Don’t you just hate it when your home is suddenly infested with creepy crawlies? Even when you see just one creepy-crawly, a small black or brown bug that can send you into a cleaning frenzy just because you can’t stand roaches?
The truth is that roaches are a big nuisance, and once spotted, you’d have to do everything possible to completely get rid of the roaches. Unfortunately, there are many cases where no amount of cleaning detergent or hot water can get rid of the crawlies completely, and when this happens, the only thing you could do is to look for commercial solutions to get rid of the roaches. But a little complication may arise – what happens to your options when you are a fur-parent? How do you choose the best remedy for the roaches from the long list of options available online?
We’ve taken time to research the best roach killers and have compiled a shortlist of our top-recommended options. These are pet-friendly options that would keep your fur-babies safe and end the roach menace in a significantly short period of time.
So, which are the best pet-Safe roach killers?
Comparison of the Best Roach Killers Safe for Pests
| Best Roach Killer Safe for Pets | Best For | Check on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Diatomaceous Earth DE10, 100% Organic Food Grade Powder | Best Overall Pet-Safe Roach Killer | Check Price |
| EcoSmart Technologies Ant & Roach Killer | Best Ant and Roach Killer | Check Price |
| Raid Killer Spray | Best Roach Killer with Essential Oils | Check Price |
| HARRIS Boric Acid Roach and Silverfish Killer Powder | Best Long-Lasting Performance | Check Price |
| Ortho Home Defense Ant & Roach Killer with Essential Oils | Best Aerosol Roach Killer | Check Price |
Reviews of the best roach killers safe for pets
Which are the best pet-safe roach killers for you?
Diatomaceous Earth DE10, 100% Organic Food Grade Powder – Best Overall Pet-Safe Roach Killer
This is regarded as one of the best pet-safe roach killers, and it is a top-recommended solution by professionals. The top reason why this product is regarded as one of the best options for killing cockroaches has to do with the fact that your pets can ingest it, and it won’t cause them any harm because it is 100% non-toxic. Interestingly, pests found to have ingested pesticides are treated using Diatomaceous Earth.
The effectiveness of Diatomaceous earth comes from the fact that this roach killer is made of diatoms. Diatoms can be defined as the remains of algae, the organisms living in freshwater bodies. They are fossilized skeletons that contain silica. With time, the diatoms settle at the bottom of the ocean, lakes, or rivers, where they are mined and turned into a fine powder. The diatomaceous Earth comes in super fine powder, with the same consistency as baby powder.
First used as one of the effective remedies for bed bugs, Diatomaceous Earth is now one of the most effective and the safest roach killers.
Also, you will be happy to know that Diatomaceous Earth is quite easily available. All you need to do is to make sure that you use food-grade Diatomaceous Earth because this is the version that’s not toxic to pets. And since this product is also used in pools, it could be chemically-treated and not an excellent option for the prevention of roaches.
How do you use diatomaceous earth to kill roaches? First, you’d have to sprinkle a coating of the compound on the surfaces where you may have seen the roaches hiding or foraging indoor spaces. For the easy application of the SE in small quantities and to reduce the messes, you may like the 2-liter food-grade DE shaker bottle. You could also buy the 2lbs or the 5lbs DE treatments if you are looking for an effective roach killer on a tight budget.
You will be happy to know that the quality of DE10 we are looking at is made of the best quality diatomaceous earth deposits, which are processed using the best quality stainless steel equipment.
Also, it’s made of 100% organic ingredients minerals and regarded as a food-grade roach killer that works well to ensure the safety of your pets.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Easy to use and spread
- 100% organic ingredients
- It comes in a 10lbs packaging, meaning that this roach killer will last a long time.
- Durable, quality packaging
- Free of contaminants
- Ideal for use indoors and outdoors, often in spaces around family homes
- Works on eliminating bedbugs too
- The product is produced by the renowned Diatomaceous Earth brand.
Cons
- A little messy
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EcoSmart Technologies Ant & Roach Killer – Best Ant and Roach Killer
If you are looking for an aerosolized solution to get rid of roaches and ants effectively and without affecting the safety and health of your pets and children, this EcoSmart roach killer could be a good option for you.
It is designed to kill fast, and the best part is that it is plant-based. It smells great, with herbal and spearmint characteristics. This smell is not only pleasant but also repellent to other insects and bugs.
Pros
- Works great
- It works as an all-around bug spray.
- Plant-based
- Safe for use with pets running around
- It kills ants and roaches.
- Easy to use
- Great value for money
Cons
- The wintergreen smell is a little too strong for some people.
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Raid Killer Spray – Best Roach Killer with Essential Oils
For the longest time, essential oils have been used to get rid of bugs and all annoying critters, and they’ve proven effective in getting rid of roaches. This Raid spray is made with essential oils, including lemongrass extracts and geraniol extracted from pine trees. These ingredients not only promise to kill all those pesky roaches but also ants, crawling, flying insects. This spray is also safe for use around pets and kids, as long you use it, as directed.
The spray is generally the most effective solution for use with insets that you can see, and you could use both the sprays and the roach traps for the eradication of the roaches.
Pros
- Safe for use around pets and children
- Ideal for indoor use
- Multifunctional, and it gets rid of spiders, bugs, ants, and roaches, among other annoying bugs.
- Ideal for use in the kitchen
- Plant-based and made with essential oil
- Fast action
- Pet-friendly
Cons
- Shouldn’t and it can’t be sprayed on indoor succulents
- The scent is a little too strong for some individuals, especially when used on kitchen counters.
- Some leaks reported
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HARRIS Boric Acid Roach and Silverfish Killer Powder – Best Long-Lasting Performance
Borax is regarded as one of the best roach powders on the market, with the only caveat being that the roaches might not eat it. What this means is that in as much as borax kills roaches, this will only happen if the roaches eat it.
Borax is pet-safe as a roach killer once it has been ingested. Borax is part sodium (table salt), and it works because once the roaches swallow it, they will be dehydrated. This often works because roaches tend to be dehydrated quite fast, meaning that the roaches wouldn’t have to eat much borax for them to die.
Also, borax kills the roaches whenever the roaches crawl over the borax powder, which then coats the roach’s legs, which means that once the roaches move back to their hiding places, they’d start to eat the borax dust from the body from which point they would be dehydrated and die. Notably, the use of pest killers that cause dehydration is also the reason why most ants and roaches stay close to water sources.
If you have used diatomaceous earth before, the instructions for the use of boric acid are similar, and you don’t have to worry about the safety of your pets.
This Harris borax roach killer is long-lasting, and it will continue to kill roaches, water bugs, palmetto bugs, as well as silverfish weeks after its application and for as long as the borax application remains dry.
It is also fast-acting, and the roaches will die off within 72 hours of contact or intake of the borax powder. And for more effective results, the container’s puffer bottle fitted with the extended straw ensures simple application, especially in the hard-to-reach areas.
It also boasts an irresistible lure that will attract the roaches from the dark places they are hiding from. You may also like it because it is made in the USA, and EPA-registered, also safe for use in homes, around people, and pets.
Pros
- Eliminates roaches effectively
- Works well as a preventative measure
- Easy to use and easy applications thanks to the puffer bottle design
- It kills all insects and bugs, including centipedes.
- Long-lasting effectiveness
- It kills German roaches too.
- EPA-registered
Cons
- It’s not perfect and needs to be reapplied often.
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Ortho Home Defense Ant & Roach Killer with Essential Oils – Best Aerosol Roach Killer
If you are looking for an aerosol treatment to help you get rid of roaches and ants in your home, this might be a good option for you. It is made of essential oils which are safe for use around pets and kids, and the best part is that it’s been tested and also proven to be quite effective in the treatment of roaches, in seconds.
Some of the essential oils incorporated in this bug spray include cornmint, geraniol, cinnamon oil, clove oil, and castor oil. It’s also one of the best roach killers because of the non-staining formulation of the spray. Also it can be used indoors and outdoors. You may also like it because it is easy to use, thanks to the effective nozzle design.
Pros
- Fast acting
- Works on ants and roaches
- Safe for use around kids and pets
- Good level of warmth
- Easy to use
Cons
- The scent appealing to everyone
- It doesn’t last long
View price on Amazon
Buying Guide for Pet-Safe Roach Killers
The search for the best pet-safe roach killers can feel tumultuous. However, it doesn’t have to be, especially when you ask the right questions. For example, are you aware of the three main types of roaches that exist? With the list of the top-recommended roach killers covered above guiding you on the best roach killers that will not harm your fur babies, we now take a look at the important considerations that point you in the direction of the best options for pet-safe roach killers.
- Types of roaches
I know what you are thinking – how could there possibly be more than one type of these pesky creatures? Isn’t one species more than enough for roaching in the world? Well, first, there evolution, the survival of the fittest, and the consequential diversity of nature. Unfortunately, this is not the kind of diversity that you need in your home, and to keep your pets safe, you’d have to find the roach killers that target these three types of roaches effectively.
Known to thrive in warm and dark places, including unkempt houses, these are some of the types of roaches you may have come across:
- The American Cockroach – If you’ve ever come across monster-sized roaches that look capable of pillaging your pantry, there is a chance that the roach you just saw and you weren’t sure about it being a roach is the American cockroach variety. It is huge (an adult roach would measure up to 53mm in length) and found in Florida and all the other hot and humid states, specifically in kitchens, pool areas, and bathrooms. These roaches can live for up to 2 years!
- Brown-Banded Cockroach – you’ve probably seen the brown-banded cockroaches a few times. These are the smallest roaches, and as the name suggests, they feature a brown band. These roaches show a preference for warm and dry nooks and crannies.
- Oriental Cockroach – this cockroach variety is also known as a water bug, primarily because it prefers wet environments. The oriental cockroach would invade and infest your home by getting in through the sewers and drains. Such roaches live up to 6 months.
- German Cockroaches – these are the most common and also the hardest to kill. The worst bit is that these roaches can live for a maximum of 12 months, and they produce significantly more eggs than all the other cockroach species.
These are just some of the common types of roaches, but there are about 17 other types of roaches.
- Types/ Application forms of pet-safe roach killers
Any of the three types of roaches can be killed using roach killers that come in the form of sprays, repellents, or traps.
The traps, for example, beer traps, would be placed in areas of the house where the roaches forage the most. These are the bait stations, and like your rat traps, you’d have to check the traps each day. You could also use sprays in the form of foggers or aerosol sprays, or even non-insecticidal roach repellents. You could also use foggers.
- Ingredients
At the end of the day, the effectiveness of the roach killer you choose and the safety of your pets depend on the ingredients that make up the roach-killing formulation. What this means is that your focus needs to be on organic compounds and nothing toxic. Although a number of the products that are claimed as safe for your pets might not be safest, and you have to pay a little more attention to the ingredients label/ specification when looking for cockroach killers. Your best options are often as simple as peppermint and rosemary essential oils, boric acid, or diatomaceous earth.
- Smells
Your pets could be very sensitive to smells, meaning the roach-killer you choose shouldn’t have any harsh or intense fragrances. Avoid products with intense fragrances.
- Length of Efficacy
You’ll agree with us that the one thing that is a little more annoying than the roaches is a roach killer whose effectiveness seems to last for only a minute! It makes you wonder why manufacturers would make an ineffective product.
Well, here is what you need to know about roach killers – how long the roach killer lasts is dependent on factors like how fast the active ingredients in the formulation would last and also the amount of product used. Now, for the most part, the most effective roach killers carry an efficacy of up to 1 month (minimum) and a maximum of 2 years. In case of big infestations, you would, however, need to use additional traps.
Conclusion
Roaches are pesky, unattractive, and you feel queasy every time you see them. Unfortunately, they tend to be as persistent as they are a nuisance, and getting rid of them proves challenging when you have pets. So, to save you the trouble, we researched extensively, giving you the best possible recommendations. As seen above, diatomaceous earth is one of the best and the most effective pet-safe roach killer. It is non-toxic, and it actually works. Boric acid also makes an excellent roach killer, and if you only wish to repel the roaches from the drain, for example, you may want to use an essential oil spray (peppermint) because roaches don’t like the peppermint smell.
FAQs
Can you use tea tree oil to kill roaches?
Though tea tree oil is one of the most popular essential oils that’s been said to kill roaches, it is ineffective, especially because roaches are too fast for your essential oil spray, and also, these annoying bugs repopulate too fast. It is said that for every roach you kill, there are ten more in the walls.
Are there DIY baits that you could use to get rid of roaches?
Yes. If you are thinking about a safe, DIY option to save money and get rid of roaches, you will be happy to know that you could use a mixture of ½ cups sugar and ½ cups baking soda. Mix these two ingredients together in foam or plastic cups, then pour in the infested areas.
What makes pet-friendly cockroach killers?
The best pet-safe cockroach killers are made of organic products/ ingredients. Besides diatomaceous earth and borax, other effective remedies include essential oils like citronella, cinnamon, cedar oil, eugenol, clove, citrus, rosemary, mints, and garlic, among others. The essential oils work by disrupting the neurotransmitters of the target insects. These neurotransmitters are absent in pets, people, and other vertebrates, hence the effectiveness of the essential oils in killing roaches. And although the botanical oils are rather naturally-occurring toxins that are extracted from plants, they are naturally broken down very fast, which is why they are a safe and effective solution. The only catch is that you’d have to apply the botanical products frequently.
Why are regular roach killers unsafe for pets?
Though the roach killers aren’t as toxic to pets as they are to roaches, most of the active ingredients used in the chemical roach killers are the same ones used to rid your cats and dogs of fleas and ticks. Since your fur-babies lick their fur and paws off often, it wouldn’t be safe to use the chemical-based roach killers – they may not cause death, but they often result in life-threatening intestinal issues. Some of the toxic active ingredients include fipronil and zinc phosphide.
