Are Roaches Attracted to Salt? How to Use Salt to Repel Roaches

Because of the bacteria and the enzymes inside a roach’s stomach, it’s been said to be capable of eating virtually anything. Couple that with the tenacity to be attracted to the most deplorable things like animal feces and rotting garbage, and you’ll have what appears to be an invincible eating machine. But what about salt, an insect’s worst enemy? Are roaches attracted to salt?

Almost all insects die in salt. That’s because this condiment sucks the moisture from their bodies. But are roaches immune to this? You see them eating salty things like chips and pretzels all the time. So are they as invincible as we think? Well, it turns out that they’re not.

Salt can kill roaches but only if you drown them with a lot of it. But can you use it as a preventative measure? Let’s jump in and find out!

Salt Can Repel Roaches To A Degree

Yes, the insect that’s been known to out survive all humans in a nuclear attack, last for as long as thirty minutes underwater and live for a couple of weeks without its head falls victim to the clutches of the common salt.

Salt can repel roaches. According to a fairly dated study on salt and insects, the condiment has ammonium nitrate and ammonium chloride that can ward off these pesky bugs. While there are harsher methods that can be more effective, salt can do in a pinch (slight pun intended).

In fact, an old and common practice in the food industry was liquifying salt and soaking packaging materials in it. This helped processed food production for years, keeping them away from roaches in shelves and pantries.

But there’s a catch. Usual applications of salt can’t kill roaches. That’s unless you bury the insect in a large jar full of the stuff. But then again, what insect doesn’t die from that? So if you’re hoping to use salt as a roach killer, it won’t work. Salt doesn’t kill roaches.

Using Salt To Repel Roaches

It’s not as common as diatomaceous earth or the boric acid bait, but salt repellents have been used by some homeowners for quite some time.

Aside from the liquid salt treatment for packing materials, you can also use the dry version of the repellent to potentially save your house from roaches.

All you have to do is sprinkle the condiment onto roach infested areas to keep them from coming back. Toss salt on your toolshed, car, basement and attic to stop those insects from nesting there. You can also sprinkle the condiment all over your kitchen, so your food won’t get contaminated by roaches.

Now you may think that this is inconvenient since salt doesn’t melt in room temperature. Experiencing crunchy steps in some corners of your house would then be annoying, not to mention uncomfortable.

But fortunately, due to salt’s hygroscopic nature, it can absorb and hold on to water molecules in the air, turn liquid and eventually dry up over time. So you won’t even notice the salt in your house because it will turn watery and less conspicuous in a few hours.

However, you should keep in mind that this repellent isn’t a very powerful one. You might want to try it with other treatments and methods to get the maximum desired effect.

Wrap Up

So when a friend asks you, are roaches attracted to salt? Now you know the answer. Salt makes our meals more palatable, but it’s not really meant for major pest control.

However, it’s still worth a try though. After all, it’s one of the most inexpensive alternatives to pesticides. If you are smelling cockroaches in your house, it’s time to break out the salt and give it a go.