Does Windex Kill Cockroaches [Yes & No, Know Why]

Cockroach infestation is common in many households. Removing them from your home is challenging. So, look out for cheaper ways before purchasing expensive pest removal. So, does Windex kill cockroaches? 

Roaches can hide inside in tiny spaces as small as 3mm. So, their removal becomes more difficult than you think. Continue reading to learn how Windex kills roaches. 

Do Roaches Like Or Hate Windex?

Roaches definitely hate Windex. The glass cleaning product is used for killing different kinds of bugs, including small insects. Cockroaches are not small. But you can easily remove one or two of them by spraying Windex. 

There are many roach killers available in the market. But Windex is cheap and can be found in almost every home. All you have to do is spray it on a Roaches crawling in your home. Wait for a while and throw the dead Roach in a bin. Windex has a thicker consistency than water. 

So, it kills bugs like Cockroaches smoothly. But Windex is not a Roach repellent. It can only work as an insecticide. Remember, Cockroaches are adaptable. A Roach with a strong survival instinct might not have any impact from the Windex.

What Ingredient In Windex Kills Roaches?

Windex consists of many harmful chemicals which can kill Roaches. But the most prominent ingredient is ammonia. It is a multipurpose cleaning product. The main component of Windex is water, Isopropanolamine, Ammonium Hydroxide, Sodium Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate Wetting Agent, and Sky Blue Dye. All of these chemicals can easily kill any insect. When Roaches are exposed to these ingredients, they will die. 

Ammonia in Windex breaks down the outer cell membrane of the Roach body cells. The rupture of the body cells and tissue expose it to water and other constituents. It will eventually swell the body leading to death. So, Windex will take time to kill Roaches. Small cockroaches might die within seconds. But the bigger ones can take a few minutes. 

How Much Windex Can Kill Cockroaches?

The quantity of Windex to kill Cockroaches depends on the size and number. It can be 2 to 3 sprays or maybe half a bottle. Windex consists of hazardous chemicals. So, unless there is a massive number of Roaches in your home, a few ml might be more than required. 

As soon as you spot a roach or its hiding space, grab the Windex and spray plenty on it. Leave it for a short while. Check it later; it will be gone for good. Windex is an insecticide, not a repellent.

So, it can only kill the Roach. Occasionally Roaches can have no effect on the chemical. So spraying a lot of Windex can also have no impact on the Roach.

Can You Use Car Brake Cleaner To Kill Roaches?

Yes. You can use car brake cleaner to kill Cockroaches. Brake cleaners consist of several toxic chemicals. These chemicals are strong enough to kill several numbers of bugs. The active component of the brake cleaner is Tetrachloroethylene.

It also contains many other toxic compounds which can be hazardous to human skin. So, when spraying it on a Roach or its hiding place where gloves and a face mask. Also, remember it is a flammable compound. So, avoid using it near the kitchen and electrical devices. 

The brake cleaner has a thick consistency. So, when you spray it on a roach or bug. It suffocates them to death. So, two or three sprays are more than enough for a small Roach. But you can increase the number for a large Roach. 

How to Use Windex To Kill Roaches?

• What to Use: Get the Windex that has ammonia. It’s bad for roaches and makes it hard for them to breathe.
• How to Use: If you see a roach, spray it with Windex. Make sure you spray a lot so it can’t move and then dies.
• Where to Spray: Notice where you see roaches the most. Spray Windex there to keep them away.
• Keep Food Safe: Roaches love food. Keep your food in tight containers and clean any mess right away.
• Be Safe: Don’t spray Windex where you make food or where kids and pets play.
• Not a Forever Fix: Windex kills roaches you see, but not all of them. To get rid of them for good, use roach baits, or traps, or call a bug expert.
• Good for Earth: Windex is better for the planet than many bug sprays.
• Make Your Own Spray: Mix Windex and water in a bottle. Add some peppermint oil. This helps keep roaches away. But don’t use it near where you make food.

How Does Windex Kill Cockroaches? 

• Why It Works: Windex has ammonia. Roaches don’t like ammonia because it’s hard for them to breathe around it.
• Ammonia’s Effect: Roaches breathe through small tubes. Ammonia messes that up.
• Weak Shield: Windex can make a roach’s outer shell weaker.
• Surprise Attack: When you spray Windex, the wetness and chemicals confuse the roach. This makes it easy to get rid of.
• Keep Them Away: Roaches don’t like the smell of ammonia. So, they stay away from places you’ve sprayed.
• Good for Earth: Using Windex is kinder to our planet than many strong bug sprays.
• Not a Bug Spray: Windex works when you spray it on roaches. But it’s not like bug sprays that keep working for a long time.
• Roaches Might Come Back: Once Windex dries, it stops working. So, roaches might come back.

What Other Household Chemical Will Kill A Cockroach?

Roaches can become adaptable to the environment after living there. Sometimes this adapting character makes them immune to insecticide. So, it is better to use different approaches when killing Roaches. The simplest way is to use things available at home. Below I have listed chemicals that can help you eliminate Roaches from your home. 

Baking Soda

Baking soda is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to remove Roaches from home. It is something you will probably find lying in your pantry. To make a Baking soda insecticide, take two tablespoons of Baking soda and mix it with a tablespoon of chopped onion. 

You can replace chopped onion with onion powder. But increase the quantity. So, you will need two tablespoons of onion powder. Make the mixture in a deep bowl or dish and place it in your kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.

As soon as a roach eats this mixture, it will become bloated due to acidic production from Baking soda. Soon the Roaches stomach explodes, causing death.

Borax Powder

Borax is the main constituent of many laundry detergents. It is an excellent chemical to kill Roaches. Borax is basically Sodium tetraborate. It penetrates the Roaches’ body cells and dehydrates the body. Roaches can lose body water quickly, making Borax effective in killing them within minutes. 

Mix Borax and white table sugar in equal parts. So, you will need a tablespoon of Borax or laundry detergent and white table sugar. Mix it in a deep bowl. Then place it near Roach’s entrance point. You might have to repeat it for a few days for an effective result.

Essential oils

Essential oils are amazing Roach repellent. The best results are from Rosemary, clove, peppermint, or lemongrass essential oil. Rosemary essential oils have shown a hundred percent mortality against cockroaches. 

According to 2013 research by Sharawi, Omara, Ghamdi, and Abd-Alla, Clove and Rosemary oils may be used as insecticides against American roaches. Both of them show equally great results. But clove oil is more toxic to the local Roaches. 

To make the insecticide, pour 3 to 4 drops of pure essential oil into a cup of water. Spray the mixture anywhere you find roaches. You can spray it in bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens. 

Diatomaceous Earth

This chemical is found in many household products, including water filters, skin care products, toothpaste, anti-caking agents, and abrasive cleaning products. It is an excellent killing agent against Roaches. 

DE is a natural insecticide. So, you can also find it easily in a market. It is made of silica, minerals, and some iron oxide. All you have to do is sprinkle some DE or apply DE-containing products around your house. When a cockroach comes into contact with DE, it will penetrate its exoskeleton, causing extreme dehydration.

Final Thoughts

Windex and many other household cleaning products can work as insecticides. They contain an abrasive chemical that can easily penetrate a cockroach exoskeleton causing a slow death.

Ammonia in Windex causes extreme body swelling. But brake cleaners kill roaches by suffocating them. Other household agents like essential oils and laundry detergents kill them by dehydration. 

So, many products can work against Roaches. Sometimes they can become immune to chemicals. So, even when you use a large quantity, it will have no impact. It is better to begin from the weakest agent and slowly towards the most abrasive chemical for better effect.