Why You Should Stop Using Raid Spray Immediately

When your home is infested with bugs such as cockroaches or ants, your first thought is to reach for a pesticide spray such as Raid. Or maybe you use Raid regularly to prevent bugs from entering your house in the first place. But how safe is this spray for you and your family or any pets you may have? Is the efficiency of this product worth the potential risks and side effects? 

When it comes to ants, however, Dr. Death Pest Control warned that when ants carry the pesticide back to their ant colony it creates panic. They overcompensate for the ants they've lost by creating new colonies, so you eventually end up with more and more ants, not less. The outlet recommends using a pest control company that doesn't rely on repellents. They will feed the ants a poison that they will take back to the colony and queen, killing off all the ants without inducing panic.

Because of chemicals like cypermethrin and prallethrin which are used in Raid, breathing in these toxic fumes can cause serious problems to your lungs and airway, resulting in coughing, nausea, and wheezing — and if they come in contact with your skin, burns and itching, warns Safety. In rare cases, they can cause cardiac arrest and paralysis. In small children, if inhaled in large quantities the fumes can cause problems with the central nervous system.

Your pets don't fare much better either; they can develop all the same health problems as we can from inhaling Raid, but they can tolerate even less. Even having Raid on our hands while we stroke them could cause problems for your pets. If they groom themselves afterward they will ingest the chemicals, potentially making them sick.

If you have to use it, House Trick says to leave the room with the door shut for 15 minutes and once that time has elapsed, to have correct ventilation in place, open all windows and doors. Then ideally wait a further two hours before allowing family members or pets to enter.

In light of all the potential dangers involved with using commercial bug repellants like Raid, you may feel better making your own with natural, non-toxic ingredients. Healthline has some suggestions for different types of bugs. Cockroaches are repelled by dill essential oil; putting a few drops on some cotton wool balls and dotting them around your house can help, but Healthline warns to dilute before applying it to your skin to avoid irritation. Additionally, citronella oil is good for mosquitos, and you can buy candles with citronella to use outside or inside to keep them at bay.

Healthline has a homemade spray recipe for use around your home. You'll need to gather a spray bottle, lavender essential oil, lemon eucalyptus oil, citronella essential oil, 2 ounces of distilled water, and 2 ounces of white vinegar. Mix 10 to 20 drops of all the oils with the vinegar and water. Shake to mix the oils in with the water, and remember to shake before each use as the water and oils will separate when left. Spray wherever you need around your home, but remember it is not suitable for topical use.