# Why do Roaches like my soap!



## Guest (Jun 5, 2009)

Hope this isn't too gross but up in the NE area of Philly (a nice neighborhood), we have these huge black roach/water bugs that walk the street like people.  They congregate near sewer holes at night.

Just about every night at least one gets in the house, never totally alive, well one got in my box a soaps and he was munching away.  I guess he got full, turned over on his back and i threw him outside.

so first at the boutique, vermin ate the oatmeal off my soap, now this :x


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## Maria (Jun 5, 2009)

Before we decided to block access to the soap room, Wilbur our pot bellied pig, ate the better part of 7 bars.


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## heyjude (Jun 5, 2009)

You are much too kind. After I finished screaming, I would have flushed it down the toilet!!  :evil: 

Do you think the fragrance attracts the varmits??

Jude


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## Guest (Jun 5, 2009)

I hope fragrance doesn't cause my house reeks of almond and orange


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## donniej (Jun 5, 2009)

Just be glad you're not in South Philly.... the roaches there would walk away with all your soap


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## Tabitha (Jun 5, 2009)

We have Texas sized waterbugs here. I know what you mean. They do in particular like oatmeal soap. They also enjoy paper, so wrapping soap in paper will not do the trick. They do not much care for chewing through thick poly bags.


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## Guest (Jun 5, 2009)

Donnie, why are there so many of these water bugs up here on the streets?

I've seen um in west philly basements, have not seen them too many times in south philly...but up here, there are at least a dozen in every sewer hole, is it cause I'm near the river???


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## candice19 (Jun 5, 2009)

When they're upside down, they're dead... so maybe they died from eating soap  :wink:


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## ilovedoxies (Jun 5, 2009)

I saw those bugs when I lived in NC, except they didn't call them cockroaches but Palmetto Bugs.  Sounds exotic, huh?  It was a big effing flying roach!!!


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## donniej (Jun 5, 2009)

phillysoaps said:
			
		

> Donnie, why are there so many of these water bugs up here on the streets?
> 
> I've seen um in west philly basements, have not seen them too many times in south philly...but up here, there are at least a dozen in every sewer hole, is it cause I'm near the river???



I don't know, and you're not so close to the river that I think it would make a difference.  I have a friend who lives about half a mile south of you (also in Mayfair), I'll ask him tomorrow if he's seen any of them in his place... and if so if he's missing any of his soap


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## Tabitha (Jun 5, 2009)

I wish we had Palmettos instaed of waterbugs/roaches    .


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## krissy (Jun 5, 2009)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> I wish we had Palmettos instaed of waterbugs/roaches    .



you are crazy!! lol  we had those flying roaches in california and they wer 2 inches or more long. they would crawl on things and then when you tried to spray them, they'd fly at you face and in your hair! disgusting and scary!!!


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## Guest (Jun 5, 2009)

I will take the 40 below here, before I want one of those monsters in my house , crickets gross me out .Thank the good lord, we don't get ride on insects here :shock:

 Kitn


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## Vinca Leaf (Jun 6, 2009)

The first time I ever saw a "palmetto bug" was in New Orleans, and we were at an outdoor cafe.  Our waitress was wearing these hip go-go boots that were up to her knee, and I was like interested, disgusted and intrigued by this thing crawling up her boot while she took someone's order.  Someone at another table must have not been so intrigued because they got up, interrupted her and told her about the palmetto bug.  

Let the boot-thwapping bug dance begin.  She lost all sense of decorum. 

And ew on the roaches eating soap.  Maybe they're after the unsaponified fat?  Aside from the oatmeal, you know?


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## ilovedoxies (Jun 6, 2009)

I've heard that roaches will live on this planet long after man has extinguished.  I had thought about the unsaponified fat, they are scavengers.  

Crickets gross me out too, kitn.  
Especially the BIG ones.  

I had to use a half a can of hairspray to kill one of those palmettos.  Cheap ol' aqua net works the best!


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## xraygrl (Jun 6, 2009)

Palmettos and roaches aren't the same thing. I HATE both. Being in FL bugs are abundant here, and no matter how clean you keep your house you have to do some kind of exterminating or you will be overrun. Ants are a problem here as well. Sugar ants and grease ants, fire ants.....they love soap especially OMH. Thank GOD I got rid of those creepy little crawlers. *shudders*

 We keep everything in plastic food storage containers like tupperware, rubbermaid, and my personal favorite Lock and Lock. Of course my soap is not in those types of containers though, I keep those in those cardboard cd boxes from Ikea.


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## LJA (Jun 6, 2009)

ilovedoxies said:
			
		

> I've heard that roaches will live on this planet long after man has extinguished.




Well....cockroaches and_ Cher_, apparently.  :wink:


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## tincanac (Jun 6, 2009)

LJA said:
			
		

> Well....cockroaches and Cher, apparently.  :wink:



LOL!!!!  "Im strong enough to live without you, strong enough......"  - was that she was talking about???


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## LJA (Jun 6, 2009)

tincanac said:
			
		

> LJA said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm pretty sure!  :wink:


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## Guest (Jun 6, 2009)

ROFL .. at you two .


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## madpiano (Jun 7, 2009)

lol, glad I am not too fussed about creepy crawlies. We don't have many here in London (they propably drown in all that rain), but they were everywhere in Tenerife. Walking home from the pub at night was just like walking on cornflakes - crunch crunch crunch. 

Those of you overrun with them, how about keeping some useful pets ? Iguanas, Geckos, Small Snakes and possibly cats come to mind ? ok, apart from cats some people find those icky in their own way, but a gecko in your soap room would be cool ?


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## digit (Jun 7, 2009)

ilovedoxies said:
			
		

> I saw those bugs when I lived in NC, except they didn't call them cockroaches but Palmetto Bugs.  Sounds exotic, huh?  It was a big effing flying roach!!!




 While in the Southern states, the best defense I found was the use of boric acid. The brand name was Roach-Pruf powder. I believe there are several boric acid formulations out on the market. 

Here is a link that helps explain the use of boric acid. http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef614.asp


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