Rice and chalk: a surprising combination that repels parasites
Tired of expensive traps and chemicals that force you to air out your entire home? The good news: there’s a much gentler and more ingenious method. It combines two common ingredients: raw white rice and a common craft ingredient , chalk powder . Together, they create a highly effective pest repellent.
Rice, ground into a powder, is very attractive to rats and cockroaches. Add a bit of chalk, and you have a bait that is dangerous only to them . Once ingested, the mixture hardens in their bodies immediately after drinking water, which can have fatal consequences.
A very simple way to prepare it at home
- Raw white rice
- Gypsum powder ( also called plaster of paris or white cement )
- Water
- Small containers ( bowls, bottle caps or small ramekins )
- Blender or mortar
Grind raw rice into a fine powder. Mix it with equal parts chalk. Pour this mixture into shallow containers near the pests’ habitat. Place a small bowl of water next to each container; this will activate the trap .
