How to get rid of cockroaches in bathroom drains?

[TPDH]

Hey

 

We live on the 12th floor in a pretty old condo building in Bangkok and occasionally we see some cockroaches in our bathroom. It’s newly renovated and there’s no cracks in the walls etc so they must come from the drains. One time I saw one come up from the toilet as well. This condo was empty for 6 months before we moved in and the owner said once we start using water etc they won’t come here but that hasn’t been the case so far. 
 

How can we get rid of them? Pour some chemicals or chlorine etc down the drains? 
 

We’re following the general tips and making sure there’s no food etc available in the condo and overall it’s super clean. There’s not a lot of them either and they’re only in the bathroom. There’s no nest etc in the bathroom either so they must live in the drains. 

Edited May 15, 2021 by TPDH

[RichardColeman]

Simple - flip flop over the drainaway when not  in use

[tonray]

They're coming in thru the pipes...you need to use two methods: Cover the drains with inverse covers to prevent acess...but also baits for the ones that will get thru other places so they can take back to the nest and kill the rest.

[ExpatOilWorker]

If it is a floor drain that you don't use much, you can also throw a few Urinal deodorizer blocks in.

The blocks will eventually evaporate and dissolve,  so no risk of plugging the drain up.

Just don't add too many, it will give a potent smell if u have a window less bathroom 

 

 

[TPDH]

5 hours ago, tonray said:

They're coming in thru the pipes...you need to use two methods: Cover the drains with inverse covers to prevent acess...but also baits for the ones that will get thru other places so they can take back to the nest and kill the rest.

Thank you! Any recommendations for baits? 

[TPDH]

3 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

If it is a floor drain that you don't use much, you can also throw a few Urinal deodorizer blocks in.

The blocks will eventually evaporate and dissolve,  so no risk of plugging the drain up.

Just don't add too many, it will give a potent smell if u have a window less bathroom 

 

 

Is it for blocking the drain or are the roaches deterred by the smell? 

[ExpatOilWorker]

2 minutes ago, TPDH said:

Is it for blocking the drain or are the roaches deterred by the smell? 

They will avoid the chemical smell and pick another drain pipe with better reeking smell.

[NCC1701A]

my cat kills absolutely anything that moves. 

 

may not be a solution for you.  

[madmen]

Borax or boric acid from lazada pour into drain and sprinkle everywhere in condo where cockroaches crawl 

They eat it and die in the the nest where others eat it and die 

Takes about a month to work and I can confirm it works! 

[tonray]

1 hour ago, TPDH said:

Thank you! Any recommendations for baits? 

[Thomas J]

I was told thing like toilet bowl cleaner occasionally down the drain will help prevent them.  Certainly an occasional pouring of a commercial drain cleaner or caustic soda will give those cockroaches a shampoo they won't like. 

[pacovl46]

Get some tarantulas to take care of them! ????

[Orinoco]

This is the stuff, cheap and does the job , it's basically borax powder.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i2021762723-s6526072464.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

6 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

This is the stuff, cheap and does the job , it's basically borax powder.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i2021762723-s6526072464.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1

 

What a shame,  it doesn't work for cockroaches, ants and other insects. 

The label clearly says so. ????

 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

Change the type of drain you have. 

There are drains that have a lid, the lid flips as the weight of water allows it to drain, once the water drains the lid flips back to a closed position not allowing bugs to pass. 

[gjoo888]

I occasionally have the same problem. Bleach seems to work very well for me, and helps with odors too. 

[inThailand]

Get a floor mat and some som tum and the ladies will camp out and eat everything in sight. Problem solved. 

[Card]

You can buy different sized fine steel gauze filters for your sinks and bathtubs at Homepro. They just fit over the drain openings and block almost all sizes of insects. For the overflow vent of sinks, I put a thick pad of wet paper towel over them. It holds there indefinitely but need to change sometimes. This method has worked well for me. Hardly ever see even the small roaches now and it saves on expense, environmental toxicity and smell of chemicals which only work for a limited period.

[rwill]

You can get the floor drains as someone else mentioned that have a flap that closes when there is no water draining.  Keeps bugs and odors out.

The local Cotto (tile store) dealer where I live had some good quality ones that are spring loaded.  Basically there are 2 types.  Those using a weight and those using a spring.

[thailand49]

From my experience take a look at your bathroom shower drain. The metal cap below the screen might have been removed if you can remove the screen with hand and don't see the metal cap this is most likely the problem.

 

Long time ago my screen cap screw rusted and the cap dropped preventing the water from draining quickly so I removed the metal cap below the screen doing so allow the roaches to see the light that draws them although small they can pop the screen up and enter. Seen it first hand. You can buy at D.I.Y. or HomePro a unit that fits right over the original drain that provides a flapper I also found out that also helps with the drain smell.  I didn't use any chemical just got a big cheap bottle of vinegar and pour in down before placing the new drain cap.

 

Also, if you have a sink with a pop up stopper just that small crack when open they can fit and come through.  Whenever I go on long holidays just to be sure I close the toilet seat, put my small garbage can over the shower drain and push down the drain popper.  Good luck.

 

For me that took care of the problem.

[ignis]

Had them for years both in the kitchen and the downstairs bathroom.

 

about 2 years ago noticed 2 frogs in the kitchen, took them out to the garden a few times, only they came back, appears over time they have had babies, now at least 7 fully grown ones in kitchen and 2 in bathroom..  [appears to be many different sizes outside in the Veg garden also]

 

cleaning one of the cupboards there were piles of wings underneath, so now know why the frogs get fatter and have not seen any cockroaches for a long time..

[ravip]

There are some gully covers that prevent these roaches from coming inside via the drains.

Have a look at HomePro or Thai Watsadu or the likes.

[itsallmine68]

Tray+diced onions+baking soda

 

Leave on floor overnight

[fondue zoo]

 

You need some guard chickens...   is it a perfect solution? ...no

 

Edited May 17, 2021 by fondue zoo

[jobsworth]

Why so much hatred for cockroaches?

Cockroaches are good. They just get a bad press.

Do you not know that they eat mosquitoes, bedbugs, ants and all of those other creepy crawlies that want to do us harm?

Be thankful that you have cockroaches.

 

 

[Travel Dude]

Drain seals is the solution. On Lazada search for "drain smell seal" check the size before ordering. 

[AlfHuy]

You can book him for 800Baht

[ravip]

4 minutes ago, jobsworth said:

Why so much hatred for cockroaches?

Cockroaches are good. They just get a bad press.

Do you not know that they eat mosquitoes, bedbugs, ants and all of those other creepy crawlies that want to do us harm?

Be thankful that you have cockroaches.

 

 

Cockroaches are good?

This is the first time I've heard about it and find it very difficult to change my mind accordingly!

I copy below a link that seem to prove my mindset about roaches.

 

https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/resources/vector288to301.pdf

 

[Kerryd]

From experience, if you have cockroaches in the building, you will never get rid of them unless you burn the building down.

Because it's not just your apartment/condo that has the problem. You can bet that most of the other apartments/condos will have them as well, except that they probably won't put much effort into trying to stop them.
You can do everything possible (new drains, traps, chemicals, etc) and still find them as they will come in from across the out wall and through the balcony doors, or down the hallway and under the door (and so on).

I've tried to "proof" my house against the little bas***** and while I've cut down on the numbers (down to 1 or 2 every other month or so instead of 1 or 2 a week) I still find them.
In my case, I keep the screen door and one window open during the day so they have an avenue to sneak in.

And despite their size, they can fit through cracks/holes less than a quarter their size. Those standard drain covers you see all over Thailand (a small metal plate with circular holes in it that just sits on top of the drain) ? 
I've been on the toilet and noticed movement out of the corner of my eye, turned my head and watched in amazement as a large cockroach wriggled his way through one of the small holes. He popped out and was quite large - but as soon as I hit him with a blast from the bum gun, he went back down one of those little holes faster than he came out.
I gave him a little "incentive" to move with a few more blasts (from the bum gun) and the next day had one of those "one way" drains installed. 

I've also had them come out of the washing machine, as the drain pipe went straight into the drain hole at the back of the house. I ended up buying a longer drain hose, wrapping the end in metal mesh (to keep rats from chewing through the plastic hose) and then making a sort of "goose neck" on the floor so that there is a long section that is always full of water (which gets flushed out every time you do a load of laundry but then refills as not all the water can drain out).

Despite living in sewers and drain pipes, cockroaches can't swim and drowned easily. Having that bit of hose full of water keeps the little ****ers from crawling up the pipe and any who get as far as where the water is pooled get flushed every couple of days. (Zero roaches in the washing machine since I made that modification.)

Various sprays and chemicals may be effective temporarily, until the next time you shower (or whatever). Then you have to reapply (again and again), but it won't really matter as they will just go up someone else's drain pipe, then sneak into your place when you are not looking !

[ravip]

26 minutes ago, fondue zoo said:

 

You need some guard chickens...   is it a perfect solution? ...no

 

That's a super idea!

Should a grill/oven/BBQ also to be installed therein? ... just in case.