Waking up in the middle of the night with hunger pangs is something most of us have experienced in the past. But imagine thinking you are entirely alone on the way to the kitchen and not realizing there is already a group of cockroaches who thought of eating before you. An effective way to deal with this situation that is considered controversial in the pest control community is to spray Lysol on the roaches. But does lysol kill roaches?
If you intend to use this spray to solve your problem, the inevitable question in your mind is, does Lysol kill roaches? The brief answer is yes because it restricts their ability to breathe. Unlike humans who inhale through their mouth and nose, roaches breathe through spiracles, tiny holes all over their bodies. The moisture from the Lysol spray creates a blockage in the gaps, resulting in death because they eventually suffocate.
This guide will dive into the details of how Lysol kills roaches and other insects so you can learn how to use this spray bottle properly.
How Does Lysol Kill Roaches?
Yes, Lysol can kill roaches by covering their exoskeletons and suffocating them! Although lysol will kill cockroaches, it isn’t the most effective method of killing cockroaches. We’ll get this a 6/10 on our effectiveness scale!
If you are looking to kill cockroaches in your home, you’re much better off going with a more effective cockroach solution, check out our guide on cockroach removal!
Are Cockroaches Hard To Kill?
Insects are some of the most resilient pests in the animal kingdom and are one of the few with the ability to remain alive during a nuclear war.
Fun Fact: When the Hiroshima bomb was dropped, male roaches were discovered alive and well, only 500 feet away from the explosion.
Over 200 to 300 million years, roaches survived and adapted to their environments while acquiring unique abilities that helped them thrive.
For example, cockroaches can survive for close to 7 days with their heads detached, handle temperatures of up to 32 Fahrenheit, and create an entire colony without males.
Lysol Vs Insecticides
During the last pandemic, Lysol saved lives with its ability to kill bacteria off most surfaces. Since they can handle a deadly virus, do you think it would seem apparent they can take care of a roach infestation? The answer looks simple, but there is more to it than meets the eye.
Insecticides kill roaches by causing a neurotoxic effect that destroys their nervous systems. They permeate the exoskeleton of cockroaches the moment the substance makes contact with the insect’s body. The poison then makes its way to the brain within minutes and makes the roach unable to control its movements until its eventual death.
The following is a list of what Lysol products can kill despite not having insecticide as an active ingredient:
- Kill Viruses
- Halts and eliminates bacterial growth
- Destroys fungi
Lysol has been rumored to kill a wide variety of insects, so we decided to test them all:
How Does Lysol Kill Roaches?
Unlike insecticides, Lysol doesn’t attack the nervous system when sprayed directly on cockroaches. But lysol attaches itself to the insect’s back and seeps through the openings on it called spiracles. The cockroach then chokes and dies, decreasing the cockroach infestation.
Are Generic Brands As Effective as Lysol at Killing Roaches?
As long as it’s a generic brand with close to the exact formula Lysol uses, we always recommend going that route to save money and support a smaller business. Before making a purchase decision, the two ingredients you need to see on the label are isopropyl alcohol and ethanol because they help kill roaches or keep them at bay.
As long as the ingredients above are in the generic brand, you are good to go and ready to prevent an infestation. But it’s always important to remember that not all disinfectant sprays exterminate roaches.
Some lower-quality sprays don’t have the minimum of 70% alcohol needed for killing roaches. Another vital chemical not included in low-cost disinfectants is benzalkonium chloride, which helps it stick to the cockroaches’ skin. With all these elements mixed, Lysol kills roaches the moment it connects.
Can Lysol Help With All Roach-Related Issues?
As with any goal or mission you want to accomplish, a solid strategy is critical, along with other methods to use as backups if things go wrong. There is no such treatment that is perfect when it comes to pest control.
We suggest the 3 stage process below to handle most situations:
Find a Fast Way to Get Rid of Them
Insects like german cockroaches are a severe threat, and you cannot afford to lose control when they run rampant in your home. The moment you see one, you should kill it and not let it get away back to its colony. Old school instruments like a shoe work fine but create a mess as their insides are splattered all over. But realistically you should follow this guide on how to get rid roaches in your home.
Lysol works excellent for two reasons. You can kill them on the spot without smearing their guts all over the floor, and you can do it safely from afar.
Handling An Unseen Colony
The first pest control rule is that if you find one roach, it means there are other roaches nearby.
Most insects hate the light, so they prefer to conceal themselves in dark places when they are not actively hunting for food. Search under your kitchen sink, inside home appliances, and behind your fridge for signs of their feces. Since cockroaches only come out in the evening when you are fast asleep, it sometimes takes a considerable period to start noticing them.
No one can stay awake 24 hours a day to discover the source of the infestation in their home, but there are ways to get rid of these crafty night crawlers. You can use roach baits and traps to kill cockroaches while you sleep.
Roach traps function similar to the way mouse traps do, and most times, you use the same one for both pests. You can either buy the glue trap or snap traps. The former is the better option because they are recyclable and affordable.
Using roach baits is the best method when dealing with colonies. The poison does not kick in immediately the way Lysol does because it has slow active ingredients. It takes about 24 to 48 hours, but once it kicks in, they are already in the nest, sharing the poison with other insects.
If you are persistent with this strategy daily, you could take out a whole nest within a week.
Practicing Prevention
Taking the preventative steps necessary is essential if you don’t want insects to reappear after you get rid of them. The first step is making it a habit to clean and tidy up your house every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. First you should understand what attracts roaches into your home.
The primary area to target is your kitchen, which is even more required if you cook often. Clean your dishes quickly after finishing your meal, wipe any food debris you see on the floor and table, and never leave your garbage bin unsealed outside. Pests will no longer consider you a welcoming host and set up their colony elsewhere.
The next step is to do a walk-through of the entire home and search for crevices and holes that a roach could get through. Seal every hole you find with plaster with an extra thick layer. You can try weatherstripping if the gaps are in your doors or windows.
The last places to check are all the leaky pipes in your house if any. A cockroach loves this environment because it’s usually dark and wet. Check these tubes every week or when you hear a leak nearby.
Is Lysol Better Than Buying Traditional Roach Treatment?
Lysol will kill cockroaches, but it isn’t a miracle solution. We rate it a 6/10 for effectiveness for eliminating cockroaches. Overall if you have a severe cockroach infestation, then I’d recommend you use a traditional treatment instead because they are going to be much more effective.
That being said, if you only have the occasional cockroach, then Lysol might be enough to take care of your small infestation. Because Lysol has weaking killing power, but Lysol’s smell can repel roaches, it might be enough!
Along with this, if you already have Lysol, then it might be worth trying it out first because you don’t have to spend money buying a different treatment option.
Final Thoughts On Lysol For Roaches
Overall Lysol technically can kill roaches and the smell also helps to repel them. That being said, it’s not the most effective solution to getting rid of cockroaches, so if you have a serious infestation then we’d recommend you look at more effective options such as using a professional exterminator or your own cockroach bait treatment.
Resources: