Please recommend me a vacuum for cockroaches

[Sanifan]

Okay. Ewww...I know. But a tenant moved out and left a cockroach infestation. It's gross. My immediate thought is to bomb the place with a chemical fogger. But there's some work that needs to be done and some stuff to move out, so I don't think we can bomb just yet.

What I'm planning to do is to set out a bunch of chemical traps. At the same time I want to pick off the "low hanging fruit" by vacuuming up as many of the little buggers a I can. I want to be sure I get as many as I can physically.

What's the best vacuum to use? My first thought was to use my Sanitaire Mighty Mite canister with a Heap filter on the back end. That means they'd get sucked into the bag, but would the suction kill them once they're inside? I'd hate to deal with a bag full of live roaches...having to rush to throw the bag away so they don't all escape. Gross and creepy. My second thought was to use my Hyla water trap vacuum, which is a lot like a Rainbow. I figure they would drown in the churning water. But what about roach poop and germs? Would it be OK to mix a little bleach into the water? Would that damage the vacuum? What other safe disinfectant could I use?

Has anyone had to deal with this? If you have any other suggestion, I would appreciate it. Thanks!

 

[lunchboxsean]

I would recommend a shop vac or something of similar build, maybe a filter queen. The reason why is because the roaches will likely live and will definitely not be turned to roachy goo by travelling through a fan blade. Plus, once you've sucked them all up, you can just take the bin out in the woods or something and dump them all out without having to use bags or whatever. A shop vac would also well because the roaches would drop into the bin and not obstruct airflow so you would retain suction longer.

 

[sarasvacshack]

Ummm

I dont think they make vacuums that small?




Just kidding!!! lol

http://www.facebook.com/sarasvacshack

 

[vac_whisperer]

Shop vac definitely. Big hose, cheap, tough, and powerful.


NO! No Filter Queen. I wouldnt want to take the risk of ruining it.


Lloyd, I thought the same thing when I saw the topic lol

 

[scvacuumguy]

Here's a suggestion that will actually work:

Take the HEPA filter off of your Eur. MM. This will increase the airflow.

Use it to suck the bugs up, throw the bag away in a garbage can prior to storing the vacuum. There will be no need to steam, disinfect, lysol or even put the vacuum cleaner in an autoclave. Really vacuuming up roaches is no more dangerous that vacuuming up normal household dust, chemicals, and other things in the carpet.

 

[Sanifan]

Ha ha! Good one!

Didn't even see that it could be interpreted that way.

So opinions are leaning to the Shopvac. I think that may be the way to go. Effective, and no chance of soiling the Hyla with roaches. But what about some water in bin of the wet/dry vac? Would that be advised?

I was originally thinking of putting some Palmolive or other dish soap in the water to lower the surface tension. I was thinking that the roaches would sink underneath the surface and drown with the lowered surface tension. But I ruled that out with Hyla as the churning action would create a bubbly, foamy mess.

As the Shopvac doesn't have the same churning action, perhaps two or three inches of water with a dab of dish soap in the bin to catch and drown the bugs? I was also thinking that since the bin of the Shopvac is a simple, durable plastic, maybe a little bit of bleach, too, to kill the germs?

I think the strategy is shaping up. What do you think?

 

[kirbyvertibles]

I would go rent a vacuum toss the bag over a bridge and be done with it.

 

[Sanifan]

Hi, Scvacuumguy.

I was typing the last reply when you posted. Do you think the roaches will die with the suction of the Mighty Mite? I'd prefer a method that kills the bugs once they get in, hence the idea with the Shopvac, water, dishsoap, and bleach.

I just get creeped out thinking that I have a swarm of live roaches in my vacuum bag. I suppose it's all good once the bag is in the dumpster, but can't they crawl out of that tiny gap between the tab and the gasket? I'd hate for them to crawl out and infest any other part of the building. Any plan where they're killed in the vacuum is the one I'd prefer.

I'm glad they're not dangerous as far as pathogens go, but that sickly sweet smell of their droppings is quite disturbing.

I may try the Shopvac with solution if that sounds like a workable plan. Just don't want to deal with any live ones in the vacuum!

Thanks!

 

[twocvbloke]

I'd say use a shop vac, suck the buggers up, leave the vac running and grab a tin of roach spray, and spray that down the hose just as you switch off the vac (though it's unlikely that a running vac would ignite the propellant gasses, it's best not to introduce that risk), the air should still flow enough to suck it into the bin and coat the critters nicely, then pull off the hose, spray a bit more into the vac and tightly plug up the hole with something that they can't chew through, take the vac outdoors and then tip it out into the nearest wastebin (or pull out and chuck out the bag if it's got one fitted)...

I'm just glad we don't have roach issues here in the UK like you guys do, though we do have them in places, they're not as common as things like woodlice, which are fairly docile insects, but not something you want to step on bare-footed... :S

 

[tolivac]

Just picked up a slow moving roach on getting ready to go to work on mid shift-in the kitchen by the door.Used my Water Matic "Kitchen" vacuum.Insects breath thru openings on the sides of their bodies-"spiracles"they don't have lungs.The air goes right to their body parts-very efficient-but run the vacuum for a few min after picking up the roach or whatever-the air rushing thru the Spiracles will dry him out and kill him.and the turbulance inside the vacuum cleaner tears the roaches apart-when I empty the Water Matic-just find their dried parts.another vac I use is the NSS M1-Never see them again.Have used Kirbys,too.At the vacuum shop my way-he is neighbor to a restaurant-sucked up a roach with his Meile vacuum-loud "Thoop" in the vac-and a greasy spot on its bag.To sum up-ANY vacuum will pick up roaches.Just like any other bugs or debris.Out my way we get those large Dark brown "Wood" roaches as the locals call them.See them outside all of the time-just wish they would stay there-but if they stray into the house-many vacuums are waiting to pick them up!

 

[kirbylover]

Shop vac, perhaps with a cheap paper bag, toss the bag out after and then you can clean the inside of the vac again and it won't be so disgusting. I just have a hard time believing that they would find their way out of the vacuum but then again I know nothing about cockroaches.

 

[kirbysthebest]

Please recommend me a vacuum for cockroaches

Well I don't think Cockroaches use vacuums as their little arms are too short.
(giggle)

I am in agreement, if you must suck up the little buggers, use a Shop-Vac.

YUCK, now my skin is crawling.

 

[kenmore81]

Be sure if you use the Shop-Vac to use a bag or if you go the water/bleach way toss the filter. Rocheseggs can live in the smallest crevice even if a pregnant roach is killed her eggs can surviveoutside the body for I forget how long lol. But long enough to hatch if they are almost cooked.


I used to deal with cockroaches when i worked in fast food. Especallly when I worked at the food court in the mall.


Yoy wouldnt belive the amount of roaches that would appear after the lights went out at closing. It was like joes apartment.


I worked at D--kin Donuts and they loved the coffee. I seen one come up on my counter  and litteraly suck down a spot of coffee i spilled.


Anyway pest control also said never step on a roach because if its pregnant the eggs will actually stick to the design in your shoe and possibly come home with you and hatch. =( gross.

 

[gsheen]

I would use a canister vac or shop vac with a paper bag so they land in there and you can throw it away. I wouldn't want to clean out a shop vac with roaches in it 

 

[baglessball]

A couple of facts for you! Cockroaches can live 7days without a head! And they can survive explosions.. They are pretty hard core!

Can you get roach powder?

Shop vac with bag> roach powder>turn vac off get bag out and away from premises ASAP!

Let us know how you get on!

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Wellll

I personally would get a cheap upright with the direct fan system in it. So once they have gone up it they won't be coming out the bag again as going through the fan will kill them.
Then just bin the paper bag after. If they are left alive in the bag by using a clean air system they could escape out of the trash can and back to your home if your not careful.
And if you get a old vac your not bothered about you can get rid of it once they have all gone from your home.

James)

 

[whirlcool]

Defininitely a shop vac. Yuck.

The best way to get rid of them is using Boric Acid powder. Here is how to do it.

In each room, remove the cover plate from the electrical outlet. Don't unwire the outlet but just pull it out of the box in the wall. Drop 3-4 tablespoons of Boric Acid powder in the wall. Take a vac, set it up for blowing instead of sucking and put the nozzle in the wall for about 20 seconds. Put the outlet back in the box and the outlet plate back on. Repeat for all outlets.

In about 3 days there will be no more roaches. There will probably NEVER be any roaches in there again. I used this method in an apartment years ago and not only did I not have any more roaches, but the adjoining neighbors never had any more roaches ever again!

The nice thing about this method is that you don't have to leave the Boric Acid powder out where people or pets can get into it. Also, don't forget to treat the hole around where the drainpipes come in under the kitchen sink.

Any hardware store should carry Boric Acid, if they don't you can get this at Sears. Plus it's cheaper than buying those aerosol bombs.



http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...19x00001a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=SPM209370972

 

[ralph123]

hyla is fine

why not just use your Hyla? The roaches will drown in the water, and it won't hurt anything. You can always flush away the water when you're done.

 

[whirlpolf]

before bombing....

in case you use a dry filtration vacuum, suck them up and occasionally suck up some diatomaceous earth powder (non toxic, often in "green" insecticide powders). The microscopic grains will perforate the shell of the critters thus drying them out in the airstream. No chance, dead. Cheap as well.

Disadvantage: A very fine dust, can clog your bags quickly (unless you have an HQ bag). You need some good HEPA filtration as well or it will go back to the room air for you to breathe in. (Rumours have it that this might be cancerogenic, but I could not find any proven info on that, just google for more info).

in case of a fluid filtration: Add some (non-foaming) liquid ox-gall soap to the water (or any other enzyme based stuff). Same effect: They will be chemically "digested" or harmed.
Kerosene based lamp oil and a teaspoon of dish liquid will work as well, their breathing pores get clogged in an instant (the dish liquid breaking down the surface tension of the water and helping the "brew" to crawl up their capillary pores).

Disadvantage: Most of the stuff is too foamy for Hylas (or you must find the right oil/soap blend).

Good luck!

PS.: In order to get the "yuck" out of the whole affair, why not watch some episodes of "Oggy and the cockroaches" on youtube and simply enjoy ;-)))