Does Pouring Bleach Down the Drain Stop Roaches?

One of the last things you’ll want to see as you make your way into the kitchen for breakfast is a roach running around in your sink. The panic alone will wake you up faster than coffee ever will, but the knowledge that roaches are using your drains as a highway system could churn the strongest of stomachs. These pests carry diseases with them and can live in between the walls of your home and your pipes. Luckily with our friends at Scott’s Turf and Pest, a top-rated pest control company in Durham, we are happy to look into the question of does pouring bleach down the drain stop roaches?

Quick answer: Bleach can kill roaches on direct contact, but pouring it down a drain is not an effective or safe way to get rid of them. The bleach washes away before it reaches the roaches living in your pipes, it can release toxic fumes if it mixes with other cleaners, and over time it can damage your plumbing. Boiling water, a baking soda and vinegar flush, or a professional treatment work far better.

Why Bleach?

Most people know that bleach sprays can kill errant roaches that roam the floors. 

If you are looking for a quick fix, one might think pouring an entire jug of Clorox down the drain might work. 

Bleach can kill roaches on contact, however, just pouring it down a drain might release toxic fumes, and can cause long-term damage to your system.

Do Not Pour Bleach

With that in mind, Scott’s Turf and Pest does NOT recommend pouring bleach down a drain to kill roaches. 

For a better alternative, you may consider any of the following methods listed below:

• Close your sink stopper and fill the sink all the way. Remove the stopper and let the water flush the pipes clean.
• Run warm water through the sink pipes for at least three minutes, then pour 3-4 cups of boiling water down the drain.
• Use a mixture of baking soda and distilled vinegar to clean pipes: pour ½ cup of baking soda down the pipe, followed by ½ cup of distilled white vinegar. Close or cover the drain for 3-5 minutes, then pour several cups of boiling water down the drain.

So remember not to use bleach to keep your drains roach-free.

Have a roach problem? Contact Scott’s Turf and Pest Services for help!

Has your home been invaded by roaches? At Scott’s Turf and Pest Services, our technicians are trained in the most effective roach control and removal methods to help you regain control of your home.

Frequently Asked Questions: Bleach and Roaches

Does bleach kill cockroaches?

Bleach can kill roaches on direct contact, but it is not a reliable way to control an infestation. Poured down a drain it rarely reaches the roaches nesting in your pipes, and it can damage plumbing and create fumes. Killing a few roaches on contact does not stop the ones breeding out of sight.

Will pouring bleach down the drain kill roaches?

Usually not. The bleach washes away before it reaches where roaches live and breed inside the pipes. A boiling water flush or a baking soda and vinegar flush cleans the drain more safely, and a professional treatment targets the source of the problem.

What can I pour down the drain to kill roaches?

Skip the bleach. Flush the drain with boiling water, or pour half a cup of baking soda followed by half a cup of white vinegar, wait three to five minutes, then rinse with several cups of boiling water. Keeping drains clean and dry makes them far less attractive to roaches.

Is it safe to pour bleach down the drain?

It is risky. Bleach can corrode pipes over time and produces dangerous fumes if it mixes with ammonia or other cleaners. Since it also does not solve a roach problem, it is not worth the risk.

What actually gets rid of roaches in drains?

Keep drains clean and dry, fix leaks, and remove food debris so roaches lose their water and food source. For an active infestation, a professional pest control treatment finds the nest and breaks the breeding cycle, which home remedies alone rarely do.