Roaches are ruining my life. How do I get rid of them?!
I recently moved into a new apartment and discovered there are roaches. We're pretty good about keeping tidy but we've gone into clean overdrive since discovering the roaches. But I'm not sure it's working. We see at least a few a week. We are pretty quick to spray them and have set traps up for them. At what point do I call a pro? What else can I do myself?
View hidden comment
For a complete guide to this topic, read the wikiHow article The Best Ways to Get Rid of Cockroaches in Your Home.
wikiHow forums are moderated for quality. Learn more about our moderation policy here.
Submit Answer
There are two main kinds of roaches you'll find. The first are German roaches, and these are the ones that live inside of cabinets, behind the fridge, and around the stove. They multiply in huge numbers. You can eliminate them completely by using Raid or a similar repellent. A targeted approach is essential. Usually, you want to isolate the affected area so you can treat the kitchen without making the problem bigger and prevent the roaches from spreading. It's crucial to place bait for the roaches. So you keep applying that for a week or two weeks until you can control the problem.
The other kind of roaches are American roaches or Oriental roaches, also called water bugs, which come out once in a while but are usually found in basements. For these, you can spray some repellant in the basement around the places that you see them come out from because these kinds of roaches live in the sewer, and you cannot kill all the roaches in the sewer. So all you can do is stop them from getting inside your place. Any commercial roach repellent will work.
View hidden comment
The other kind of roaches are American roaches or Oriental roaches, also called water bugs, which come out once in a while but are usually found in basements. For these, you can spray some repellant in the basement around the places that you see them come out from because these kinds of roaches live in the sewer, and you cannot kill all the roaches in the sewer. So all you can do is stop them from getting inside your place. Any commercial roach repellent will work.
Raid will not kill german roaches. I doused one until it appeared dead on it's back put it in a sealed bottle and it was alive and kicking shortly. Spraying some commercial roach repellant down your drain will not keep them away.
Roaches also can become bait averse and will avoid glue traps and even build immunity to insecticide. For being a Pest Control "Professional" this advice your advice is very poor and ignorant.
Buy some Alpine WSG and read the directions on how to apply it. Keep all your drains covered. Caulk areas where they might be able to enter and put steel wool around open entry points like drain pipes. Buy something to seal the gap underneath your front door.
View hidden comment
Roaches also can become bait averse and will avoid glue traps and even build immunity to insecticide. For being a Pest Control "Professional" this advice your advice is very poor and ignorant.
Buy some Alpine WSG and read the directions on how to apply it. Keep all your drains covered. Caulk areas where they might be able to enter and put steel wool around open entry points like drain pipes. Buy something to seal the gap underneath your front door.
Pest control goes hand in hand with cleaning. Vacuuming up roach eggs, especially with German roaches, is crucial to fully eradicating roaches in your home.
View hidden comment
Make sure you store all of your food in sealed containers, clean up crumbs, and take out the trash regularly. If you remove their food source, that will help. You should also seal up any holes and cracks around your doors, windows, and walls so they can't get inside. Plus move all furniture and appliances and clean behind/under them. Then bait/kill with boric acid or even diatamaceous earth (sp?) for the ones that are already inside. That's what worked for me. Good luck!
View hidden comment
I've had the best luck killing roaches with boric acid. Just sprinkle some around the perimeter of the room, inside cabinets, and near doors and windows. The boric acid affects the roach's nervous system, so after a couple days, you should stop seeing them around your home.
I'd also recommend some cockroach traps from the store. Advion is a good brand that has worked for me :)
View hidden comment
I'd also recommend some cockroach traps from the store. Advion is a good brand that has worked for me :)
Just saw a roach scurry in my ac vent in the ceiling, when i turned on the light in my bathroom. How can i get rid of them? I'm afraid there might be an infestation.
View hidden comment
Cockroach species vary, and their treatment depends on identification:
–American Cockroach: Large, usually found in wet areas like basements and boiler rooms. Reducing moisture and sealing entry points can help.
–Oriental Cockroach: Similar to the American cockroach, thrives in damp environments.
–German Cockroach: The most common household pest, particularly in apartments and kitchens. Identifiable by two black stripes on the pronotum.
For German cockroaches, sanitation is key. Clean food spills, remove clutter, and use bait traps rather than sprays for better targeting. If you live in an apartment, cockroach infestations can spread between units, so contacting building management or professional pest control is often necessary.
View hidden comment
–American Cockroach: Large, usually found in wet areas like basements and boiler rooms. Reducing moisture and sealing entry points can help.
–Oriental Cockroach: Similar to the American cockroach, thrives in damp environments.
–German Cockroach: The most common household pest, particularly in apartments and kitchens. Identifiable by two black stripes on the pronotum.
For German cockroaches, sanitation is key. Clean food spills, remove clutter, and use bait traps rather than sprays for better targeting. If you live in an apartment, cockroach infestations can spread between units, so contacting building management or professional pest control is often necessary.
Diatomaceous earth is great for all bugs. It’s safe to use, just don’t breathe the dust as you are applying it. They put it in cattle feed to take care of parasites. People use in their smoothies, same reason. Bugs will just avoid the area, DE shreds their exoskeleton. Heh-heh.
Look on Wiki to see a photo. It’s easy to find with a search, not just feed stores, I once found it at a pet supply store, food grade, a lot for the money.m Just don’t breathe the dust as you apply.
Mine came in a needle nose container, like a diner ketchup squeeze bottle, Try it. Like it. Then do it for an aging neighbor, do the parameter of auntie's house. Snap a photo to see his long the application lasted. Won’t bother plants, it’s safe to use.
Assisted living and dorms should have DE in use. It’s faster than bait.
Die-uh-tom-a-shus Earth.
View hidden comment
Look on Wiki to see a photo. It’s easy to find with a search, not just feed stores, I once found it at a pet supply store, food grade, a lot for the money.m Just don’t breathe the dust as you apply.
Mine came in a needle nose container, like a diner ketchup squeeze bottle, Try it. Like it. Then do it for an aging neighbor, do the parameter of auntie's house. Snap a photo to see his long the application lasted. Won’t bother plants, it’s safe to use.
Assisted living and dorms should have DE in use. It’s faster than bait.
Die-uh-tom-a-shus Earth.
I've been using DE for years on the big water bugs. I put some DE in a squeeze bottle and creep up on them and squeeze some out overhead. If any gets on them, they're goners. Sometimes if it gets in their eyes, they may run around in circles, just enough time to step on them. If they do get away, have no fear. They will try to rub off the DE and it will cut through their outer coating and dehydrate and die. They usually come out after a day or so, lay on their back and beg you to kill them. I rarely find a dead carcass anywhere. Sometimes I will lay down a strip of powder across my doorway, so they will have to cross over it to get in my bedroom. It may look bad, but hey, it works. It's cheap too, a little goes a long way. My bag is over 15yrs. old and still plenty left.
View hidden comment
Do these work well for all kinds of roaches? I've seen some pretty small ones and some really big ones at home. Are they the same?
View hidden comment
I have been trying the clove tea and baking soda and I still have them crawling around in the clove tea. I’m using the frabricfabric softener it works pretty good then I started adding fabric softener to my coffee pot to rid them out of the coffee pot and I noticed it seems to be doing a good job at running them off. Also popcorn and cement and baking soda seems to work well but I’m being over run and I’m heading to the store to get some stuff to help. I don’t know where you find the determine powder and would like to know where I can get it. That’s not the correct spelling but I think you’ll know what I mean
View hidden comment
Diotemacious Earth aka DE is I think what you mean. You can get the better food grade DE at Tractor Supply in either a bulk bag or a few lbs plastic container with a shaker top (it's a square shape). In my local Tractor Supply it is near the horse medicine section
View hidden comment
What’s on your mind? Ask anything.
Get advice and feedback from experts and wikiHow readers just like you.
Ask a Question
More Forum Discussions
Related wikiHows
Expert
6
How to
Kill Household Bugs
What do other wikiHow readers have to say?
Other wikiHow readers have submitted their own tips on topics similar to this one.
Reader Tips from The Best Ways to Get Rid of Cockroaches in Your Home
If you stay in a motel or other location with a roach problem, be extra cautious not to transfer roaches back home with you. Carefully inspect luggage before packing it and wash all clothing immediately when you return. Store food tightly sealed and keep your space very clean.
When spraying pesticides into cracks and crevices, spray until soaked to ensure roaches contacting the surfaces die quickly. However, avoid overusing pesticides and don't continue using them unnecessarily once the infestation is under control.
When using boric acid powder or other pesticide dusts, be sure to wear gloves while applying it. Then discard the gloves so roaches aren't attracted to pesticide residue on your hands later. This protects you from exposure.
Consider adopting a few geckos and releasing them in your home. Geckos will hunt down roach nests and eat their eggs. This can provide natural pest control. However, be prepared to be startled by the freely roaming geckos!
To make a homemade sticky trap, cover a cookie sheet completely with shipping tape, sticky side up. Put sugar or another food in the center as bait. Roaches will be drawn in and get trapped by the tape.
Cockroaches love appliances that are always connected because they're attracted to the warmth and heat. The nest could be in one your appliances, so set up traps and disconnect the appliance (so the roaches get stuck when they're moving out).
Roaches often appear because of poor sanitation, clutter, and cracks in your walls. If you smell a musty odor in your unit, it might be a sign of an infestation.
For a natural insecticide, put a few drops of rosemary essential oil around your room.
Reader Tips from How to Get Rid of Roaches by Caulking
Remove EVERYTHING from your home. Spread a light coating of boric acid everywhere. Caulk all the plumbing. Spackle what you can't caulk. Sweep, vacuum, and bleach like crazy. Just be careful if you have pets or small kids as these cleaners can harm them.
Don't forget to check behind wall mounted items like a door chime or Thermostat. There are usually holes leading into the walls there.
