder a roach by crushing it to death. It’s a myth that a squashed roach releases its eggs. Murder it with all your might.
Does Killing A Cockroach Attract More Cockroaches?
Yes, a dead roach squashed on the floor with its internals splashed out is a delicacy for other roaches.
Roaches eat their dead kind, and even each other’s poop or feces.
So, if you’ve squashed a roach, there are two things that you must do –
- Squash it again till you’re sure it’s dead. Focus on the head.
- Dispose of the dead roach’s corpse and put a disinfectant on the place where the corpse was lying.
But if you want to use your evil brain a bit, you can keep a cockroach bait near the roach’s dead body.
The bait and the dead roach will attract other roaches.
They’ll eat the dead roach and the bait, and they will go back to their colonies only to spread it to kill more roaches.
Do Cockroaches Stink When You Kill Them?
Yes, dead roaches stink—especially the ones that you murder by squashing them. The yucky stuff that comes out of their tummies contains oleic acid.
But the best part is a freshly killed roach doesn’t stink instantly. If you don’t dispose of the dead roach and let it rot, then only you’ll smell the stink.
So, how to get rid of a dead roach smell?
There are two ways to get rid of roach smell –
- Please dispose of the dead cockroach’s body asap after killing it.
- Use a disinfectant on the place where you’ve killed it. Let the disinfectant stay on it for 10-15 mins. And then clean the area with a bit of soapy water.
Can Cockroach Eggs Stick To Your Clothes?
Yes, cockroach eggs stick with your clothes.
Cockroach eggs look like a cream, light yellowy colored small capsules.
They lay their eggs where there are warmth and darkness. So, by any chance, if they sneak into your wardrobe or closet, they can lay their eggs inside.
Some types of roaches, like the German cockroach, lay their eggs in humid and moist places.
The sticky nature of the roach egg will make it stick on your clothes.
If you see a roach egg stuck on your clothes, wash it in warm water asap to get rid of the roach egg and its germs associated with it.
Do Roaches Lay Eggs In Mattress?
No, roaches don’t lay eggs inside your mattress. Roaches avoid places to lay their eggs where there’s a lot of human movement.
Roaches can hide into your mattress, though. But for laying eggs, roaches would prefer dark nooks and corners, where you can’t reach.
If you vacuum your mattress regularly, then the chances of roaches hiding in your mattress and laying eggs there is nearly zero.
How Fast Do Roaches Spread?
Before we answer this question in a certain yes or no, let us give you some facts.
A cockroach couple produces at least 200,000 babies in one year!
Suppose your home provides excellent living conditions to the roaches (dirt, leaking pipes, trash bins full of food waste). In that case, you can expect a population explosion of roaches in your home.
If that sounds ominous, hear this – a baby roach can grow into an adult roach within 45 days, ready to multiply more.
So, to answer the question of how fast roaches spread – lightning fast.
If the infestation is severe, then hire a pest control specialist.
Conclusion
Yes, you can squish a cockroach. But don’t squish it barefoot. Always squish the roach underneath your shoes.
Roaches don’t die quickly if you choose to murder them by stomping on them.
Their body can easily contract that allows them to bear a lot of force easily.
So, crush on a roach with power if you want to squash them to death.
And don’t forget to dispose the dead body of the roach.
Letting it lying there will attract other roaches, and it’ll also spread a very nauseating stink.
Nang Chen is an Entomologist and Arachnologist who is associated with Vienna’s museum of natural history. He’s also a consultant with real estate groups, insecticide conglomerates and law enforcement groups as a forensic entomologist. Nang Chen holds an M.S. from South China University and he’s a regular contributor to our site.