Will it ever be safe to sleep in my bed again?

Kill the bastard and all his kinfolk as soon as you can. I think most folks on this site are against killing bugs but I’m not. I am not bug friendly and will do anything to keep them at bay. So if they start to invade my space I will retaliate, especially if they get as close as trying to share my bed. Ewwwww!

A really good remedy is to mix some pure essential Peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle and spray the corners and crevices in your home. Keeps mice and roaches away. Good Luck!

Exterminator?

Thanks @AmWiser. I am not against killing bugs per se, but I haven’t particularly wanted to stomp this bastard… He’s so big, I’m not sure I could handle the cleanup… I’ve never heard of using peppermint oil? Does that really work??

@glacial: She only comes in my apartment complex on Thursdays, so that’s right out this week. I’ll have to wait til next week.

Treat him the same way I treat our resident spiders: if they break the contract (which means I can see them), they die.

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@AmWiser could it be, is it really true? Clean pretty smelling house and no bugs, amazing!
Next time I have an invasion I won’t have to worry about removing my cat?

That is amazing! Would it work on bed bugs? I know that’s a big problem in certain areas. Why does it work?

Spray a little Black Flag under your armpits before bed. lol
Yes, @AmWiser ‘s sharing on the Peppermint oil. It works!
I am not a bug killer but roaches, house flies, ticks and maggots don’t count.
Maggots make me want to die, I can’t even look at their squirmy, disgusting little horrible bodies.

I was so traumatized last year when they infested my trash can. I seriously felt faint just thinking about lifting the lid to see if they were dead after assaulting them with about 5 different chemicals. lol

In the top end of Australia there are roaches the size of kittens and they can fly. I have been backed into a corner more than once by one of the devils. And you need about a can and a half of roach killer before they even slow down. Stomping is without a doubt the best way, if you are brave and can get close enough before they fly into your hair! Good luck mate. The worst part is, there is rarely ever only one, but don’t think about that, just get this one and hope his relatives are not vindictive.

@Coloma “I’m not a bug killer but……” I’m definitely with you on that one. I include wasps on the list.

If you don’t disassociate yourself from the fear, your bed won’t ever feel safe to sleep in again. I’m not afraid of bugs in general but I am certifiable when it comes to spiders. I raised holy hell when my husband and I were camping a few weeks ago and there was spider chilling on the mesh under the rain fly of our tent. (In my defense, it WAS a relatively large spider.)

I don’t know what it’s called but you can get this cockroach killing paste here. I know you are a student and therefore funds are sparse, but invest in some of that and perhaps some roach baits. Hopefully they will go and eat that stuff and stay away from your bed.

I believe acting against the cockroaches will help you feel more in control and you can perhaps then go to bed in your bed.

Now I worry that my bed is going to think I’m having an affair with the sofa. LOL that was funny. XD

Yeah you know what, I have absolutely no idea…I’ve fought an army of fruit flies for a week straight, and came out victorious, and sometimes, I wrestle wolves. only one of those is true

Here’s what Wiki says about general anti pests methods;

General preventive measures against household pests include keeping all food stored away in sealed containers, using garbage cans with tight lids, frequent cleaning in the kitchen, and regular vacuuming. Any water leaks, such as dripping taps, should also be repaired. It is also helpful to seal off any entry points, such as holes around baseboards, between kitchen cabinets, pipes, doors, and windows with some steel wool or copper mesh and some cement, putty or silicone caulk.

I don’t know if that really cuts it if you have an actual pest problem though, and this paragraph is about the all encompassing…cockroaches are like, the most Viking style insects, they can live for days without food or water, as well, although they hate it, they can withstand extremely cold weather, and can live for up to four years. Not trying to discourage you, and anyways you only mentioned one cockroach, if you had an infestation, you’d probably know, as they get into food. I think that one cockroach was just being kind of random, which can happen. If it’s a female, you don’t have to worry about baby roaches in your bed, that wouldn’t be a suitable place for them at all. As far as bed visitors go, I’d be a lot more worried about bed bugs and shit. Now I’m not saying your place is a pig sty, but I know you’re a student and you’re busy as hell, so if your place isn’t as clean as it could be, that’s the only advice I would have, considering everything I know about cockroaches I just learned ten minutes ago on Wiki; don’t leave uneaten food around, rinse the dishes after you’re done, keep the kitchen tidy. (this is where they like to hang out the most, as well as the bathroom, because of the moisture provided by sinks and taps. If you got leaks, fix those, or have em fixed) But you did say that you don’t want to kill it because you couldn’t hack the mess…so it sounds to me like you’re already a pretty clean person. (but cmon, if it’s just the one roach, do the deed and kill that nasty mutha; be a Viking goddammit XD )

Of course that might depend on the type of cockroach…different household dwelling roaches like different kinds of environments. If you could actually figure out exactly what type it is, that would be a great weapon against them; but I’m not sure I’d go to all that trouble unless you have a veritable invasion on your hands.

I’m sure your bed is safe. Either the roach was being real random, or something nearby attracted it. If anything, you can wash your whole bed set, but I really don’t think the insect is going to make it a habit to continuously visit you.

Also, I said cock like, seventeen times.

Set up a defense around the entire bed, guarded by tiny elves armed with spears. Or, you know, maybe spray some bug spray around the perimeter. :p

I really understand your fear. When I had a baboon spider on my bed, for ages I felt the family was left inside my bed somewhere. I think the best thing to do is get some cheap roach killers. Or a “fogger” I am not sure if you get those there? You can light it and go out and it will kill all things that live. Other than that, I have no idea except do you have ‘ramps’ that they can walk up? like side tables pushed close?

Avoid snacking in the bedroom also. :( sorry this is happening to you, I know the imagination is probably running riot. But it’s rare to happen, unless you have a huge infestation. So lightening never strikes the same place twice? Hope that helps

Take all the bed linens off and wash them along with what ever you wear to bed. While doing that, take the mattress off the bed. Vacuum under the bed and the rest of the floor in the room; vacuum the top and bottom of the bed springs; vacuum the mattress, both sides. Put what ever roach deterrent you choose all along the edges of the room and on the bed springs. Put the mattress back in place. Put the clean linens back on. Then say an incantation to warn any roaches around never to enter your room again. . .or else. That should make it safe for you to sleep there.

Insects can be so rude & crass, banish those bad mannered, bastard bugs.

@Symbeline There’s no such thing as “just the one roach”.

Move above the Arctic Circle.

Case Closed

My daughter kept Madigascar Hissing Cockroaches as pets for years, starting in middle school when one of her science teachers gave her a tank of them. They were very interesting creatures but, they freaked me out. We had a cedar home at the time with knotty pine wood floors and once in awhile a roach would escape and they blended into the dark knotholes in the wood. I was ALWAYS thinking I saw a roach when glancing at the floors for years. lol

This is what a real cockroach looks like and what it takes to kill them.

A relatively non-toxic cockroach killer is borax. You sprinkle it along the perimeters of the room and where ever it is you and your pets do not walk. The roaches walk through it though and when they clean their little legs with their little mouth parts they ingest some of the Borax and it kills them.