What is the BEST way to kill centipedes and roaches?

I was doing some research after reading the Women Who Live on Rocks blog. The appearance and agility of these little suckers is cringe-worthy. I found that using cayenne pepper sprinkled inside and outside of entrances/windows will keep most pests out. Also, putting Borax in cracks and crevices or caulking them to seal off any entrance. And for the drains in kitchen/bath, pour some bleach down once a month.

For mice, supposedly they hate strong smells so either aromatherapy works or you can soak a cotton ball in peppermint oil and place near the areas where you see the vermin.

The Borax is not a good idea if you have pets and saw a lot of people saying that dehumidifiers work but I doubt it would help in the VI given the climate.

Call an exterminator. I use Terminix. They come every other month. No creepy crawlies, except for an occassional spider on deck. Anything found is dead. They use something that is non toxic for pets, which I have several. I never use glue traps. They are horrible.
If you must use a traps for rats, best to use the old fashioned wood/metal hinged/snap trap. Very effective and terminal. The cost is minimal and reasonable.

You got work to do. Seal all holes , cracks and crevices. Make sure all screens are in place on windows and door ways , keep drains covered. Sweep Diatomaceous Earth into corners of cabinets and under large household appliances (stove and fridg) , clean with vinegar and fabuloso. Hope it helps.

The best product I've found for roaches so far is the Combat paste. Super easy to use, it's very economical and does the job quickly and effectively.

cats like to play with roaches until they die, chickens eat centipedes

I use "home defense " they have it at HomeDepot it comes in a large hand pump container , you can use it inside and out . Works well for me .

We have monthly Terminix service at our house. Most critters I see are pretty much dead by the time they crawl out in the open. I've got five dogs and have never seen any ill effects as a result of the pest control spray.

For centipedes, I like simple Raid spray. Does the job in a few seconds and I don't have to get close to them!

Terro gel works great for ants.

There is no cure for centipedes, as they come straight through the cracks of hell to give you nightmares and make you look in sneakers and under pillows every time.

cats like to play with roaches until they die ...

If only. Mine just give a passing glance and then look up at me with a, "Well? You're job mon".

For centipedes, I like simple Raid spray. Does the job in a few seconds and I don't have to get close to them!

I agree. Raid Ant & Roach kills them pretty quickly (I'm talking about spraying directly on them, not as a prevention). At least slows them down a lot.

Terminix cost for me is $55.00 every other month. They spray the entire property, inside and out, up and downstairs for both main house and rental apt. as well as the exterior of all window/doors, the 2 decks, laundry room, etc.

I also have rat bait traps as where I live we have those huge tree rats a/k/a west indian opossum as they are of a size that is amazing.

When I first moved into the house, the previous owner had cats, I had dogs and the rats were chewing their way thru my screens to get in. Instead of using that same hole to get out, they'd chew a new one. I would put the dog dishes down inside to feed the gang and red ants from outside would be on their food in a flash. I was quite over it. I am very pleased with the Terminix service as well as the very nice young man, Derrian, who comes to do the service calls.

They probably charge more for a 1 time call depending on the situation but as a regular maintenance monthly charge, I find it very reasonable. I have found scorpions and centipedes from time to time but by the time I do so, they are deader than a door nail. Thank Goodness!

I have Oliver Exterminating come spray inside/granule outside once a month @ $50/pop.
I granule outside heavily once a month using the spectrazacide bags from Home Depot (2 bags just for the perimeter of the house).
I buy the Hot Shot concentrate for commercial use only from Home Depot, mix it double strength (two bottles to two gal water) and spray the house perimeter and all doors, windows, baseboards, etc once a month. Usually takes two batches to cover everything.

We still get two or three centipedes per month in the house, but they are usually dead or crawling slow by then. If I go two weeks without using some kind of poison, we start seeing them more frequently.

I've lived in eight different houses on STX, and for some reason this place has way more centipedes than any of the other houses. Constant chemical warfare is the only method that has worked.

We've lived in our house (above north shore STX) for 10 yrs. Have never exterminated and have seen 3 centipedes total. None in the house ever. The only time I've seen them is while digging dirt. Chopped them with a shovel.

For roaches we use Boric Acid (Roach Proof powder)

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I'm in a temporary residence which precludes me from calling a Terminex or the like as the owners have kids and pets (and, frankly, my experience with Terminex hasn't been that great; they were the ones who refused to use the zappy traps on tree rats and insisted that the sticky pads were more humane; notsomuch), nor do I have the ability to acquire pets at this point, although my experience housesitting for people with pets disclosed much of the attitude OT describes -- "hey, your house, your prob".

Thanks for the tips, though. I'm used to the lizards and small flying things. It's the ginormous flying roaches and the centipedes THAT WILL NOT DIE that make me crazy.

IT

When we first moved here we used Seven. It doesn't work for roaches.
An older Cruzan man told me about Bug Stop. You can now buy it at Home Depot. It's easy to use since it has it's own sprayer. You don't have to mix anything. Just make sure you shake the container. I think it is about $7 for a container which lasts awhile.
I use it more then once a month, every time I wash my floors, I respray. Especially around my bed, and all doors.

cats like to play with roaches until they die, chickens eat centipedes

Agreed. That is the ONE THING roosters are good for. (Hens, I like; roosters notsomuch.) Also those white egrets (?). You'll see 'em following lawnmowers because cutting the grass kicks up the centipedes. I love the way they bite down the whole 'pede with their beaks to kill it off before eating. If I could get a flock of those to hang in my yard that'd be great.

IT

For centipedes, I like simple Raid spray. Does the job in a few seconds and I don't have to get close to them!

I agree. Raid Ant & Roach kills them pretty quickly (I'm talking about spraying directly on them, not as a prevention). At least slows them down a lot.

I dunno. I emptied half a bottle of Sevin onto a roach who acted like it was raining Hermes perfume.

IT

Come on people, lets get the terminology correct. As the waiter at a high end restaurant (name suppressed) told me when one walked across the table between courses - It wasn't a roach, it was a Crucian Cricket!

When the Ninja get's bored with lizards, he enjoys catching the occasional Crucian Cricket (or Mahogany Bird if you prefer) outside, and bringing them inside the house to torture and play with - A proud kitty but somewhat confused on the concept of home defense.

The Crickets are really not a problem. It's the tiny bloody ants that are the real battle!

When the Ninja get's bored with lizards, he enjoys catching the occasional Crucian Cricket (or Mahogany Bird if you prefer) outside, and bringing them inside the house to torture and play with - A proud kitty but somewhat confused on the concept of home defense.

LOL , I call them Mahogany Birds, it just sounds better 🙂

Boric Acid powder. roaches crawl through it, take it back to the nest and it kills them all.
Here is how to use boric acid:
1.Empty the kitchen cabinets and the area under the sink.
2.Clean the sink, oven and all cabinets, drawers and countertops with water and a mild detergent.
3.Clean behind and under the refrigerator. Remove and clean the pan that collects the defrost water under the refrigerator.
4.Fill any holes or crevices in the walls with a foam filler or caulk. Don't use glue products -- roaches eat glue.
5.Spread the boric acid all over the kitchen cabinets, drawers, countertops and sink. Make sure you apply it under the sink, oven, refrigerator and dishwasher. Be careful not to inhale the boric acid when applying it. For best results, apply the boric acid at night (when the roaches come out) and leave it until morning. If your house is infested with a lot of roaches, a heavy application may be necessary and you may consider staying out of the house for two to three days.
6.Vacuum up any remaining boric acid and clean all the areas where the powder was applied with a wet rag, the next morning. You should be rid of the roaches.
Source: http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-get-rid-of-roaches-with-boric-acid.htm

Just an FYI, centipedes eat roaches. . .

Terro gel works great for ants.

I second that! The stuff is great especially for the little "sweet ants".

When the Ninja get's bored with lizards, he enjoys catching the occasional Crucian Cricket (or Mahogany Bird if you prefer) outside, and bringing them inside the house to torture and play with - A proud kitty but somewhat confused on the concept of home defense.

LOL , I call them Mahogany Birds, it just sounds better 🙂

I agree, that's what I've always heard. My cat, when I had her here, had zero interest in either the lizards or Mahogany Birds. Mice she was on like white on rice, but I never had a mouse problem.

The ants I don't mind, and aren't really a problem unless you have food out. I've just learned to keep everything in the fridge. I've also learned what a "brisker" is -- a product I didn't know existed until I moved here.

IT

Boric Acid powder. roaches crawl through it, take it back to the nest and it kills them all.
Here is how to use boric acid:
1.Empty the kitchen cabinets and the area under the sink.
2.Clean the sink, oven and all cabinets, drawers and countertops with water and a mild detergent.
3.Clean behind and under the refrigerator. Remove and clean the pan that collects the defrost water under the refrigerator.
4.Fill any holes or crevices in the walls with a foam filler or caulk. Don't use glue products -- roaches eat glue.
5.Spread the boric acid all over the kitchen cabinets, drawers, countertops and sink. Make sure you apply it under the sink, oven, refrigerator and dishwasher. Be careful not to inhale the boric acid when applying it. For best results, apply the boric acid at night (when the roaches come out) and leave it until morning. If your house is infested with a lot of roaches, a heavy application may be necessary and you may consider staying out of the house for two to three days.
6.Vacuum up any remaining boric acid and clean all the areas where the powder was applied with a wet rag, the next morning. You should be rid of the roaches.
Source: http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-get-rid-of-roaches-with-boric-acid.htm

Just an FYI, centipedes eat roaches. . .

That is good advice, thank you. I like the boric acid approach because (I think) it's fairly non-toxic to humans (I recall pouring it in my eyes for an infection).

Plus, if you put it in fire, it turns the fire green. Party trick!

Thanks.

IT