We’ve all had that moment: you see a cockroach scurrying across the floor and your first instinct is to smash it. But while it might feel satisfying, squishing a cockroach isn’t just ineffective — it could actually make things worse. Here’s what you need to know.
Crushing cockroaches doesn’t work — and it might backfire
Cockroaches are surprisingly tough. Their exoskeletons are incredibly resilient — strong enough to survive pressure up to 900 times their body weight. That means even if you think you’ve crushed one, there’s a good chance it might still be alive and crawling around later, especially if you just toss it in the trash.
But there’s more. When you crush a cockroach, you may be releasing allergens into your home. Their shells contain particles that can trigger allergic reactions — things like sneezing, itchy eyes (conjunctivitis), or nasal issues (rhinitis), especially in kids or sensitive individuals.
Squashing cockroaches might make your problem worse
Here’s something a lot of people don’t know: dead cockroaches actually attract more cockroaches. These pests are scavengers — they’ll happily feed on their own kind. So when you leave a squished one behind, it can become a food source and draw in even more.
Even worse, when cockroaches are killed in a certain way — like being crushed — they release stress pheromones. These chemicals signal danger to other cockroaches, causing them to scatter and hide deeper in your home, making them harder to eliminate.
