You don’t need toxic sprays or expensive exterminators to start reclaiming your home. With simple ingredients like rice, sugar, and a few carefully chosen additives, you can turn the pests’ own hunger against them. Cooked rice mixed with sugar and a small amount of boric acid becomes an irresistible last meal for cockroaches, especially when tucked behind fridges, under sinks, and deep inside dark cabinets where they feel safe.

For rats, uncooked rice is the secret core of a deadlier bait. Blended with plaster of Paris or baking soda and sweetened with sugar, it causes fatal internal reactions after they feed and drink water. These methods are inexpensive and discreet, but they demand respect: keep every mixture away from children and pets, and label containers clearly. With patience and caution, a quiet kitchen staple can become the safest way to end a noisy invasion.