Korean Job Discussion Forums

Linda868 · Joined: 16 Nov 2008 Location: Korea

I had found 2 cockroaches in a 24 hour period one week. So I bought a bunch of roach traps and placed them in dark places like cupboards and by the crack in our front door. I also spray raid in places they might come to. Today I found 2 roaches again. I have found 6 of them in the past few weeks. Our place if kept clean, dishes are soaked in soapy water, crumbs cleaned, floors swept on a regular basis, etc...

What else can I do? Also, what is the special goo thing I have heard of that seals the cracks (can be found in a Korean pharmacy I read...thanks) (if anyone knows what it is can you give me the Korean name of it).

Thanks in advance!

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

boric acid powder -- it is available at pretty much any pharmacy here -- write it down and the pharmacist will point you to it or get it for you. It is about 600-800 won for a small box, is used to make a solution to wash your eyes (in case of an injury or extreme gumminess, like when you are sick). You sprinkle it along the baseboards or where roaches will walk through it. I did it for a week, but after day three, I didn't see a roach again. I haven't seen one since.

I feel it is less dangerous than the traps (I mean, you wash your freekin' EYES with the stuff!), it is cheap, and it works better than anything else I have ever tried (I learned about it when living in Texas).

Cheers!

waynehead · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Location: Jongno

I'm just thankful we don't have REAL cockroaches here in korea, I've only ever seen pinky sized ones or smaller.

tremendous · Joined: 12 Aug 2009

Mochi · Joined: 20 Oct 2008

Unfortunately I have quite a bit of experience with cockroaches. Roaches are much worse in other countries, it's true. In Japan they are twice as big, twice as smart, twice as fast and they fly.

You cannot deter roaches by cleaning up, though it's a good policy anyway. Keeping your place spotless is no guarantee that they will not come. I've had no luck with traps and even gas bombs do not work. The best things you can do are to cover your sink holes at night (a bag of water works well) and to keep a can of raid handy - this is just for your peace of mind. If you've ever chased a roach around with a shoe and the damn thing gets away, and then you try to go to sleep, you know what I mean.

Basically a place with roaches is a places with roaches. Getting an apartment high off the ground helps a lot. Good luck. I feel for you.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Read here:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=45639&highlight=roaches