Have a roach problem, and it got to the point that the roaches got into the dishwasher and possibly short circuited it so I need a new dishwasher.

I hired a professional exterminator, but its a losing battle because this is for a condo that shares a wall with a neighboring condo. Unless the adjacent unit also deals with their roach problem, the roaches are just going to move from my unit to adjacent unit and return when its safe.

Is there anything I can do that will make less likely that the roaches will want to return to dishwasher? I'm replacing it with a new one, and I was wondering if putting boric acid or diatomaceous earth underneath the new dishwasher would do that?

Combat or that paste stuff.

Also, the key term in your post (they will return when it's safe) is your answer.

My biggest headache to them has been 2 fold. Spread boric acid under all appliances and in cracks. This gets on them when they walk through it. They groom and ingest it. Their stomach cannot handle it and boom.

The other product is the Combat gel. It's like crack to them. They can't leave it alone, but can't live with it either. This one is better because they don't die right away. They will take it back to the nest and then die. Once the little cannibals go after the dead one, they die too. It's supposed to go about 7 cycles before losing effectiveness.

DE doesn't work if it gets damp, so not a good answer in a kitchen.

Boric and DE clump when wet, I use a kitchen sifter to solve that problem, only takes a whoosh out of a dish soap bottle to get under appliances, just blast it out everywhere often.

To be honest, boric acid works so well that I almost want them to come back so I can kill them all over again. I didn't get enough satisfaction from the last time because I didn't feel like I didn't extract enough payback for their previous infestations. Boric acid really messes them up and drives some of them crazy.

If Boric and DE clump when wet, how would a kitchen sifter solve that?

And, if the boric or DE is underneath the dishwasher and the new dishwasher isn't leaking, shouldn't that spot be dry so ineffectiveness when damp shouldn't be an issue?

For what its worth.

DE is now part of our painting jobs.

We remove outlet and switch covers anyway. So use one of those little puff dusters to shoot a little into every electrical box.

Main reason has been for preventive maintenance on bedbugs.

Josh,

On a sfh we do an exterior perimeter spray 3’ up and 3’ out from the foundation.

Treat the crawlspace.

They live behind panelling. Panelling makes elimination almost impossible.

DE should be dusted lightly. If thick the critters just walk over it without the desried effect.

Your place might habe them because the neighbors DID treat. I watched my roaches cross the driveway and enter the neighbor’s house while my bug man was treating my rental.

I LOVE Combat Gel but it dries in a day or two and is worthless. So put out fresh small strings every day.

The Gentrol makes them sterile. Helps.

BRAD

As gross as this might sound, after you poison the roaches, don't sweep them up right away. The living roaches will carry them back to where they are nesting and will eat their own dead.

In doing so they will end up also getting killed.