Repeat this scene 8 times. Was there an exterminator convention coming up? An exterminator group vacation? (I picture a group of them in bathing suits and cleaning gear.)
The answer to that mystery wasn't as fun.
"You on Green Street?" The last exterminator asked. I confirmed.
"Yeah, big problem on your block. They're doing a teardown of a building and the roaches and rats are migrating."
First of all: Rats. Second of all: Migrating. Now the roaches were like the Joad family, roaming the streets with handkerchiefs tied to sticks, their belongings in tow. I had no sympathy.
The exterminator agreed to come in a week and a half, until then, I was on my own with my new roommates.
"Just be sure not to smash 'em...if you do that, then others come out and eat the remainders."
It took me two days to regain my appetite after that pearl of wisdom.
In an attempt to make my life easier (or at least less horrifying), I https://www.thumbtack.com/tx/euless/exterminators/ up places. A few hours later, there were dead roaches galore. Bottom line: Amazingly effective.
-Fabric softener sheets: I saw a roach scurry to the sheet, then slow dramatically. And then get stuck to the sheet. It did not die. Bottom line: Not really effective.
-Fabric softener + water mix. Inspired by the way the fabric softener sheet slowed down a wayward roach, I decided to make a solution of fabric softener and water...and got my spray bottle. The solution was pretty thick, 3 parts fabric softener to 2 parts water. A roach sprayed in this stuff immediately stopped and keeled over. (Mental note: Switch to a natural fabric softener.) While effective, cleaning up what is essentially diluted fabric softener is a pain. Bottom line: Effective, yes. Efficient, not really.
-Cucumber trap: Another folksy suggestion by a neighbor was to place fresh cucumber peels inside of an empty aluminum can. The explanation was that the cucumber will react with the aluminum to create a cloud of stink that kills roaches. And if roaches could laugh, it would be because I thought this could actually work. Bottom line: Does not work.
A week and a half later, the exterminator arrived. He examined the house and declared that I did not have a roach problem. So, a success. He still charged me for a consultation, though.
But at least I didn't have rats.
CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this post stated that boric acid should be mixed with sugar. The ingredient is actually borax.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/06/how-to-get-rid-of-roaches_n_965145.html
