Overview
- Researchers reporting in Basic and Applied Zoology saw mortality above 80% for German and American cockroaches using a baking soda–sugar bait over one month in three household sites, versus under 40% without bicarbonate.
- The reported explanation is that sugar lures the insects and ingested bicarbonate reacts with stomach acids to release carbon dioxide that proves lethal within hours.
- Current coverage from Argentine outlets shares home instructions to mix equal parts baking soda and sugar, place small portions in typical cockroach paths, and replace the bait every two to three days.
- Specialists caution that the method requires ingestion, does not affect eggs or hidden nests, and should not replace professional treatment in severe infestations.
- Outlets also promote cucumber‑based bicarbonate mixes as non‑toxic repellents for household pests, though this variation has less direct scientific support than the sugar bait.