How to Get Rid of German Cockroaches: The Ultimate 2025 Control Guide

Last updated on May 7, 2025

German cockroaches are the most widespread roach species in the United States and can be found worldwide. Known for their incredible reproductive capacity and resilience, these pests pose significant challenges for homeowners. Unlike some cockroach species that occasionally wander in from outside, German cockroaches prefer to live permanently inside human dwellings, making them particularly troublesome pests to eliminate.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through proven methods to identify, prevent, and effectively eliminate German cockroach infestations from your home. With the right approach and persistent effort, you can reclaim your space from these unwelcome invaders.

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Understanding German Cockroaches: Know Your Enemy

German cockroach identificationBefore diving into control methods, it’s essential to properly identify German cockroaches and understand their behavior. This knowledge will make your elimination efforts much more effective.

Identification Features

German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) have several distinctive characteristics that set them apart from other cockroach species:

  1. Size: Adults measure approximately 1/2 to 5/8 inch (12-16mm) in length.
  2. Color: Light brown to tan with a yellowish cast.
  3. Distinguishing marks: Two parallel dark stripes running from behind the head down the pronotum (shield-like covering).
  4. Wings: Although they have fully developed wings, they rarely fly, preferring to run rapidly when disturbed.
  5. Nymphs: Immature German cockroaches are smaller, darker (almost black), and also display the characteristic parallel stripes.

If you see cockroaches during daylight hours, this often indicates a severe infestation. German cockroaches are normally nocturnal, so daytime sightings suggest their hiding places are overcrowded.

Life Cycle and Reproduction

Understanding the reproductive capacity of German cockroaches helps explain why they’re such persistent pests:

  • Rapid reproduction: Female German cockroaches produce one egg capsule (ootheca) every 3-4 weeks, each containing 30-40 eggs—the highest number among household cockroach species.
  • Maternal care: Unlike other species, the female carries the egg capsule until just before hatching, providing protection for developing eggs.
  • Fast development: Under ideal conditions, German cockroaches can develop from egg to sexually mature adult in as little as 60 days.
  • Multiple generations: This species can produce 3-6 generations per year, allowing populations to grow explosively.
  • Early maturity: German cockroaches reach reproductive maturity faster than any other cockroach species.
A single female German cockroach and her offspring can theoretically produce over 30,000 individuals in just one year under ideal conditions.

Behavior and Habitat Preferences

German cockroaches have specific behaviors and preferences that influence where they hide and how they spread:

  • Indoor species: Unlike some cockroach species, German cockroaches are exclusively indoor pests and do not survive well outdoors in most climates.
  • Warmth and moisture: They prefer warm, humid environments, which is why they’re commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms.
  • Proximity to food: These pests typically establish harborages (hiding places) within 10 feet of food sources.
  • Nocturnal activity: German cockroaches are primarily active at night when they forage for food and water.
  • Aggregation behavior: They tend to cluster together in groups, communicating via pheromones that attract other cockroaches.
  • Small space exploitation: Their flat bodies allow them to squeeze into incredibly small cracks and crevices—as little as 1/16 inch wide.

Health Risks

German cockroaches can spread disease-causing organisms like Salmonella and E. coli. Their shed skins and droppings are also significant allergens that can trigger asthma attacks, especially in children.

Introduction Methods

These pests typically enter homes in grocery bags, cardboard boxes, used appliances, or even in the folds of delivery food bags. They can also migrate from neighboring apartments or homes.

Common Hiding Places

Popular harborage sites include behind refrigerators, under sinks, inside electronics, behind wall fixtures, within cabinets, and along plumbing pipes.

Integrated Approach to German Cockroach Control

Check your local stores for traps

Modern pest management experts recommend using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies rather than relying solely on chemical treatments. This comprehensive approach combines multiple tactics for more effective and longer-lasting results.

Step 1: Thorough Inspection and Monitoring

Before implementing any control measures, conduct a thorough inspection to identify where cockroaches are hiding and determine the extent of the infestation:

  1. Use a flashlight: Cockroaches hide in dark places, so a good flashlight is essential for inspection.
  2. Check key areas: Focus on kitchens and bathrooms, especially:
    • Under and behind appliances (refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, dishwashers)
    • Inside and under cabinets and drawers
    • Around sinks and plumbing fixtures
    • Behind wall decorations and clocks
    • Near garbage containers
    • Around electronics that generate heat
  3. Look for evidence: Besides live cockroaches, look for:
    • Droppings (small, dark specks resembling ground pepper or coffee grounds)
    • Egg cases (small, brown, purse-shaped capsules)
    • Shed skins
    • A musty, oily odor (in heavy infestations)
  4. Use sticky traps: Place adhesive monitoring traps in suspected areas to confirm presence and identify high-activity zones.

A nighttime inspection can be particularly revealing. Enter the kitchen or bathroom at night, wait a few minutes in the dark, then suddenly turn on the lights to catch cockroaches in action before they scatter.

Step 2: Eliminate Food Sources

Keep food sealed

German cockroaches can survive on even the smallest food residues. Implementing strict sanitation practices is crucial for successful control:

  • Clean all kitchen appliances thoroughly. Pay special attention to toasters, microwaves, stoves, and refrigerators where food debris accumulates.
  • Empty and clean kitchen cabinets. Remove all items, vacuum out crumbs, and wipe down surfaces with soapy water.
  • Store food in airtight containers. This includes pet food, which should be stored in sealed containers and not left out overnight.
  • Wash dishes immediately after use. Never leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight.
  • Clean up spills and crumbs promptly. Even small food particles can sustain cockroach populations.
  • Take out garbage regularly. Use trash cans with tight-fitting lids and take garbage out every evening.
  • Restrict eating to designated areas. Avoid eating in bedrooms, living rooms, or other areas where food crumbs can be dropped and forgotten.
  • Vacuum daily, especially in kitchen and dining areas. This removes food particles that might not be visible to the naked eye.

Step 3: Reduce Moisture and Water Sources

Eliminate moisture sourcesGerman cockroaches need water to survive, so eliminating moisture sources is just as important as removing food:

  • Fix leaking faucets and pipes promptly. Even slow drips provide enough water for cockroaches.
  • Check for condensation around pipes, refrigerators, air conditioners, and other appliances.
  • Dry sinks, bathtubs, and shower areas after use. Consider using a squeegee to remove excess water.
  • Use a dehumidifier in damp areas like basements or bathrooms without adequate ventilation.
  • Empty pet water dishes overnight and refill them in the morning.
  • Check for water accumulation under houseplants and avoid overwatering.

Step 4: Eliminate Harborage Areas

Reducing the number of hiding places available to cockroaches makes your home less hospitable to them:

  • Seal cracks and crevices in walls, floors, and around pipes with caulk or sealant.
  • Fix loose wallpaper and seal gaps around baseboards where cockroaches can hide.
  • Reduce clutter, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. Stacks of newspapers, paper bags, and cardboard boxes provide excellent hiding places.
  • Install or repair door sweeps and weather stripping to prevent cockroaches from entering.
  • Repair or replace torn window screens that might allow cockroaches entry.
  • Check escutcheon plates (the metal plates where pipes enter walls) and ensure they’re properly sealed.

Cockroaches can squeeze through extremely small openings—as narrow as 1/16 inch. Thorough sealing of cracks and crevices is essential for preventing them from establishing new harborages.

Effective Methods to Kill German Cockroaches

Once you’ve implemented the preventive measures above, it’s time to actively target the existing cockroach population. Modern pest control emphasizes baits over broad-spectrum sprays for more effective and targeted elimination.

Baiting: The Most Effective Approach

Cockroach baits combine a food attractant with a slow-acting insecticide. This approach is highly effective because:

  1. Cockroaches consume the bait and return to their harborage before dying.
  2. Other cockroaches then feed on the poisoned droppings or carcasses, creating a “domino effect.”
  3. The slow-acting nature ensures the poison spreads throughout the population before killing the initial cockroaches.

For maximum effectiveness when using baits:

  • Place bait in multiple locations. Focus on corners, edges, and areas where you’ve seen cockroach activity or droppings.
  • Apply bait in small amounts in many locations rather than large amounts in few places.
  • Target key hiding places:
    • Behind and under appliances
    • In cabinet corners and along edges
    • Near plumbing fixtures
    • Behind wall hangings
    • Inside drawers and cabinets
    • Along baseboards where activity is noted
  • Don’t spray insecticides near baits. This can repel cockroaches from the bait.
  • Maintain strict sanitation to ensure cockroaches are attracted to the bait rather than other food sources.
  • Replace consumed bait and refresh bait stations regularly, especially in areas showing continued activity.

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Combat Max bait stations contain fipronil, a highly effective active ingredient that kills cockroaches through both ingestion and contact. The child-resistant design makes these stations safer for homes with children, while still remaining highly accessible to cockroaches.

How Does It Work

Cockroaches are attracted to the food-based bait, consume it, and return to their harborages where they die. Other cockroaches feed on the poisoned carcasses or droppings, causing the insecticide to spread throughout the colony.

How to Use

  • Place bait stations in corners, along edges, and near areas of cockroach activity
  • Position stations about 3-6 feet apart for light infestations, closer for heavy infestations
  • Place in cabinets, under appliances, and behind fixtures
  • Check and replace stations every 3-4 months or sooner if empty

Pros

  • Long-lasting protection (up to 12 months)
  • Child-resistant design
  • Easy to use with no mess
  • No odor
  • Kills cockroaches where they hide

Cons

  • May take several days to see results
  • Multiple stations needed for effective control
  • Not as effective if competing food sources are available
  • Cannot be used in areas exposed to water

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Advion Cockroach Gel Bait contains indoxacarb, a powerful active ingredient that targets the nervous system of cockroaches. The bait comes in four pre-filled syringe tubes for precise application in cracks, crevices, and other cockroach hiding places.

How Does It Work

The unique bait matrix attracts cockroaches to consume the product, after which they return to their nesting areas. The active ingredient then works through both primary and secondary killing methods - cockroaches that consume the bait directly will die, and cockroaches that consume the feces or carcasses of affected roaches will also be eliminated, creating a domino effect throughout the infestation.

How to Use

  • Apply small dots of gel in areas where cockroaches travel and hide, such as under appliances, along baseboards, in cabinet hinges, and around plumbing fixtures
  • Place bait dots in multiple locations throughout the infested area, using more in heavily infested areas
  • Reapply as needed when bait is consumed or every 2-3 months
  • Avoid applying where cleaning products might wash away the bait

Pros

  • Highly effective against even resistant cockroach species
  • Secondary kill effect helps eliminate the entire colony
  • No offensive odor
  • Precise application means bait can be placed exactly where needed
  • Does not repel cockroaches, encouraging them to consume the bait

Cons

  • May require multiple applications for severe infestations
  • Slightly more expensive than some other options
  • Must be kept away from children and pets
  • Effectiveness decreases if exposed to water or cleaning chemicals

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Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs)

Insect Growth Regulators are an important component of modern cockroach control strategies. They work by disrupting the cockroach life cycle rather than killing adults directly:

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Gentrol Point Source IGR

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Gentrol Point Source contains hydroprene, an insect growth regulator that mimics juvenile cockroach hormones. This product comes in easy-to-use disk form that slowly releases the active ingredient into the surrounding area.

How Does It Work

The IGR prevents immature cockroaches from developing into reproductive adults. Exposed nymphs may survive but develop abnormalities that prevent successful reproduction. Over time, this breaks the breeding cycle and prevents population growth.

How to Use

  • Press the center of the disk until it clicks, activating the product
  • Place disks in areas of cockroach activity, focusing on harborage areas
  • Use one disk per 75 square feet in average infestations
  • Position in cabinets, under appliances, near plumbing fixtures, and in drop ceilings
  • Replace every 90 days for continuous protection

Pros

  • Complements insecticide treatments by preventing reproduction
  • Works for up to 3 months per application
  • No risk of cockroaches developing resistance
  • Low toxicity to humans and pets
  • Easy to use with no mixing or special equipment

Cons

  • Does not kill adult cockroaches
  • Slower results compared to traditional insecticides
  • Must be used alongside other control methods
  • Higher cost than some alternatives

Click Here to Learn More

For maximum effectiveness, combine insect growth regulators with baits. The IGR prevents reproduction while the bait eliminates the existing population, providing a more complete control strategy.

Natural and DIY Control Methods

Natural pesticides

If you prefer natural alternatives or need temporary solutions while waiting for professional products, consider these options:

  1. Boric Acid

    Mix equal parts boric acid and sugar to create an effective cockroach bait. Place small amounts in shallow dishes or bottle caps and position them in areas of cockroach activity. The sugar attracts the roaches, while the boric acid damages their digestive system and exoskeleton.

    Safety note: While less toxic than many chemical insecticides, boric acid should be kept away from children and pets. Never apply on food preparation surfaces.

  2. Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

    This natural powder consists of fossilized remains of diatoms and works by absorbing the waxy layer on the cockroach’s exoskeleton, causing dehydration. Apply a thin layer in areas where cockroaches travel but away from areas accessible to children and pets.

  3. Petroleum Jelly Traps

    Create simple traps by coating the inside of a deep, smooth-sided container with petroleum jelly and placing food bait at the bottom. Cockroaches can climb in but cannot climb out due to the slippery coating.

  4. Vacuum Removal

    A strong vacuum cleaner can physically remove cockroaches and their egg cases. Focus on known harborage areas, and immediately seal and dispose of the vacuum bag afterward.

Bug bombs or total-release foggers are NOT recommended for German cockroach control. These products rarely reach the hidden areas where cockroaches live and may actually scatter the infestation to new areas of your home.

When to Call Professional Pest Control

While many German cockroach infestations can be managed with DIY methods, there are situations when professional help is warranted:

  • Severe infestations where cockroaches are visible during daylight hours
  • Persistent problems that don’t respond to DIY treatments after 2-3 weeks
  • Multi-unit buildings where infestations may span multiple apartments
  • Homes with young children, elderly, or individuals with respiratory conditions who may be more sensitive to cockroach allergens
  • When accessibility is limited to areas requiring treatment
  • For prevention programs after successful elimination to ensure cockroaches don’t return

Cost Considerations

Professional German cockroach treatments typically range from $100-$300 for initial service, with follow-up visits costing $75-$125. Many companies offer monthly or quarterly maintenance plans for long-term protection.

What to Expect

Professional pest control services typically employ IPM strategies, using a combination of inspection, baiting, targeted insecticide application, and follow-up monitoring to ensure complete elimination.

Prevention: Keeping German Cockroaches Away

After successfully eliminating a German cockroach infestation, maintain these preventive practices to avoid future problems: Regularly inspect your home for any signs of new infestations, such as droppings or shed skins, and take immediate action if you notice any. It’s crucial to keep areas clean and free of food debris, as this will help minimize attraction for cockroaches and reduce cockroach poop health risks. Additionally, sealing cracks and crevices can prevent these pests from re-entering your space.

  • Continue rigorous sanitation practices even after the infestation appears gone.
  • Conduct regular inspections using a flashlight to check potential harborage areas.
  • Maintain monitoring stations in key areas to detect new activity early.
  • Promptly address moisture issues and repair leaks to prevent attractive conditions.
  • Be cautious with secondhand items like furniture, appliances, and electronics that might harbor cockroaches.
  • Inspect grocery bags and packages before bringing them into your home.
  • Seal potential entry points around pipes, vents, and utility lines regularly.
  • Consider preventive baiting in high-risk areas even without visible activity.
Even one pregnant female German cockroach can restart an infestation, so vigilance and continued prevention are essential even after apparent elimination.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to completely eliminate German cockroaches?

Complete elimination of German cockroaches typically takes 2-8 weeks, depending on the severity of the infestation, the control methods used, and how consistently prevention measures are implemented. Light infestations with proper treatment might be resolved in as little as two weeks, while severe infestations in cluttered environments could take two months or more to fully eliminate.

For successful elimination, maintain control measures for at least one month after the last cockroach sighting to ensure any remaining eggs have hatched and been eliminated.

Are German cockroaches dangerous to humans?

German cockroaches pose several health risks to humans:

  • Disease transmission: They can spread pathogens that cause food poisoning, diarrhea, and other illnesses by contaminating food preparation surfaces and utensils.
  • Allergic reactions: Their droppings, shed skins, and body parts contain powerful allergens that can trigger asthma attacks and allergic reactions, especially in children. These allergens can become airborne and persist in house dust for long periods.
  • Psychological impact: Severe infestations can cause stress, embarrassment, and sleep disruption, affecting mental well-being.

The health risks increase with the size of the infestation, making prompt control essential.

Do German cockroaches bite humans?

German cockroaches rarely bite humans. While they have mouthparts capable of biting, they typically only resort to this behavior under extreme circumstances, such as severe overcrowding and food scarcity. Even then, bites are uncommon.

Their primary health impact comes from disease transmission and allergen production, not from biting. If you suspect you’ve been bitten by a cockroach, clean the area with soap and water and monitor for signs of infection or unusual reaction.

Why do I still see cockroaches after treatment?

Several factors might explain continued cockroach sightings after treatment:

  1. Egg hatching: Newly hatched nymphs may emerge from protected egg cases that weren’t affected by the initial treatment.
  2. Incomplete treatment: Some harborage areas might have been missed during application.
  3. Bait resistance: Some cockroach populations have developed resistance to certain insecticides.
  4. Competing food sources: If alternative food sources remain available, cockroaches may not consume enough bait.
  5. Reinfestation: New cockroaches might be entering from neighboring units or through recent deliveries.

Continue with your treatment plan, ensuring comprehensive coverage of all potential hiding spots, and maintain strict sanitation to reduce competing food sources.

Can I use roach sprays along with baits?

It’s generally not recommended to use repellent sprays in the same areas where you’ve placed baits. Many spray insecticides contain repellents that can deter cockroaches from approaching and consuming the bait, reducing its effectiveness.

If you choose to use both products:

  • Apply sprays only in areas distant from bait placements
  • Use non-repellent sprays if possible
  • Allow spray residues to dry completely before applying baits
  • Focus on creating a barrier at entry points rather than treating interior harborages with sprays

For most home infestations, a comprehensive baiting program combined with sanitation and exclusion measures is more effective than relying on sprays.

Are there any cockroach control products safe for homes with pets?

Yes, there are several cockroach control products that can be used safely in homes with pets when used according to label instructions:

  • Bait stations: Enclosed bait stations like Combat Max Defense System prevent pets from directly accessing the bait.
  • Boric acid: When applied properly in cracks and crevices (not in open areas), boric acid poses minimal risk to pets.
  • Insect growth regulators: Products like Gentrol have low toxicity to mammals when used as directed.
  • Diatomaceous earth: Food-grade DE is generally considered safe around pets when applied in targeted locations.

Always keep pets away from treated areas until products have dried completely, never apply baits in areas pets can access, and store all pest control products in secure locations away from curious animals.

Conclusion: Your Action Plan for German Cockroach Elimination

German cockroaches may be resilient pests, but with a systematic approach and consistent effort, you can successfully eliminate them from your home. The key is to attack the problem from multiple angles—removing food and water sources, eliminating harborage areas, and using effective baiting strategies.

Your 7-Day Action Plan

  • Day 1: Conduct thorough inspection and place monitoring traps
  • Day 2: Deep clean kitchen and bathroom areas, removing all food sources
  • Day 3: Address moisture issues and seal cracks and entry points
  • Day 4: Apply bait products in identified harborage areas
  • Day 5: Place IGR products to prevent reproduction
  • Day 6: Re-inspect and apply additional bait in high-activity areas
  • Day 7: Establish ongoing monitoring and prevention routine

Remember that consistency is crucial. Even after you no longer see cockroaches, maintain your prevention efforts for at least a month to ensure any remaining eggs or nymphs are eliminated.

By combining thorough sanitation, habitat modification, and strategic use of baits and IGRs, you can reclaim your home from German cockroaches and maintain a pest-free environment for you and your family.

Inga Cryton

About the author

Inga Cryton is the researcher and creator behind PestKill.org, a site dedicated to providing well-researched pest management information. Through thorough research and consultation of reliable sources, she shares effective and environmentally responsible pest control strategies. Have a question or topic suggestion? Get in touch.

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304 thoughts on “How to Get Rid of German Cockroaches: The Ultimate 2025 Control Guide”

  1. Boric acid doesnt work for german roaches from my end most sprays and fogs make it worse we were explained until wears off they hide making more behind walls sockets or walls when it wares of from you cleaning they come back crazy the gel brown in color worked german roaches he said both produce carry eggs on them so if you killl it clean it get outside or eggs catch. Boxes from stores dont take your box stuff out of boxes how most get tgem from stores infested and the hide in boxes even eat boxes and paper. Bring your own bags get 1.00 baggs to go inside your cloth ones if you wish no spills i wash mine my cloth bags. They don’t last forever but cjeaper than trying kill roaches. Even if your clean old greases fats on burners toasters you really will have something as are hands have oils a knob and they will come out just after you clean. Cover tooth brushes you reallt dont want to see what they do to them and then in your mouth ugh. The gel waa pretty fast the guy csme in with a flashlite turn lites out thry leave dots behind so if renting a place look for dots open cabinets look between stove counters. Usually kitchen bathroom if inna room you really got a problem. All the borax evem in one room under cabinets even under frig did not work and german roaches are not afraid of light and will greet you on a counter not always run like other roaches will and more night time we were told regular roaches work ti fogs and you see them dead but german roaches run and hide until fog or sprays wear off by then a bigger problem as you starved them as they made babies and come back hungry and more. Not that fogs didntbkill other bugs but they avtually eat dead bugs to and skin so dry skin even animals your fur babies.the gel did work it like a line in food cabinets back board of stove sink crack area for about two weeks its sweeping them out they wont run as fast start slowing to die so yes you will see more for good reaaon they came out from hiding will eat bait this is good not bad yes you see more hopefully alot more si they all go . take food boxes like ceral in a bag store until you open then put in containers. Pasta keep in frig as they eat it . any box foods get out boxes store stuff innplastic not paper boxes. For regular bugs spray outside or cedar bugs hate cedar why cedar chest and closets are nice . i said i want a hiuse lined in cedar some day funature to as critters bugs just dont like cedar. Dry all water areas to i found this also even keep alcohol around in a spray bottle aa it drys area fast if your in a hurry sinks drains dry them. Stored bags plastic dont keep them or keep not inside put in a jar. Fold them or i used a old laundry soap bottle took inner piece out cap it pull out for trash but keep outside andccap after dryed. Wet things like frozen or coldc sweat. Mildew draw more bugs . fold them put in sealed container if you feel you must keep them. I shop certain times and wash all bags when done. I found many bugs dont like dryer sheets so yes i get extra put in clothes areas between sheets even. Bed bugs innone place i rented was insane since then i bag most thingsjust to make sure but my clothes smell good and i got bigger size for sheetes and all with dryer sheets between i just put in something. wet toss in dryer before putting on my bed always now a cover and spray with akcohol as i change weekly. Even if your clean it doesnt matter could be from anothers house or store or just mother nature invited them in. And we are not perfect and you wont even see what they eat. Even your skin on your body is food. Dry skin more. And naturally falls. Sime like scent of cleans or sprays. Peanut butter is rats fav. So watch things you use to kill one may bring another screens windows working pipies all this i find true and your yard over grow damp from rain even worse. Mulch keeps damp ground tires are used now herr even in colors. Old tires are ground and reused wood alot animal like very damp area. Even if you dont realize it get things for moisure. Natural things do this. Coffee gets odora out watch out hazel nut is a favorite to rats mice my friend. found out so is chocolate and peanut butter so candy wrappers seal it yout crumb is a meal plus for bugs. You wontvever see all your bugs or be rid of them all. We fogged ever 6 monthes including attic. We never saw roaches but found dead one after. We didnt shop at foid places gave boxes free are bug man at mt friends said tgat how most get them if stores keep boxes dome places break down as come in and be thankful none when you want to move. Seem uosetting but bringing roavhes in a new place is no fun. Yes buy boxes or travel plastic dont kerp old stuff if you do keep neet and clean aa possible and check every so often. We did not need bug man but twice at my friends house but borax did really work kept them less becausecthey hid making more when we saw less they were hiding from killer. When first spray if you see more be patient tgey are coming out basically to eat poison and die not come out and stay si yes you will see more and its not instant they eat die in spot. But when slower running away they are dying hard part you have no idea were tgey all die or cant get to it si yea seal it close it clean it soak it sweep it. Unbag. Un box it. If you buy bulk to save get things not in boxes take your own bags wash them . dry climates myst have something they deal with but humid areas damp you wont even notice but if normal to you when wint e and heats on a headache as you draw moisture out. Crack a window you let moistite in headache less so now its less heat extra blanket. I dry sinks and all out areas i cant get alcohol spray i use drains garbage disposal i squirt dawn down as runs dish soap gets grease . it will foam up then gown down. Pour any grease in a glass jar and waah outside after you seal onlt takes a drop. Tinfile liners. Change often or spills if not glass top. Animal food water feed on a schedule or you feed bugs too put treat inna dish or give outside or clean up after even animal slobber has food mixed. Wipe down furniture cloth is nice but harder at times to clean DE seems to work but it shows to put it down and vacuum regular to work so its not just put down leave awhile so really dont toss alot down. Thinking better vaccum bags well suck uo bugs fleas put it away and they live if you have bagless remember hose and all. Big not always better. bleach kills germs not mold actuallt spreads mold. Some cleaner work giod on mold. Oils can be toxic to pets so watch oils most share for bugs can kill pets be harful even in your skin evennplug in if you happen to unplug to vacuum set on wood and while vaccum cord moved it tips yeah wearcoil hit eat wood finish. Watch your cleaners many mixes ate causing gasses or damage something just dint mix. Go to a reputable site . old things we found wirked way back when may have but manybthings have changed newee things used than what was used so take a risk may cause more cost and damage. Not sayingvall is bad. Old ways work still on somethings. Buy less and share. We git into buy more and keep it all and its hurting us more than we realize arexwe reallt saving or paying out innother ways. Buy bulk share cost spit with neughbors friends. . less gas less cost prepare meals plan them work less cost less. If we dont buy it all you work lessbe kind friendly share. None if it goes with you and youbcan be health and die. Work long hours is stress. Work less hours live with less you find big fancy houses ate people who work ling hours rarely home. Lest cost the seem home more andctime for family friends enjoy life you may never reach age to retire. Many in my life who pass before 40 were ok was someone else a car accident or hit by a car or work related injury or a chemical . we wont always realize this butvyou dont have to be sick to die and whar seems health maybbe hidden like the bugs we dont see. Just di best you can there is no killer ti kill it all but taking oxygen out but then kills us all. So yes bugs yiu will have no matter how clean you are or feel you are as others are not clean and we all touch. Bet you never think the stuff touched at a store you think is new has been picked up by so many put back down. If you go sit in a store just people watch you will realize in acshort time more reality. You public toilets are not the issue. And mist things we do thinking helping us can rally be making it alot worse. Probanly most things we do ti save cost later cost us more. And we usuallt find this true whatvhelps one area may not help another. Also bugs become resistant just like soaps hair care stuff work. And then not same. Funny medicine too if people realize medications put for one thing but side effects help better for another thing so its pullee name changes as a new medicine but only name changecand reason for it a stop smoking med worked as anti depressant si pulled off market name changed and nobanti depressant. The market was they make more as anti depressant than quit smoking. But if you have both in you life two for 1 . glad i didnt take up smoking . just realize yall bugs will be do what you can but tgey were before us and sure after us buying more is not always best unless sharing save. Saving for a storm or emergency is not a bad but go tgru it use it stuff does go bad and if we shared more we would not keep so much. When yiy have a fire tgat takes all in seconds you will learn the cost of all that stuff and will break you aa so much we save is memories and the memories inside us too as keeping it to pass on and on at somepointva fire a leak mold or bugs a spill somethingvwill take it away and we have memoroes within us its not replaceable and the fire not evenna fault of a person but just happen in nature and heat. For some a job went down or company and lost housing to havingva life style a job fit but job gone it doesnt fit. No fault of employee just what happens. A bigger job more pay we tend to get a bigger car bigger house more stuff live nore comfy as most say. To work longer hours more stress and enjoy it less. Go with less and enjoy what you have life reallt seens long but its can be really short. Making each day you wake up a new start dont wait for a year each day is that. You have no idea today you will be alive tomorrow. Most people have no idea they would die the day they did we may think big things dontvhappennits rare like a school shooting. killing 40 but over 40 die each day just not all make the newsand not all are seniors. Some get a breath some do not some live ti see seniir age some do not. So do what you can but killing all your bugs you kill yourself and bugs still come. Just di best you can. No one wants to see bugs but reality you deal with touching more things harming you without realizing it. But we see some bugs in out house or get bit or run on kitchen couter or out a microwave ok i still am at gross a hotel on actrip heat up meal 10 minutes and a roach greated me. Not a gross motel was actually very nice place what you could see clean but how does a roach survive 10 minute cook time to be alive? Someone said tgey sit in vent area as steam moisure food smells from steam travel even foid you dont see travel with steam so food for them amd tgey can live and nest in area you cant clean or see. Behind sockets are commonnso if you watch wear the run most times they run to home. If you see running to same area your better to find wear to bait. But dontvfreak out when bug man comes and daysclater you see even more expectvyou will. You just dont realize you had more bugs they just dont appear fully grown or that many from spray it you just did not see them all andcbug sprays calling them out. Bugs hate to die too si yes somethings they run to like humans we run to what we like to be killed in health at times so bugsxwill come out some thingsxattrack them mixed with things to kill. The saying gets worse before better. You will see more then will go. So first treatment we saw alot more come but like day two then noticed not as fast moving and within two weeks gone. We did do a second round as waa a rental and had it coming in. I say sprays andcall we did to save on bug company was alot cheaper bug man. We didnt need year contract we did once and yes saw alot thankful he shared this tip first or we think as others here say but got less then saw none. We did second round and did not have likecfirst time as innmany coming as they had died already so cining out if hiding adding more was they died now so was just keeping up. If you live in apartment your neighbors may keeo your bugs if tgey are not clean. If tgey have a bug person but use same sprays sime bugs get used to and learn to stay away until you clean and mop away poison. So regular service maybe needed usung different kind speay so dint build up immunity or get ysed to it. Report bug issues dint wait ir find out if you can use your own comany. Worth the money if people in units around are not clean or clean but got more bugs or stuff. As for bed bugs ugh horrible and you can be clean and have them a hotel clean only takes one tiny bug on your clothes you cant even see. Because of this i still bag still toss pillows and all in dryer. It not wash kills tgem but heat. And lavender does not kill them they just dont likecl smell and becone rsistant to same killers yes found at the beginning this and had resistant kind. And a military brat so yes i clean everything has its place its neat well kept i waah things but also learn along the way what kills one feeds another. So we will have some problem always may not be bugs all time maybe a person or work or family but always something. And we will learn more frimnwhat hurts us than what helps us. I did learn all sprays foggs powders most times cost me more than hire professional. I actually saved more had less work. I now use small bags take out daily as i rent. I dint bother with a big can waa just my lazy in waiting to take out. So i buy cheaper small bags toss daily. I had heavy bags cost more for heavy trash waiting all week built up. Built up so do bugs as they can get in even cloesed. Space between counters and stove so i can clean is nice now. I hatee it drop but so close stuff still drop or spill you cant see how bad but keeps bugs. So im ok with it now. I have my rountine now more now is others around me. Im not perfect but i learned better in things i did not do i could improve on and honestly glad i learned as helped me. Without bug man goung to my friends i continued my way. And when i rented i foundctge hard way . weccant always afford things when we need it or dont think so try do cheaper faster and that waa problem. After i lost everything. Yes everything but my body and clothes i had. on….yes i cried over memories everything i carried since a baby was gone to and things from way back before me. Wha i learn pasin on things was nice i ot to see and stories but tching hins i was artache o with my gram m niece never got to meet her so it rlly had strong meaning to me to her it was a story wihout feelng like i had so gorvhr a picure and a story would be about the same then saving it all. For me im visual more so looking toucing holin hings pased on wa nice. If you decide this use cedar chest hey had bvk then and now i kep out bugs. But wont stop a fire fie boxes din and all heat depends o kind of fire ho long it sat in fire and heat of fire. And i alsi learned this dont just keep one fire box that may not survive the fire. Make more than one copy safety deposit box a fiend or family or more tgan one bank location so if. Simeing happens to one uts alsi at another. Keep a list. Of houshold items adly most places want a acual reciept that fades. Producs registred inna week or two of purchase or voids warrenty but if insurance ra a form or download its kinda crazywe dont think howmuch money things cost as we buy when we can but when you loose it all a pott brush at 5.00 was cheapes at wallmart without holder. All your basic things cost more than your big TV. All the taxable stuf all the gadgts tha helped you idnt register or feel a fire wouldchapen as your a good cook use safey until it was not your fite in your place that burned your place . the listis good. I stared a file for this si now if i buy thing ys i take tge few minutes to register bu also put on my list as i wont remember later like i think i will if anyhing goe in a spot i do once a week now. I do buy less and learn how much i carried around that reallt did not help as when its gone it hurt but i did and do survive without. I share more i plan most things better like store trips. Really does help if you find people who like similar or shop places as you cannbreak up list going each person one place ibstead of yiu each going 4 places go when you can and bring back items for each other. If buying bulk mamy times it is cheaper unless things on sale. If you have space ti buy bulk but using it. Splitting it up saved us. We found plus gas and running all over does take some planning but we saved time breaking it up. No longer 4 places but 1 . alsi shipping items to a store free or if over a amount free shipping was nice. Or sending my list on phone so you could see my list cost and coupon on apps atraches at check out many places apps havecstore list and coupon pinns so when yiu check out comes off enter your number if you pin coupon on app so sending to. The one shopping that store puts in number an can see items. Most part same items ir similar. Places you go you learn. So we each realize store we go to shipping bigger things or sales can bennifit. Meal planning really saves and on health to besides cost and stress can share this also. Meet many momscwho join together andctgey split up helping shopping kid care date nights even bug man lol. When its your pain you will find away or you not be on here looking it up. I just moved and company has policy. So i put in request . mor person next to me who fryes daily. So yes at times not always you but you will never be perfect yourself so it just is. Im moving to another area however nothing is perfect DE does work but it not sprinklecdown and leave long time. If you can even take dust of it. But even shows ti pit down vaccum up. I just got in habit of really doing better myself. Not putting off. I haveca smaller vaccumm and easy to get it and. Picks up more than my broom. And took less time if i just did it not wait. I waas the i do in morning im tired hard day but found the less 5 minues was done my days off really less work as i kept up daily not weekly. If you have friends and you share things split up even house hopd stuff. If share a place clean up after yourself and stays clean if you each do. Or one sweep one mop one does windows. At times you find someine hates doing things another doesnt mind so you end uo doing things your ok with. If your alone clean up still. Si you can truly relax not spend off day cleaning if alone your only cleaning your own mess. But for all who said you had more bugs you will learn i hope from this yes you will and i wush pest control told you you should see more i hope you do tgats really showing you you had more than you realized help more with cleaning habits also even if generally you areeven if just moved in . lets you see the problem..you can actuallt help bug man if you watch wear they run to if can get a picture so he not at i have a brown roach and sime small black bug. Andca skinny bug he can actuallt see bugs more a problem to focus on it. But i not gound many who share first few days to even a week later those bugs be coming crazy then you see they don’t run as fast away and you start see less. We did not have infestation to what bug peiple call its seeing many in a kitchen is not when travel to rooms yeah. So keeping food out of rooms keeps them more out. Kitchen and bathroom is water wet damp moisture yes even toothbrush. At a gust ofcsoneone i waa on potty at like 4am to see a roach on her toothbrush and. So grossed out as looks like having sex with your tooth brush had i not told her thats whatvher and her kids brushbteeth with that very day was a store newcbrushes and covers. They like toothpaste andcsome things we ude to kill them they actually like. Sponges just dont. Its not cheaper and your wipingvgreases over and you think your cleaning and your not get washclith for kirchen use that then wash them. Its not really cheaper. If you realize what grows yiu cant see its soaking in dirt oils greases you cant rinse out. If you want a big bucket with good seal lid with cleaner they in . a frindcput a small tention rod in bin and sits out to dry keeps in until laundry day as the lint stays on clothes so washes seperate. But alot of hacks to daveccan save atctimrs atctimes saves for moment but adds cost later. As for german roaches running from you i laugh as all roaches tend to run away but german andcday or night they come and will just sit there like ya i see you gi ahead try kill me im faster. Until bug man. But the brown strip or area put dont clean it off. Usuallt put in corners under cabinets . backs or cornetrs of jewers areas not usually wipes area hard get fingers but good areas roaches but looks like poop of bug like glue but brown. But if you see brown dots even on wood its poop from bugs they use flashlights to see areas worse. I got somecat stores comes in syringe didnt work. Raid ant and roach i spray screen window ares doir ways trash cansoutside light areas seem keep themnnot coming in or i just am better with keeping up now dontvwait forcweekly i just do daily
    Waa not as bad as i made it to be justctired i felt and just ill mop sweep day off no big deal. Thevno bigvdeal turns into a big deal. Getting myself inna routine really helped. Even if your a family kids can help to even if toddler. Toy and clothes jail really helps kids learn . shoes towels toys bathroom stuff all the daily stuff if not clean up goes ti jail to get out of jail if young it can bevlike magic and appear aftee helping out
    Age does change and kids actuallt like to help if you make ir fun or a game. Boys basker ball hoops for dirty clothes even by colors a moster machine for vaccum creative moms can really think cool stuff up just put to what your kids like. No need yell scream they wont do better but silently goes to jail with a list how to get out of jail maybe doing another chore . if tgey scream andccry stays in jail longer no need to scream enough if you di goes longer until you cave in. If you cavectgey win you find out your kids learn how to get it is cry scream goes for store to. Thatcall stops when they dont win. Unless if course its not a tantrum but truly your child has other challenges even if you dont realize it. Lesson to all why i dint like hitting screaming when youbfind out a childs grumpy is sick or tantrum. Is not or gaining weight is junk food you think or being rude or yelling at you. And it could but when you find out a brain issue or illness or disease or got hit in the head fallingbon playgroundcand nonbig deal was brain injury and they never told you as no big deal just hurt a bit. Or at 4 your child tantrums are found to be autism but no teal majors aa you saw in other kids so you nevercrealized it as yiur child does same as others except the vaccuum or water is not i hate water in my face as you rince my hair out or blow dry my hair i like it wet its actually painful some of these small things and a picky eater maybe picky with a gastric problem they can explain just as we cant always explain but foods cause pain so they get picky but its not same kinda pain or suck we think and your child may notveven understand but the brain is powerful. Try hard not to blame as you have no idea truly thatceventhings in enviroment could be causing this or heriditary condition no one in family rralizes they all have it gor generations may even look different for ach person. Then it shows. Notca kids trantrum or. Acting out being mean or rude. Yelling and hitting doesnt trach respect. Its gettingva quick reaction not taking time. Dint worry about what other parents think as every parent has there own challenges no house is perfect no kid or parent is and no one is so just deal with your child best you can. Ask for help if needed talk to your child away from others its not about shame. Its learning ni shame in learning. We all do wrong things. Nonneed to say shame on you bad boy or girl. Lowers them . they will make mistake andcdoing shame on you will need therapy later bigger cost more than money. We got the same she it just comes out. We can learn from atr parents. Grandparents are a 2nd chance at a parent at times at times not. We will just keep learning bugs and all. Hope some learn from this your bugs will come after spray not all bugs you spray kill instant and it may kill one you spray but not a nest you want them out not hiding. Bechappy they come out then they die. More come out more that die if you only saw some and more come out that shows you you had bigger issue you could not see regular spray at times the poison keeps them away not dead or a few die so you think you win when you keep clean mopping away. Spray they return more as tgey stay away from poison but keep producing babies. So flio thinking a bug man cones and yiu wint see anymore . but a bug man sprays if really had bugs you will see them. I judtchadcthis place spray 2 weeks. Now they are coming out. Had i not learn this in past i go nuts but 3rd weekthey are moving slow some dead already. Bestvif yiu can rent a place have them spray but delay your move. And iblearn not to explainmy delay. But before all in spraying waiting see if 2ndcspray before move in. You have no idea past person a clean out if done wontvgo behind walls and sockets air units places you wint see. Makecsure kitchen cabinets between stoves under washer dryer dishwasher stove and counters. There are gap filler hacks yiu can use if space between but helps broom and mop as stuff will drop and don’t wait for what you see as just ine or two roaches if german crazy reproduce. 100s male and female papers boxes and foid old greases fats tissue dead bugs whatever. Thankfully gel worked changing a few shopping ways truly helps and my own ways cleaning doing better myself but ni not perfect we will never be bug free we just wont see them as much

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  2. Recently sold my parents’ house. They had a bad infestation of German roaches. There were boxes of things that we wanted to keep (old photos, documents, dishes, etc). Most items are in my living room. I have seen a few roaches since we moved stuff to my house. I have put out baits. Will try boric acid if I see more soon. My problem is the smell! I am working on putting things in different containers and getting rid of the old boxes, but what do I do about the smell in the meantime?

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  3. Had them all over our house before we moved in NJ! My mom and I bombed the house multiple times, didn’t leave food out.. etc to no avail.Managed my apt here in FL and had an infestation from a renter who lived well let’s state it nicely, nasty..The roaches literally, not kidding jumped on my head upon entering the doorway. I used the roach gel found at Walmart and put it right into and around the doorway with great success. I did reapply often like once a week and keep in mind no one was living there, no food source for a couple months..

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  4. I didn’t have time to read. I still want to help. I know a one good way to get rid of those beasts. My original country I an from is Ukraine. We have them and it was my the biggest problem. Couple years ago I moved to The US. My husband rented a house in South TX without me. Believe or not, when I arrived there I was absolutely shocked of the amount of those beasts. First thing I did it was visiting Walmart and buying a big bottle of borric accid . I sprinkled it on the perimeter of sinks, bath tub. Just make sure they don’t have an access to water. Those beasts are cleans creachures .. They crowl to the sinks to get water at least once for 3 days. When the accid is on perimeter their legs absorbs a powder and when they are back to their tribe they clean them, so they leek the legs and the accid comes to their stomaches. In 1 month I got rid of them. Good luck. Sorry for my English.

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  5. I live in an apartment in South Florida and have German cockroaches that will not go away no matter what we do. I have actually become a clean freak because of them–I never leave out dirty dishes or food and clean the kitchen every night. I keep food in either the fridge or in sealed containers, including the cat food. At first I tried killing them myself by using Raid which did nothing. Then I read that Boric Acid is a great remedy, so I tried that. Still, the roaches seemed to multiply rather than diminish. I had no choice at this point but to call an exterminator. They switch between spraying and leaving bait every time they come out. They started at the beginning of September and it is now the middle of November and I am STILL seeing cockroaches. And according to the apartment manager, this is an “isolated incident” because the surrounding four units do not have roaches…..how is this possible when I am doing everything to get rid of them?! It is causing major anxiety and depression as this is the first time in my life I have ever even seen a cockroach in person and I have two kids. I was told not to use anymore Boric Acid or anything, because using other things could actually counter act the methods the exterminator is using, making his treatment ineffective. I’ve considered breaking my lease and moving, but I’m terrified the little f***ers will make their way to our new place in the moving boxes. So now I am completely at the mercy of the exterminator and my question is, how many months of treatment does it usually take before they are all gone?

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  6. I am going to tell you how I got rid of them at my friends house. My friend was overrun. In broad day light you could see thirty of them crawling the walls, they’d crawl over my shoes and onto my clothes when I visited him. It was awful. So I killed them all. I used the cuppa recipe. You need a cuppa self rising flour, cuppa sugar, cuppa boric acid, cuppa Crisco brand vegetable shortening. Mix it. It makes a stiff poison dough. Make dough balls. Put them in the crack. Put it on flat lids on the countertops. Put it in the floor where you see them. Put it behind the stove. Put it behind the fridge. We watched thousands of roaches came out and were EATING it. My friend became angry at me. 7 days later, not a single roach to be seen. To this day the house is roach free. The thousands ate the dough and took it back into the walls into their nests. They were eaten… They all died. All of them. Wear gloves and other safety equipment you might need. Don’t eat it, drink it, or rub it on your cheeks, it’s poison. Keep pets and kids out of it.

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  7. Ive read a bunch of these comments and I sympathize with you guys bc I’ve been struggling with german roaches for, well, years: sadly, they just DO NOT go away. Twice I was even fed up and called an exterminator, STILL DID NOT GET RID of these pests. And all that toxic exposure:(
    This week I have begun to use Diatomaceous Earth (DE) again. I stopped before bc I had no idea how to apply the stuff, but I’ve figured out now that if I place a pile in center of room (and this is funny) beat it with a towel (YES! LOL) a huge cloud of smoke will fill your room and settle on EVERYTHING. This is what I want bc when roaches walk on it the DE cuts their bodies up but don’t worry it is completely harmless and non toxic. So my house should be a real torture chamber for them right now. OH: and speaking of non-toxic measures (thank me for this later) soap and water in a spray bottle I kid you not kills them on contact!!!
    I have cleaned areas and eradicated … ew… roach nests but this I think is a necessary component to my efforts. Also keeping up better habits by limiting sources where food and drink are available to them, should help alot. Thanks for reading, good luck, I really hope this helps someone & maybe I too can check back in with a positive update soon

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    • Great Amanda! I have some of this and didn’t even think about using it inside. A friend of mine who has a farm swears by it for keeping fleas off his farm! He is dead on because of all the years we have been there and his many dogs and animals we have NEVER been bitten by a flea..That’s pretty amazing in FL!

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    • Don’t call anybody please. Never they helped, and the infestation got worse with everybody I talked to.
      Or you trade with them to only pay if they would be able to exterminate completely.
      Read this forum from the beginning, and you will have an idea to exterminate them with patience.

      Reply
  8. that please help me with some ideas that I can not get rid of cockroaches and have 10 children at night appears many bugs and do not know what to ask to get rid of them help me with something please than staying in liverpool 46 cedar grove L80sw

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  9. yes,i have got german roaches problem in my kitchen,especially in the microwave oven,,which is very disgusting..what should i do to??

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  10. I hope this is a real story because if it’s not, I’m totally going to out myself and I’ll feel like I’m playing strip poker. All alone. Or something.I just bought new unders for my big girls. Beazey was wearing 2T-3T and Maeve 3-4. How emrrgbassina. They still fit, but were totally snug. Sheesh. I’m just glad I’m not the only one!

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  11. Can someone please advise. I am confused. Do I have infestation of german cockroaches (GCR) in my house. My understanding if you see one cockroach there are hundreds to thousand you don’t see and with german cockroaches can never be 100% gone forever, only controlled. I am deathly terrified of the german coachroaches and am suffering continous panic afraid to go near the kitchen. My approx. timeline of events. April 1st GCR found in older 2nd car, 1 wk later April 8 use Raid bug bomb garage (with car in garage windows & trunk open) and the attic. We did not bomb the house. One wk later Apr 15 GCR found in garage it escape under wall connecting to house. 1 day later bomb garage & attic. 1 wk later Apr 23 GCR on garage floor crawling slowly to door of house (killed it). Use Boric Acid powder along floor wall on all sides of garage focusing more on wall connecting to the house. No more GCR seen in garage; however 5 weeks later May 28 8:30pm GCR in upper cabinet lower shelf by fridge (killed it, it had an egg attached). We thought it was the that escape into the wall from garage. Then 2 weeks later June 11 7:30pm another GCR found (kill it no egg)in the exact same spot as the first. No sign or evidence anywhere. Husband checks everynight by turning light on quickly, nothing. I purchased 10 boxes of each the Raid double control small roach baits and raid plus, egg stoppers and another Raid roach bait (square shape), Raid concentrated deep reach fogger both in the orange box and blue box. Raid Fumigator and lots more Boric Acid powder and many glue traps. I haven’t used the bombs yet but am considering asap in the meantime I made a bait mixture containing Borax, flour, honey and bacon grease and 2 small lids containing Borax mixed with water (I figure a GCR gotta drink). I empty all kitchen cubbard, drawers, counters packed them in containers. I placed all baits made and bought on all the shelfs, under stove, under front of fridge (been unable to move fridge large & heavy), bathrooms, washer & dryer and hot water heater. My husband checks everyday nothing found. Bought all new Fridge, microwave, dishwasher, washer dryer in April brand new. I don’t understand why we are not seeing them at night or anywhere. I am too afraid to think they are gone. I am ready to start warfare and bomb them to kingdom come but from what I have been reading about the bomb use, I don’t know what to think. How do i control moisture/water when my fridge has a water and ice dispenser. Can some please respond. I am trying to learn and understand the GCR but reading about has my anxiety at an all time high. Do I have an infestation?

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  12. A roach just ran under my bed so I went down and crushed it with a ruler then sprayed it with axe body spray for what I believe would result in an unpleasant death. It’s currently 2 am and I’m not tires at all, just extremely jumpy.

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  13. I live it Texas in the Austin area where it is humid 90% of the year. The little bastards love it here. Recently my wife and I have noticed a few of these guys running around. We have recently had LOTS of rain causing these and some other unwanted pest to work their way in. My wife is a clean freak but i cant help but think we have a problem. I have seen clean homes have leaks in the walls, and roaches love leaks….. Any ideas on a cheap affective way to find out if they are watching us from behind our walls?

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  14. Hi, i just mived in 3 days ago into a small apartment with my family and this apartment is a freaking invastacion of german roaches all over my freaking apartment im very overwhelmed,, i have tried everything and they just dont go away!! I have to sleep with the light on in order to sleep tomorrow my husband is calling an insect killer to deal with this problem!!! Ill keep updated!!

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  15. My husband and I live in a old rented duplex built in the 1970’s with wood siding in GP TX and are in roach central I am absolutely sure every wall in the place is a roach colony they are primarily in the kitchen and bathroom. We bug bombed every 2 months I got tired of emptying out all out cabinets and cleaning them we cannot afford to move and now my husband with mental illness has end stage liver disease. I have been told about the gel which I would like to get in bulk and line every cabinet shelf around the electric strip which are up high just put it every where we can but it is expensive complained to landlord all we ever get is nothing I can do about it. I cant take these evil creatures or my husbands wining about them much more. I am very close to calling legal aide to see if they can help with getting an inspection of the property persuade the landlord (who has offered 2 other places to move to but we could not afford the moving cost) to give us a couple of months rent free to offset the moving costs. In the mean time I am gonna see if I can get hubby to try the Boric Acid Powder

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  16. Regarding boric acid and birds and pets: According to an article on the Internet, “Boric acid is practically non-toxic to birds. It is slightly toxic to practically non-toxic to freshwater fish. Boric acid is practically non-toxic to frogs and toads and aquatic life, such as waterfleas. The U.S. EPA concluded that boric acid is relatively nontoxic to bees. ”

    Google for information with your parrot as I’m not qualified to say anything official on parrots and boric acid.

    If nothing else, with the parrot in the cage, leave the cage on a table and circle it with boric acid powder so any cockroaches have to walk over it to get away from the cage. They don’t die instantly but should kill them in a couple of days.

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  17. I read your comments just about every day & there is no need for me to have them g-mailed it to me. please, I’m having problems with my data. I ask you to please please uninstall the comments to my cell, when I read them on my lap top. Thank you kindly.

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  18. If anyone thinks they will get rid of German cockroaches in a day, it’s not going to happen. Getting rid of adults, babies, eggs hatching, new unhatched eggs ………….It’s constant putting down of the materials that kill them. The professional sprays are a good start, then boric acid continually, weekly. We look at it as a lifetime thing, knowing cockroaches come in bags, boxes, cracks, and wherever else.

    After we tried all the store cockroach killers, we went to the best of the bunch, boric acid, and use it forever. It’s extremely cheap and with a puffer the bottle lasts ages. We never went the professional spray way.

    If you think boric acid is supposed to work wonders without putting it everywhere, you’re also mistaken. You MUST put it everywhere!! Base of all floors, in every nook and cranny, Including around sinks, around stoves, under stoves, sides of stoves, in cabinets, between and under dishwasher, in electrical sockets (yes, it is non-conductive). Kitchens and bathrooms are most important. If cockroaches get inside your walls the only thing that will get to them is puffing the boric acid into every electrical socket to get them when they attempt to come out for water or food. It’s no rocket science, only efficient puffing of the boric acid “everywhere”. BUY A PUFFER from the internet. For $14, it’s your best way of distribution and you will be ahead after your first purchase of the boric acid. Boric acid will last 10x with a puffer.

    The quickest way is using a professional service, then following up with boric acid, forever. Using the boric acid all the time (whether daily or weekly) is a cost of $0.75 cents monthly (using a puffer), whichever way you go.

    Reply
  19. Teresa, It will probably take a month or more to totally get rid of all cockroaches using the spray, then using boric acid (cockroach killer). I would expect spray will dry out and become less effective, whereas the boric acid remains a powder (unless it gets wet). I would think the spray wouldn’t get rid of unhatched eggs as the liquid spray would dry out before the eggs hatch.
    If you don’t keep it powdered with boric acid, I expect they will always come back or that the few that don’t die will propagate and then you will start all over again. I don’t know if cockroaches will ever be gone totally, if they infest themselves in the walls, etc. Bite the bullet, (so as to speak) and buy yourself a puffer from the internet (about $13), buy some boric acid from Home Depot or Lowe’s (about $4.50), and decide to be ahead of the fight against the varmints. It’s such a relief to know you are ahead in the fight, even though you will still see some cockroaches from time to time these next 6 months. These times will be when you back off using the boric acid (roach killer), thinking you beat them.

    Reply
  20. Teresa, hopefully the spray will attack the cockroaches before they attempt to get back up into the cupboards. That’s what’s so nice about the boric acid, is that it can be puffed into all the cupboards with no worry about affecting anything in the cupboard. As far as I’m concerned boric acid should “always” be puffed in the kitchen areas and put down at least once a week, (after sweeping), “forever”. Just “Google” “boric acid puffer” to order one from the internet. If the DIL doesn’t put our boric acid down, regularly, we will eventually find a cockroach that gets her to get back on schedule. They come in grocery bags, grocery boxes, through cracks under doors, etc.

    Reply
    • Thanks, what is odd about this, is that we have never seen any in the cupboards, and now that poulins sprayed, we thought we would come home to a graveyard, and there were only 5 dead ones, and we’ve seen only one other since. We really are not sure they are even coming from here, but rather visiting.

      Reply
      • Now, a few days later, we see 3 more in the sink, an adult in a totally other room, and tonight, an adult that ran into a crack in the dishwasher. Can I use borax now, I mean, they sprayed, should they not be gone ?

        Reply
  21. We have no idea where we got these from, but only found in the kitchen, like 4 or 5 and then none for a few days. Landlord sprayed yesterday, and we came home to only 5 dead ones, and this morning, there was no more than yesterday? That doesn’t make sense to me, I thought it would be a grave yard. I suspect the dishwasher thing too, but they have not investigated that. He also said with the new biological spray, we can load the cupboards back up but not wash for a month, and that freaks me out, I don’t want to put anything back! Could the infestation be somewhere else, and we just have a few visiting ? We’ve had many days where there were none seen, then 4-5 the next morning for a couple days, then none again. I am lost about this.

    Reply
  22. There’s no big secret on getting rid of cockroaches. Boric Acid!! I bought a “puffer” for boric acid. Boric acid should be sprayed (“puffed”) in all baseboard areas and corners, along with the counters, shelving, and wherever you can puff the boric acid. Do not lump it out as they won’t walk over the hills of boric acid.

    After purchasing the “puffer”, use it by putting a little ball into it (like a ball bearing, etc), then turn the puffer upside down where the rubber filler is on the bottom and the stem on top for best performance.

    Puff it out and the container of boric acid will last 10 times as long and will work much better to kill the cockroaches. Boric acid is cheap and can be purchased in Lowe’s or Home Depot. Wal-Mart doesn’t carry it.

    Boric acid is as safe as sugar or flour to humans and animals, but not to cockroaches. Don’t spend your money on bombs or any of the other supposedly killers of cockroaches as boric acid is the Cadillac of killers and much much cheaper besides. They say the bombs just drive the cockroaches further into the woodwork.

    Boric acid isn’t conductive either so it can be puffed right into the electrical sockets to get into many of the hiding places of the cockroaches. The cockroaches will live inside your walls if you don’t put boric acid into the three holes on the electrical sockets.

    Cockroaches will go into the electrical outlets, the stove clock areas, the spaces between and under the dishwasher, etc.

    Cockroaches will come out to feed at night and when walking over the puffed boric acid, it sticks to them and starts their killing process.

    Cockroaches will eat the other dying cockroaches thereby multiplying the killing process.

    It may take two to three weeks to get ride of an infestation but you surely know it’s happening. It takes that long of time as the hatching eggs delays the process.

    I also “puff” the boric acid on all my outside and inside my exit doors to keep bugs from entering through any cracks under the doors.

    Boric acid is also good at killing ants, spiders, and fleas, so wherever you put it in the house, it will work on multiple insects at the same time and is animal safe.

    Reply
  23. Once I saw one inside the clock on the OVEN, I was done. The exterminators are coming. Hopefully they will kill off the little ghost ants as well. There are some things that I just HATE about Florida. A friend of mine was told to get rid of her wicker baskets – well, I have wicker FURNITURE!!!

    Reply
    • They love clutter of all types.My mom had a stack of plastic bags folded up for future use. I had to get something beside this pile of plastic bags & couldn’t make my way around it,so i had to move the pie of bags & saw families of roaches underneath.So disgusting. killed as many as i could,the rest scattered .The exterminator came in a few days. It was quiet for a week,now they are back again. There seems no way to get rid of these rotten pests.I hate them so much.

      Reply
  24. I cannot figure out their hiding place to save my life! I removed my stove…nothing there. I went ahead and cleaned under there really good, of course, but I always do that on a monthly basis. I removed the fridge…again, nada! Cleaned it as I usually do. I opened the dishwasher one day to empty it, and there was one running in there…%$@%^$^!

    I only see maybe one a week…just one a week!! How can I possibly find their home?? I put out some bait from a popular name brand (that I cannot recall as I sit here…), and I did find a few dead guys, and I have not seen one in over a week, BUT…I know they’re in this house somewhere! I just know it. And when I least expect it, I’ll open a drawer and get geeked out!

    It’s costing me a fortune because I cannot eat at home now…I’m eating out more and more (usually late at night when everyone is in bed…terrible for several reasons, I know). Good thing I don’t eat a lot.

    I feel like I’m going against the wind. I had this problem a while back when someone gave me a box of DVDs…and they did not mention they had roaches! Back then, I called the bug man, and 300 dollars later, they were gone. Now, however, I have 3 more children ages 2, 3, and 5. I make them eat in the dining room, but my husband gives them crap in the living room and even their playroom! In short of killing that man, there is nothing I can do about that because he watches them while I work at night in our garage and he just refuses to work with me on this. Besides, I have 3 other older children in the house who sneak food and drinks in their room. I’m the only one who can clean really good, and as you can imagine, with so many children I can only do so much. I’m exhausted…really, really exhausted. I come in from working and the dinner mess in the kitchen and dining room greet me 🙁 I cannot get it through everyone’s head. So I clean, and I clean, and I clean! I don’t get much sleep as it is, and this issue is making me crazy…really, super-duper crazy! I hate roaches…my stomach literally turns! I actually make guests check their bags if they I know they have a history of roaches. They get mad, but they just don’t get it – I CANNOT LIVE WITH FREAKING ROACHES!!!!!!! “You live in Florida,” they say…”just live with them,” they say…EFF THAT! I want them dead…gone…out of here forever!!!!

    I’ve tried boric acid in the past, but what I’ve heard is if you don’t use it ‘just right,” it won’t do any good and roaches will just go around it. So I “fluffed” it under all appliances, cracks, and openings that are inside some of my cabinets that go to the wall. I am sick of these roaches…

    I’m calling the bug man again…good buy, hard-earned money! Thank you, you nasty critters!!!!!!!!!! Argh!

    If anyone has a better idea before I call, please, please, please let me know. It has to be something that DEFINITELY works and does not include a degree to use it, does not include cleaning every single crumb and drying every damn damp area in the house, and doesn’t include me removing the damn walls…keeping the house spotless and dry just is not feasible for a working mother of 7 children (albeit the oldest and sloppiest child is on his own and in college now)…I keep my home as clean as possible, but again, there is no way I can do it all…I’m seriously exhausted beyond belief!

    Reply
    • I feel for you ‘just me’. I am in Australia and I’m battling the same thing with kids and husband. They just call me clean freak now. I am far from a clean freak but know that if we don’t minimise food scraps and moisture that we will never win the fight. I am tired, tortured and want to cry. We live in an older house and we rent, so how are we supposed to fix all the gaps etc, the house is full of them!! I would be scared moving as well, what if we took them with us The other hard thing is we don’t have easy access to the same chemicals/items you do in the U.S. so I will have to do some research on the internet to make my purchases. ‘Just Me’ I know your post was 2015 and it’s now 2107 but if you read this, I hope knowing you aren’t alone helps. I know this blog has helped me. Albeit frighten me more!! Good Luck everyone, when I get home from work today I think I might throw everything in the house away

      Reply
  25. Well I read thru all the comments here. Here’s some common things I’ve noticed:

    Almost everyone who says they paid an exterminator ended up with an even worse infestation. Either they are wanting you to pay them more because they need to come back (just a theory) or the fact is they are baiting them. Let’s think about this realistically: if you are putting out bait (even if it has poison, etc) you ARE attracting them… even ones who weren’t even in your residence! This is just a theory as well. But why else would people end up with an even worse problem after the pros come in?

    And do they really eat soap? That’s crazy.

    Perhaps the best thing to try up front (rather than baiting with tainted foods) is to just try to clean up left out food sources and keep kitchen sink not dirty. Then wait a while and see if they get tired and go somewhere else. Trying to kill them all seems futile. You have to get them to give up and leave. Then after a while, if they are still there, they must be finding food somewhere. They may not even need food as they seem to eat each other if need be (sounds horrid I know).

    Things I’ve noticed: watch leaving any beer around. They seem to be avid alcoholics. Also,they like warm, damp places: dishwashers, washing machines (perhaps some clothes have food particles or something?), etc.

    Don’t get frustrated out there people… just be vigilant. I had a bad mice infestation due to some powdered milk I had stored but didn’t realize they chewed thru the cardboard boxes. Once I got rid of that I only had to trap 4-5 and then they were gone. Just get rid of the food source.

    Good luck!

    Reply
  26. I live in a suppose hud building, where the rent in based on your income. I stayed with my sister for a few weeks. She told me she had the roaches but i didnt know how bad this really was. I would be laying on the couch and see them travel like they were going to work. the wall behind her tv way like a freeway for them. well come to find out when, The woman who lived in the apt under her.was told either you clean out the apt or she will be evicted. ok that was done. they bombed her apt after they were told not to. because they would scatter.. well needless to say they found five fricking nests in her apt. this woman can barley recall what you told her five mins ago. she is fucking nasty. bugs everywhere.. well come to find out the apt i moved into was infested with bed bugs and roaches… i didnt find out until other people here told me about it.. when i questioned the apt manager she didnt deny it. this orkin man is a joke. I asked him to give me the sticky bait strips. well there is more then meets the eye here.. ceilings caving in and what not. the owner just bought herself a million dollar home in california while they make these people live in this crap.. I gave my 30 day notice last month and the roaches are horriable. I have copd and I refuse to live in a roach infestion. and made it very clear that if i see one in the new house im moving in, i will file a case and sue for the cost of pest control for the new house I know there is no roaches. I really dread this move because i dont want to take anything with me… I THREW OUT ALL small appliences not aking the bed with me.. however i will be setting bombs off in the truck i rented. and then i will be on the look out for these bastards!!

    Reply
  27. I never had bugs in the house until my neighbors moved and left their son and friend to take care of the house. They had a dog which they just let it use the bathroom inside, did not clean, it smelled of crap, rotten food, garbage all over yard and inside was nasty. When the sister came back she kicked them out and had to wear a mask to go in, to setbombs off for bugs. Well I have killed 5 German cockroaches and I’m not happy about it quit disscusted to say the least. What can I use to get rid of them?

    Reply
  28. Don’t waste your time and money on exterminators. We had a small roach problem and decided before they get bad we should hire an exterminator. Roaches were no surprise here in Arkansas, even people with the cleanest of houses around here have a problem with them. I have 4 small children so my house stays far from clean. Anyway, we had the exterminator come out. We moved all of the furniture from the walls, cleaned the cabinets out and put all the pets out in their kennels for the day. The man came in and sprayed the house. He sprayed around the house. About 2 days later we noticed an enormous amount of roaches and spiders (which we also had them spray for) everywhere in our house. I mean like 3x the amount that were there before he sprayed. So I called and complained until they sent another man out. We repeated the process and got everything sprayed again. Now, 1 month later my home is COMPLETELY INFESTED! I refused payment to the bug company and documented the increase in roaches and spiders in my home since they had sprayed. I now just use boric acid. Our house is super old and has cracks where the owner called himself fixing things so I have it lining all the walls and door ways. I have it around the sinks and toilets and tub. I even did the baiting them with boric acid and flour. I also put dimatious (I don’t know how to spell it) out in the corners. Its been about a week and I have to clean dead bugs up daily. Its a slow process but so far we are making progress. I think I’m going to star doing the soap water spray as well on the ones I see on the stove and places like that to speed the process up a bit.

    Reply
    • @Kim the trick is to MIST the boric acid, NOT LINE. Lining any powder is a tip off and the roaches will walk around. Shake the bottle and gently squeeze. The powder should mist out and barely be seen.

      Reply
      • I lined it and they were all in it to the point I have to reapply it every few days. It’s working so apparently they aren’t as smart as you think.

        Reply
      • I lined it and they were all in it to the point I have to reapply it every few days. It’s working so apparently they aren’t as smart as you think.

        Reply
    • You did well not to pay them. If everybody begins to not pay them, then they will not spray bugs anymore in houses instead of exterminating them. They should be paid after a good result.

      Reply
  29. I just wondering because at house we used 2 kinds of body soap and toothpaste. 1 i mention is made from natural soap, peppermint and charcoal. And the toothpaste is made from the ingridients of food supplement. And the second i mention is the normal or being used everyday here in japan.
    Ive always observed the cocroaches, they avoid to eat the toothpaste and soap made from herbal. They even never crawl to this product. And im starting asking myself why?

    Reply
    • Possibly because the herbal scent and charcoal base are natural deterrents. Also, the more common toothpaste formulas may have sugar or other sweet attractants. Sweet flowery scents in the commercialised soaps, also. IMHO

      Reply
  30. JoJo

    You may want to use a gel bait instead of a pesticide spray. Unless the spray has a residual, it probably will not work unless you hit the roach directly. You can purchase gel bait in the grocery store non-foods isle. Also, look for a product (this can be a spray) with Gentrol (Hydroprene) on the label. This is birth control for roaches and will prevent offspring from reproducing.

    It is possible you may have had just one roach. You may want to place some insect glue boards around the kitchen area as a monitoring device. Roaches are nocturnal and over time the insect glue boards will tell you if you still have a problem.

    Richard

    Reply
  31. I have never had any type of a roach problem. But yesterday morning when I opened a kitchen cabinet, I saw one running. It took my daughter and I about 40 minutes of moving things around to find him and get him to run to a location on the top of the stove where we blasted him with bug spray. Once he lay motionless, I scooped him up and put him in a bowl with a lid so that I could later research as to whether it was really a roach or some other fast crawling bug. After research and seeing the pictures, we have determined it is a German roach. I emptied the three cabinets, threw out all food boxes that were opened, and then sprayed the affected cabinets with the bug spray. I believe it was raid ant and roach killer. I checked all my other cabinets and I find nothing, and no indication that there have been any roaches there at all. I also purposely left dirty dishes in the sink overnight, and there is absolutely nothing there this morning. I’m pretty sure based on the pictures I have seen that this one roach was male. I am thinking that either my daughter or I brought one single roach into the house by accident in our purse or something and we got lucky and found it and killed it. I’m going to put the boric acid and sugar in the cabinets to see if anything else shows up. But my question is, is it possible that one roach in your house for possibly less than 24 hours could really be just one roach? What are the chances of only having one and being lucky enough to find it and kill it? If the boric acid and sugar combo yields no other roaches, is it safe to assume it was just the one?

    Reply
  32. Kerry
    Set off a bomb! Cover those seats and roof in trash bags and pop a can! I’d set it right in the console.
    Also, but the boric acid and puff some light puffs under the seats. Don’t forget the trunk and any pockets you may have in there.

    Reply
  33. HELP!!! I’ve got a German cockroach problem discovered in my car. What’s the safest and most reliable way to get rid of them in my car. I feel like they’re coming from the middle console area, but can’t get inside of it. I’ve cleaned the whole car out, vacummed it all out. Now, I just want to terminate these little shits!!! Please, anyone have something that worked safely and effectively in their car!!!
    Thank you!!!!

    Reply
  34. If you can afford it and live in a duplex,tripled apartment building just move out and don’t take your stuff. If you live in a house and can afford it, flip all tables over pull out stove,fridge,dishwasher,open all cabnets.place bug bombs in every room including attic. Two bombs in big rooms,one in bathrooms,two to three in attic. Set off bombs and close house. Take a two to three week vacation. This will insure the all roachs are dead,including newborns. They hatch into the position and die. After your two to three weeks is up CLEAN EVERYTHING. And YES they do fly. I had one crawl into my ear and had to get it removed by a doctor. One of the most agonizing days of my life.

    Reply
  35. Aug 4th 2015

    Okay a few months ago I found a few roaches in my house. I called an exterminator. I cleaned out all cabinets and moved all appliances and furniture I could physically left away form the walls so They came out and sprayed, but not even 4 weeks later I seen more roaches than I had seen before the first treatment. I called this reputable company back about there 100% moneyback garentee saying I still see roaches. When the exterminator called to schedule a revisit to treat stated they don’t remember any evidence of roaches. So I started killing a few and placing them in a zip lock bag for them to see and determine what kind. So he sprayed but this time no time to remove things from cabinets. Now it’s been almost 8 weeks and I got an maintenance plan agreement. I am still see some roaches and killing them myself. They are plan on coming back in 3 more weeks to spray again.. So why jave I not seen a difference yet. I don’t leave food very clean. So why have they not died? I did notice today they were coming up thru my dish washer, the bottom where the foid grinder is located. Should I ask them to spray my dish washer or what should I do..

    Reply
  36. I think it is a German Roach in my house that I’m staying in. Here’s the story: So, I’m spending time in Florida and it’s night so I walk in the kitchen, you know get something to eat and drink and as soon as I shut of the lights I see on the wall from the corner in my eye is a medium sized shell and a BUG! I start FREAKING OUT!! Okay, so now a couple days later I’m packing to leave and I take my DRY bathing suit and Shorts and something very fast is crawling now I’m like “NO! Not you!!” I freaked out so badly then it when under my suitcase… 🙁 So I’m not going back into my bedroom until my somebody comes back and helps me!! “AHHH!!”

    Reply
  37. By the way,I’ve had problems with carpet beetles and the entomologist said he cleans his roaches with bleach, it doesn’t kill them.

    Reply
  38. Just saw one in bathroom ( adult). Had seen small one in kitchen a week or so ago, never occurred to me that the little one was a roach. I got an Orhicd (sp) for mothers day. Could it have come in with that?

    Reply
  39. I heard catnip works so we just bought so organic catnip and i sprayed the roaches with oxi clean for tough stains in your washer and it stopped them in their trax im going to get more of it. These cans of bug spray doesnt do anything but run them around the house so i will get rid of them for once and for all. We didnt have them we moved in they were already here. From previous renters

    Reply
  40. I just moved out of my roach motel apartment. Before leaving i did the boric acid/brown sugar/flour trick and it just dried up and didn’t work. At my new place I got on my hands and knees and lightly misted each square inch of the apartment. I’m talking shake the bottle and gently squeeze the middle so that just a powder puff sprays out. This place has th huge black palmettos outside but I have only seen one inside, belly up!
    I also started misting outside the apartment and I haven’t seen one since! The KEY IS PUFFS OF SPRAY AND NOT THICK LINES THEY CAN SEE

    Reply
  41. OK. So I moved in my bf house 3 years ago and he had Roche’s and never told me about. I used dry boric acid and they seem to walk around it an not in it. I even tried mixing it with peanut butter and syrup. And nothing. I also want to know if I’m able to leave it out behind my microwave all night and day. Will OT still be safe to use my microwave while the boric acid is out.??? It’s so embarrassing and I’m tired of it. Doesn’t help thathis dad lives like a hoarder and he doesn’t clean after his self. It’s a struggle formal. But that’s my main question is about using the microwave with the power behind it and in front of it.

    Reply
  42. Be careful if you buy used electrical equipment (ie. xbox, playstations, radios, TVs). Roaches are attracted to electrical devices. My son bought a used xbox but when he got it home, it didn’t work. He took it to a repair man and he found the problem were roaches inside. I believe that was the source because it sat there for weeks before being taken to the repairman.

    Reply
    • Yes. I found out that they live in mine as well it’s messing up our Xbox as well and we got it brand new but had it for a few years. A lot of roach poop and few roaches here and there came out it was sad cause I took it into Gamestop

      Reply
  43. I live in a apartment building. We have one neighbor that is absolutely filthy. She had me come to the door for some reason(can’t remember why) and there were moldy hot dog buns right in front of her door! When she got there she just kicked them out of the way! The apartment complex has regular pest control, but she doesn’t allow them to come in her apartment and says she sprays herself.

    My other neighbors have sprayed and bombed on top of the exterminator coming every few months. It doesn’t help that our building isn’t far from a dumpster either. I don’t want to bait them or have them take something back to their nest or sprays anymore. It’s too much money to spend on something that just isn’t going to deter them for long. I want something that will make those little MFs go back to where they came from. I want something to repel them so they don’t even want to come near my apartment. I heard cedar works well, is it true? If so my house is going to smell like a cedar forest! I’m sick of these little bastards. I’m extremely clean beyond my control, we only eat at the table, and now I’m starting to see them in our bedrooms! We don’t take ANY food at ANY time downstairs. I have children and am sick of using pesticides that DO NOT WORK. I’ve tried literally EVERYTHING. The boric acid trick, the borax trick, traps, baits, sprays, foggers, bombs, putting petroleum jelly trap. NONE OF IT WORKS. I just want a scent that german roaches hate and loathe so much they die just thinking of coming into my apartment.

    Reply
    • Thats super tough. If the neighbor is gross, more than likely they’ll just stay around. It’d probably not as bad because the neighbor is still there to feed them.
      I would immediately seal all cracks. Starting with the kitchen counters, everywhere. LIGHTLY mist the apartment with the boric acid. and I mean..MIST. Literally plug the cap, shake, open top, and let that burst of poison off around the perimeter of everything. DO NOT leave lines, they really do walk around them.

      Reply
  44. Hi. I just moved until my complex. Third floor, in FL. I have small pets that are caged. We will be cleaning them every night. I’m very ocd so I clean a lot. Problem. Tonight I woke up to use the rest room and I’m glad I did 7 roaches! 7!so I grabbed a can of spray and went after them. They are dead now. The complex states they are between pest control companies now. Out of curiosity I went into the kitchen sure enough a few in there too. Advice? I don’t have too much money left over from the move.

    Reply
    • I don’t like sprays period. I only would have one or two a week. I put out some Combat traps and chase them down and kill them. Lucky so far I have not seen any in two weeks. They have all been in the bathroom except for one that was in the living room. Since I put a trap down where he was I didn’t see anymore. I also found one in the garage and put traps there too. I found out where they were coming in from in the bathroom. There was a hole in the floor. I have been lucky so far that I have not had to call Orkin and spend $600. I hate those critters with a passion. I have a Scotty so sprays are out. I clean everything with Lysol wipes and concentrate liquid. I got rid of sugar ants by killing everyone I saw and keeping everything clean. I made sure they had no food. It worked. You just have to outsmart them. Hairspray works to slow them down too. Don’t know if I could have handled that many at once. I would just make sure the pets stayed out of that area and then wash every area real good before letting them back in.

      Reply
  45. 20 mule team borax usually less than three dollars at a hardware store the size of a dry laundry soap box can make a two inch strip around an average city home property and sometimes with some to spare to go around the house perimeter too. But 3. 6, 9 … Dollars, pretty cheep.

    Reply
  46. i just do not understand how leasing offices and the management companies let this continue on. i moved into an apartment with an evident roach issue. my agent told me the place had been vacant for months and clearly not treated. it took weeks to settle things down, but now that my neighbor has moved out its been a total domino effect. they are not treating his place and are renovating which is shaking his bugs to my place. the office is just so GLIB. why not treat these vacant units?? our pest control comes twice a week. at least once a week they should be treating the individual vacant units.

    Reply
  47. I just got rid of ants now those damn German roaches showed up. I tried to be clean. It is had being disabled. My grandmother had them and drove me nuts. So far they have only been in the bathroom on the sink and tub. Only one at a time. I don’t want to use any spray chemicals. I saw one on my patio when I took my dog out at night. I think they might be coming in through the garage. We bought this house a year ago from a collage gal when she moved out left a bunch of garbage. I saw one six months ago and no more. I thought it came in on the garbage can. The weather got cold Now it is spring I am seeing 2-3 a week. I thought they might be coming in from the drain pipes and plugged and keep everything closed. I will have to try the boric acid. I have a cat and dog and it is hard having to take away their food and water. The dog is not a problem but the cat prowls at night. I don’t want then in the kitchen.

    Reply
  48. First clean everything then buy Raid ant and roach spray it takes a few weeks to break cycle of hatching roaches but you will get rid of those pest fl. is very prone because of climate but even here if you do what im writing to you they will be gone! !!!

    Bay leaves do work after you seal up all cracks and holes around plumbing pipes and vents caulk around cabinets and kick boards after about two to four weeks you should be rid of them completely after getting rid of them spray once a month with Raid ant and roach spray or combat in tube from home depot! !! if its really been roaches there for years you should call orkin to get them in control::::::: Hope your problem is resolved Good Luck They are a pain but Im sure you can get rid of them I did maintanace work in fl. for thirty five years and never had to call in the Pro s again good luck and be blessed

    Reply
  49. just moved in to an apartment I have never had roaches before in my 60 yrs of living on this earth !!!! My new apartment was just treated bt the complex manager bug control guy , but now I have more !!! I have a small service dog so nothing that will harm the dog or me because I have C.O.P.D. I am up all night checking and killing them I must have killed at least 100 in the last 2 days after the guy treated for them . Some of them were dead but still have some live fast little suckers in the kitchen area !!! PLEASE HELP !!

    Reply
    • You said: “new apartment was just treated by the complex manager bug control guy, but now I have more”
      The same happened to me. I did not have at all roaches in my whole life. Once the guy came in, for a preventative work in all the building apartments, putting some gels that I did not even need. After 4-5 days, I saw roaches in my kitchen.
      Morale of the story: I think those guys are after their money, but not after the roaches.
      DIY is the best method to get rid of them.

      Reply
  50. Please look up Osage Orange, or Hedge Apples, or Monkey Balls, If you have friends who live up north there’s a tree that grows these, they look very funny almost like brains (well the outside skin) In Ohio they use them to get rid of alot of bugs roaches too. So look it up and read about it.

    Reply
  51. I’m trying these methods when I get home. Im so sick of roaches and the roach spray is not helping at all. The spray is bad for my baby and I have been stomping and using books as weapons for days. Then as soon as I kill one, then I see another one. My baby is scared of them and I’m fed up with these nasty things. Thank you for posting this.

    Reply
  52. HOLY COW! There seem to be a few unhappy jerks floating around out there! Why do some incessant, miserable little people need to kick others when they share their stories? Wait! I know why! They must troll innocent people to make themselves feel just a tad better about their broken and empty lives, right? Yeah, I think that sounds fairly accurate.

    Anyway, I just wanted to share with others that Hot Shot makes an organic ant and roach spray, which works wonderfully! I sprayed it directly onto one of my little homies, and the GERMAN COCKRAOCH died within one minute. The spray does have a very strong scent, but it smells like a mixture of very strong mint and pledge. It may be worth checking out for some of you. The spray is surprisingly inexpensive and effective.

    Those little jerks hitched a ride to my home last year in boxes, and suddenly, after seeing one or two, I saw at least 10 of them every morning in the kitchen. After a thorough cleaning, caulking all crevices in the kitchen, and hosing the pantry floor, under the fridge, and under the dishwasher with the organic spray, I stopped seeing the little monsters…………for a couple of months. I still see one or two on occasion, but as long as I stay on them with boric acid, they aren’t trying to oust me from my own home again. Roaches suck!

    Reply
  53. Wow. This conversation went south quick. Thanks for the info on the roaches, still…I am unsure how a pest control conversation turned into medical and such…

    Reply
  54. If you have a outside dog in a pen or on a chain sprinkle garlic or wild onions in the area around the pen or chain length and that dog will never get ticks

    Reply
  55. From everything I have ever read about roaches over the years, I have never heard once, I use ammonia to clean with and I put pure ammonia in a spray bottle to spray down drains and on contact. It costs $1.13 for a quart at Wal Mart. Roaches do not like ammonia at all. Then I spray bleach down the drain and them I spray ortho in ever crack and crevice. Sometimes I go weeks and never see one, and then suddenly BOOM there is one running across my sink, came right out of the drain. Listen to me, you can’t kill them off, you can only make it so uncomfortable they leave you alone but you can never stop fighting them to make them stay away, never and if you knock one out, kill it and flush it down the toilet, make sure it is dead, I don’t care if you have to use your bare hand to squish it, kill it. The ammonia will knock it out but only for a little while, it will run back where it came from, mine come from the sink drain. I only saw the one, I hope there are no more attacks tonight, I sprayed everything, I don’t even eat anymore I am so sick from them I hate them with a passion. I just want to know what a roach hates so I can litter my house with it so they leave me alone and go somewhere else that’s all you can do!

    Reply
    • NEVER MIX BLEACH & AMMONIA! IT MAKES A DEADLY GAS. YOU’LL JUST PISS OFF the FIRE DEPT. and Your Neighbors! God, some people are stupid. But, that’s Darwinism, I guess. The dumb ones kill themselves somehow.

      Reply
    • Have you tried organic sprays? I have, and they worked well for me. I used the brand “Hot Shot”. I believe the active ingredient is lemon grass oil, and is harmless to pets. I have a dog, myself, and had the same concern.

      Reply
  56. I discovered a chemical free way to kill roaches on contact…soapy water. I bought cheap dishwasher detergent added to a spray bottle and spray them when I see them. Works great and no strong smell.

    Reply
  57. ok here is the SINGLE sure way to get rid of those pesky roaches…this is a method not my own but another dedicated roach assassian…take 2 cups 98% boric acid, 1 cup flour, then add syrup (any kind) until the mixture is of peanut butter consistency… Then proceed to remove ALL electrical outlet covers and take a small amount and place it within the outlet…of course replace the covers back on….proceed to then add a small amount under your fridge, stove, in the corners of all cabinets on top of plumbing under he sink, under your dishwasher, behind the bottoms of sinks …and anywhere else you can think off…I’ve done this and already within the first day have noticed the roaches walking abnormally and slow, while most others are dead…two weeks of repeated applications made 100% difference…your welcome

    Reply
  58. I thought I had won and fought them for 6 weeks. They were in the kitchen even in the clock on the stove, so I bought a white German roach powder and a brown thick paste (very thin) and placed it everywhere plus plugged al drains and sprayed under the sinks and also outside every window. I also treated inside the walls. It has been 5 weeks and I went to do a load of laundry tonight and OMG I had it on hot water with bleach and soap, I opened it to add a dish towel and there were babies inside the washing machine and coming from the area where the section that has the dials on it attaches to the base. BUT they were inside with the hot water and the bleach. They did not care. They were taking a bath.!!!!! I have washed it 5 times now and throwing all out, placed more powder down and also placed powder all around the washing machine again. (Not like this was the first time) all these were babies. I also opened the door to hot water heater and put down roach powder plus sprayed up top on walls with spectricide. I have filled in all cracks, put in walls, caulked all areas and cleaned everywhere. This was a shocking site to see since this was never a problem before and they were never there before. HELP!!!! There is nothing in the room and I have cleaned all behind and under everything as well as bleached tile floors and treated inside and outside. All the one I say were babies inside the washing machine but when I closed the hot water heater door and walked back into the kitchen and closed the door that separates the two rooms a adult German roach appeared in the bottom of my pantry. Have not seen any in this area forever and still have poison powder down in bottom of pantry. really need help, I absolutely cant stand these roaches. I threw out toaster etc. and daily clean all floors and counters and never leave food out or in trash can. I cover all drain holes and also run dishwasher at least twice weekly empty just to make sure they are gone. Now back in WASHING MACHINE!!!!!! WHY? HOW??? What am I doing wrong and they are definitely German roaches both regular and banded before when I saw the adults, but been 4 weeks since seen any adults not seeing babies again. PLEASE EMAIL HELP and ANY ANSWERS

    Reply
  59. Hello all. I worked for 2 years as a pest control tech. Just wanted to add my two cents since I recently had my first infestation of German and American cockroaches. The most effective means of getting rid of these little buggers is to bait them. I know plenty of people have listed this already. I just want to point out a few things. On accounts that I used to treat with gel we never and I repeat never sprayed pesticides. If any pesticide gets on the bait the roaches will refuse to eat it. The reason spraying isn’t effective in the first place is the roaches know it’s poison. They just avoid the area that has been sprayed. The bait takes a little time to work but will take them out. Like a lot of other people have said, if you don’t keep your living space clean and food free you will lose the battle. The roaches will always choose to eat our food first.

    Need a natural spray to take the ones out that you see? Soapy Water. That’s right. It’s safe and will kill any insect with an exoskeleton and some without. How does it work? It blocks the holes they breathe through. It also destroys their skeleton. I’ve used it on everything for years, spiders, bees, roaches, crickets I couldn’t reach. Good luck and stay vigilant. These bastards can be beat!

    Reply
  60. I have German roaches in my dishwasher door vent. It is a Kenmore elite. I can’t get to them in there as it has all the electronics to run the dishwasher with a vent for steam at the top of the door. I am sure that it is where they procreate. It’s warm, wet and dirty dishes supply them food. I have spent a lot on do it yourself bait in a syringe. I sealed all cracks behind refrigerator where water line comes in for ice-maker. Put boric – acid real fine powder under stove and dishwasher. I never see them in the garbage which is a pull out hidden trash can in a cabinet or pantry. Why? I will try the combat.

    Reply
  61. Not only do we have the German cockroaches but we also have the huge black cockroaches that get to be almost 2 inches long. I hate them in my house so I use Bengal GOLD Roach Spray. It costs about $13.00 a can. I get 3 cans in the spring and 3 in the fall (getting ready to spray this week). I spray all behind and under appliances, around my baseboards under the sinks, in the corners and backs of cabinets, crevices between stove, fridge, washer and dryer, and anywhere else I feel should be sprayed. If I ever do see a live cockroach in my house, I spray it with the Bengal Gold and within a short amount of time I will find it belly up, squirming around. I throw a tissue over it, grab it up and flush it right away. I hardly ever see a roach that is alive. Normally when I see them, they are dead – belly up. I do want to say to anyone that has floor vents/ducts for their ac and heat. You need to vacuum your vents/ducts at the end of each duct where they end. Dead roaches will gather in the vents where they are closed on the ends. I didn’t realize this until one day my son dropped a toy down in the vent and I reached in to grab it and I grabbed a handful of dead roaches. So be sure to vacuum your vents at least once a month to keep the dead ones out of your vents. The Bengal Gold works really well and lasts for several months, about 6 months in my case, so I buy 6 cans a year, plus 1 to have on hand to spray any live ones that might sneak in and it costs me about $100.00 a year with tax included to keep the roaches out of my house. It may cost you more or less depending on the size of your house. I also use the boric acid in my storage building out back and it does kill them also but not as well as the Bengal Gold. Be sure you are buying the Bengal GOLD roach spray, it has GOLD on the front of the can, the regular Bengal roach spray doesn’t work as well to me. I have not tried the diatomaceous earth but I have a friend that uses it and says it works really well also. I live in Mississippi and we have hot, humid weather and the roaches love it here, me not so much. Good luck to everyone!

    Reply
  62. I came to look and get recomendations for killing roaches….all I want to say pray for wkrld peace. God is the judge. GOD is the judge…GOD IS THE JUDGE…hateful words feed the devil. Eliminate the hateful unkind words and kill him…..now that youv taught me how to kill roaches …I thaught I’d teach you how to kill the devil. Clean that soul its bad for us all. And if you don’t beleive…ill pray for you

    Reply
    • AMEM! Great to hear are some kind ppl here. I don’ t check.in much becauseof bad language. Topics off from getting ready of bugs. YES! JEHOVAH GOD will destitute wicked ppl. Soon He along w son Jesus are just waiting for correct time to.bring unrighteous to their demise. I urge all to check out our website at jw.org and discover how you can gain everlasting life
      If have questions just find nearest Kingdom Hall and call or email us
      We happily answers questions at a convenient time for you. Plus we preach what our Savior taught on Earth
      There is never a collection taken either. We be out in mornin so please feel free to. ask a question we help you to find it.
      May peace be with all

      Reply
  63. Wow..pathetic haters. Yall dont have anything better to do!??! Lol. This is about how to kill roaches ..not about trying to make people feel bad.SMH

    Reply
  64. Ok people all of you need to shut up none of you know what any eles is going through and yaw don’t walk in their shoes. And for all you that is talking about the people on ssi, ect…..yaw don’t know their story or if they are getting anything or not. Yaw have not right to say anything to them. Yaw are just jealous yaw don’t get anything. And I know what at least one of you are gonna say. (I’m not jealous I work for my money, I don’t depend on the government. ) well for you that’s thinking that you don’t know whos depending on who. I’m so tired of seeing you people talking about people who may really need help. All I can say is if you read a comment and dont believe it. MOVE ON, to the next comment you don’t have to open your mouth. I agree with who ever it was that said it, but if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anytime at all. And for all you that’s trying to come up with something to say about my post, just remember why you wasn’t popular in school, and that’s way your trying to be all big and bad now, and for you that wants to sit here and curse, anyone can do even a two year old. GROW UP…you may think it’s bad to say one but it’s sloppy, and not classy at all. Just remember someone you may love or know may need help and when they don’t get you gonna get all mad at the government. Just remember karma comes back around, I’ve seen it happen.

    Reply
  65. Man, I relaly wanna know more about ur band/project, I relaly like it. Speaking of ur lyrics, I can relate so much to that feeling, I am a recovering drug (opiates) addict as well, and my brother was/is the same way toward me. It’s sad what closed minded people think they know and can understand, especially from something they have never experienced in life and therefore could never understand

    Reply
  66. BENGAL ROACH SPRAY!!!!
    Can with the Bengal tiger on it. Dry spray, non toxic and last six months. Extermination companies use water downed chemicals that the roaches only dance through. Can be purchased @WalMart for about fifteen dollars a can, but so worth it. I have recommended it and even bought it for friends with roach infestation and they were impressed and the dead Germans on the floor the next morning.

    Reply
  67. Maxforce gel bait nyguard igr worst case scenario might have to insecticide dust wall voids (drill and apply with hand duster) this is for the german variety. No insecticide sprayed by baits

    Reply
  68. Moved into an apt. 2 months ago. They just came yesterday to put bait traps and a slight dusting of Boric Acid. How long does it take for roaches to go away. We are seeing them even in the sink during daylight hours. How long do we wait to contact landlord if it’s not getting any better? Not to sound prejudice or ignorant, but there are a lot of Mexicans in our small complex. What do we do??!! Please help!!!!

    Reply
    • make sure you wipe down the sink after use. even the smallest drop of water is a big drink for a lot of roaches. Don’t leave any food out or even crumbs at all.

      Reply
  69. How do I is is the problem and There is cockroaches in my bedroom, I cant sleep or do my work with them bothering me!? Only 1/2 appear each day and I dont know what to do about it. Is it coming from the vent? My vent is right under my study table and my bed is beside it so they always appear around here. I am worried they will walk over me or something in the middle of the night!!! 
    Please HELP, ALL HELP IS APPRECIATED.
    Cockroaches are annoying us all!
    Heres the issue:
    My room is the cleanest in the house, yet how did they manage to show up here and how can I get rid of them/get them to avoid coming to my bedroom?!?!Thats the issue with my room. Now lets talk about our house. I used to live in an apartment with my family for 3 years, with alot of cockroaches like seriously. About an year ago, we moved in to a detached house and in the beginning, we’ve seen a couple of roaches so we killed them, but we didn’t take action (it was winter, we couldnt spray since we had to leave the windows open then and we didnt know about bait). This was by far the BIGGEST mistake we made, since now there are alot of ANNOYING COCKROACHES INFESTATING at our house! We have seen alot of roaches in the kitchen (fridge, sink, microwave, dishwasher and cupboards) , washroom and now it managed to show up upstairs in the bedrooms! I am seriously frustrated, we used jell bait and we sprayed (which made it worse since now it spread) and we TRY to keep our kitchen clean as possible. Its not working! Just for your information, we have german cockroaches.

    Reply
  70. I’ve been. Living in a duplex for almost a year and have had them the entire time I’ve bought sprays acid done the baking soda and sugar I now clean everything go with windex bc I was told tat the ammonia is stronger than bleach. I wipe everything g down. Sweep mop and stiffer daily and I still have them I’ve drilled holes n the walls and put boric acid in them I’m spray g them and get tri g target practice with windex and bug spray I have a 2 year old this place is infested and my landlord refuses to do anything g any ideas I’m trying g to buy a house and I’m not taking them with me

    Reply
  71. if you have infestaion bad i found a away that you can reduce some of that this is gonna sound werid but try it you will see thousands of them use an old coffee can, some beer and bread once they eat the beer soaked bread the cannot get outta the coffee can, we rid our house of them ina matter of a few months trying this . its really nasty cause you will lietterly see ALOT of them in the cans, Burn them stinks but at least you now they are dead!

    Reply
    • Michele this will work, but i just use a little beer in a small bowl thats greased with vaseline on the inside then add a spoonful or 2 of sugar to the beer, drown them and there’s! … works a bit like a ‘slug pub’ that you put in the garden.

      Reply
  72. I have dealt with German Cockroaches several times now in different properties. Sprays don’t really work inside because they scatter the roaches – and the roaches smell the poison and avoid that area. They just move on to another area. Sprays outside for prevention are definitely recommended, if you are interested in chemical pesticides.

    German cockroaches can produce thousands of babies in female lifetime. In order to get rid of them, you should follow the advice given in this article. They WILL and DO eat book glue (the bindings in books), soap, toothpaste, and any crumb of food left out.

    Try these steps to eliminate them:

    1) Clean and sterilize everything! Floors, cabinets (inside and out), ovens, stoves, walls, drawers, etc.
    2) Empty pet dishes every night and re fill in the morning.
    3) Keep dishes clean and done or at the very least soaking in soapy water. Don’t give the roaches any access to “food”.
    4) Take out your garbage very regularly.
    5) Buy Diatomaceous Earth at your local hardware store or Home Depot – Lowes. It’s about 12 dollars for 4 pounds on average. Sometimes you can get it cheaper. However, 4 pounds will treat your entire house for a good long while, because you don’t need very much. Use a salt shaker type container to shake this powder on every baseboard, behind the fridge, under the microwave, under your tv, dvd player, and any electrical appliance that stays plugged in and warm, inside the cabinets, and door thresholds, etc. Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of diatoms. It acts like glass and pierces the bodies of the roach. The roach then dehydrates and dies. But remember, as much as you want to dump a pile of the powder somewhere – don’t. Sprinkle it! Roaches will avoid “mounds”, but will willingly run through a sprinkle. Also, Diatomaceous earth is not effective once it gets wet. If you wipe your counters or get the powder wet during mopping etc, reapply! Use food grade powder in your kitchen or where you feel a pet might be so inclined to chew or lick. You can also dust your pets with food grade powder to keep them flea free. This food grade powder is also used to dust garden plants to keep them pest free. You can also dust your entire yard with this powder for a non-toxic pest control. Keep in mind though that it will kill ALL insects – good or bad. It will also need to be reapplied after a rain.
    6) As stated above use baking powder mixed with sugar (and cocoa powder!) and place in very small containers near where you see the roaches.
    7) As stated above, you can use boric acid. Try Ebay or Amazon for professional quality boric acid. It works by sticking to their legs and bodies and slowly dehydrating them. The roaches will carry any of these powders back to their nest and it will stick to other roaches. Note: German cockroaches will also eat the dead bodies of their friends. These powders will work. Try one or a combination of all three!
    8) As stated above, keep food sealed. Even a crack in a cereal box can provide a feast for these nasty creatures.
    9) If you have pets – especially cats or birds, keep their fecal matter cleaned up. Roaches will also eat the feces. Disgusting, right?
    10) Be diligent. If you slack off because you start seeing less of them, they WILL come back!

    Reply
  73. I have read all the comments I can and they are gonna be pretty handy. We found a big black cockroach last night. Bout had a heartattack he was huge. Now we live in an apartment I hope we can get rid of the ones coming in until we can find something else. Now my question is once we do plan on moving what do we need to do so we don’t reiinfest the next place? Thank you!! 🙂

    Reply
  74. Shannon I just found out I have German cockroaches and im in your same boat plz help no smart ass remarks tho……T.I. A

    Reply
  75. I would like to know how to get rid of German cockroaches I meant I’m seeing like one inch size of big roaches keep finding them in the house in bathroom, dining room, kitchen, living room…. I need a big advice how to kill them I have pets n kids in the house… Please help…thanks

    Reply
  76. I currently live with my sister who has a German cockroach problem. She moved into this brand new house but brought the roaches from her last apartment. They weren’t bad when I first moved in here but now I see them in rooms other than the kitchen and even during the day sometimes. She used to keep up with regular pest control but now she can’t afford it. She has four small children and so her house is never spotless though my husband and I do try to help keep the kitchen as clean as possible. My concern is that when we move out we will take the roaches with us even though we only live in one bedroom and won’t take any food with us. I am pregnant and I have asthma so this is a huge concern of mine. I am a NEAT FREAK and any kinds of dirty pests drive me crazy! I have never live anywhere with pests like this and if it were my house it would be much cleaner, but anyways any advice on how to avoid taking these pests with me to my new apartment?? Or what to do when I first move in to get rid of them fast and avoid problems?? This is a huge concern of mine. The only stuff being moved from her house to my new apartment is clothes, toiletries, one dresser, papers and stuff. All of our other belongings are at my parents house and they have never had German cockroaches. I lived there before and never saw a pest. So my concern is with my stuff here. Please help! I know prevention is best!

    Reply
  77. Some things to be aware of beyond the normal information you can get on cockroach eradication methods.

    1st: Beware of pricey cockroach remedies found online and on the counter (over the counter methods). Many are merely hype and brand name high dollar simple remedies. Use common sense on many of these items and ignore promises of quick kills. Ridding your home of an infestation takes time and diligence, patience being the main ingredient along with persistence.

    2nd. Beware of most “GEL” remedies as these are not only usually pricey beyond imagination, but they dry up quickly (usually in a day or two) and are then no longer active or reliable. Some recipes call for flour/sugar/borax mixtures in little balls and the main point is you can spray water on these and reactivate their ingredients (see – common sense). These high priced methods are usually priced that way because manufacturers know that once you figure out they don’t work well, you wil never use the product again so they have to make their profits fast and with one time sales hits.

    3rd: Be vigilant and don’t let emotions control the method. Cockroaches are icky! But you won’t win unless you are as diligent as they are. They have been around for millions of years, and are constructed to survive. You have to beat them at their game.

    4th: Research! Many universities have done testing and reading up on the Internet on their breeding and feeding cycles will educate you on their methodologies. With that information you can be more aware of how often to concentrate your efforts once you diminish their population in your home and avoid re-infesting your home. .

    5th: Make some house rules such as, no food out of the kitchen and dining room. Even small crumbs can be enough for cockroaches to feed once, and then the re-population can begin all over again once they feed! Tell the children and teenagers that they are not being oppressed with rules and regulations but that they are helping keep a healthy and clean environment for their home too. Gross them out with some nasty photos and videos online to help motivate their assistance on controlling infestations and the whole family can help.

    Reply
  78. I currently have a problem with German roaches. My dad brought over some stuff called Roach Prufe. Has anyone used this? Does it work? Is it normal to see them more after you put out roach killer? Something else I’m wondering about is, am I going to have to get rid of my stove and refrigerator? I understand that if they’re in 1 room, they’re in your whole house but I only see them in the kitchen, is it possible that they’re only in there? I’ll take any advice I’m given because I’m desperate to get rid of them. I feel ashamed too.

    Reply
    • Yes Beth, if u see them in your kitchen your whole dwelling will have 2 be treated,roach prufe is good,as are all boric acid brands,works for me best in a mixture of 2 parts acid,1 part flour,and as an attractant i use syrup,mix 2 cremy constituency and use flat stick ie; popscle,ruler 2 spread in likely areas on old ceramic tile square or unused saucer under refrigerater and stove replace bait every 3 to 4 days ,works best 4 me when i do this procedure in night hours just b4 lights out,they seem 2 know that signals “feedin time”..gd luck,

      . … John in Dallas Tx

      Reply
    • Yes, most times when you bait it will draw them out. They smell the bait, want the bait, eat the bait, share it in their nest, then they die

      Reply
  79. Try spraying all cracks and places they could be hiding with WD40 it kills them dead in 10 sec. I bought my house and had the same problem it cost me about 50 dollars for a gallon of WD40 and a pump sprayer and my problem is no more. Plus I didn’t have to worry about my kids getting hurt by any harsh bug spray.

    Reply
    • this also works great for wasps too!!! mainly if you get the can that has the little red straw you can shake the can and shoot them from a safe distance!!!

      Reply
  80. Hi I recently purchased a small house to turn into a rental. But noticed that the roach problem was a infestation so bad that they are thousands running through the house. I have had a pest control company out they sprayed walls floors and cabinets every where. I cleaned up the yard put out some bug killer that I bought from the store. I have gotten rid of all appliances in the home. But I cant seem to get a grip on the them. I myself had never had to deal with something of this nature. It is bad… any suggestions please thanks.

    Reply
    • Its expensive but being that this is a rental and thus a profit property problem trying to keep it rid of the bugs, some landlords (home owners) resort to the one time, fix it, kill them now remedy of hiring a contract crew to come tent the home. It uses forced air heaters that heat the interior of the home under the tent to 120* which is a kill temperature for the roaches making them come out of their hiding places, while the company also uses foggers to poison the cockroaches and bugs.

      They provide trash bags made to protect what property you have and such inside the home (dishes and such) and they suggest you take with you what items you can as long as cockroaches aren’t hidden up inside these items. remember that cockroaches love warmth so they will hide in clocks, and anything warm that is electrical.

      One story is that allot of people have problems with microwaves blowing out, when all it is is cockroach infestations and they short out the circuit boards for the power controls inside the microwave, and there you are replacing units.

      I have seen this eradication method done more than once and with regular preventative control this is the most permanent and of course costly method around. You will have to call and get an estimate for exterminator’s charges per square foot of the home.

      Reply
      • OK so I see comments on how to kill them I realize it won’t happen over night but how do you keep them from re populating while your taking the steps to kill them off tia

        Reply
  81. I had a tenant living in a trailer my wife inherited from a family member. When we handed it to the tenants it was roach free. When they left I found a couple thousand roaches in the home, running around in the middle of the day with no care. Here are the steps I had to use to conquer these very annoying and disgusting pest….

    1. Take 12 roach foggers found at Home Depot or Lowes and let them off in a 1000 square ft trailer. (Each is rated for 2000 squ ft coverage)

    2. Air out the trailer and put Borax soap all threw out the home. (Roaches like sweet things so most baits don’t work because they are bitter or sour and since Borax is sweet they will eat it and die.)

    3. Drill 1/2 inch holes in between your studs throughout the entire home almost to the ceiling. Take 3 cups of Diatomaceous Earth and squeeze the powder into the wall using an resturant style catch up or mustard bottle. Fill the holes with sheet rock mud. (Diatomaceous Earth dehydrates the roaches, Scientist do not understand exactly how it kills them but one theory is that the product acts like glass cutting them open on contact and then absorbing all the interior liquids of there body.)

    4. Treat the interior and exterior of the home with industrial grade pesticide, don’t be shy, get it in every corner and crevice you can.

    5. Continue to treat with pesticide as needed for the next few months.

    I hope this helps.

    Reply
    • DON’T do this, it’s stupid and dangerous! You WILL BLOW UP YOUR HOUSE! People have killed themselves and their family by using a bunch of foggers in a home. Don’t do it unless you want to bury your family or yourself.

      Reply
  82. Moved into my apartment in Oct. Had no issues with roaches until I decided to turn on the heat mid-Dec. (BAD DECISION.) They’re mainly seen in the kitchen and bathroom areas. It’s been a battle ever since. Had the complex send in the local exterminator and that helped for a bit. Bought EcoSmart from Home Depot 5 days ago. (Beware! It has a STRONG eucalyptus smell.) Also, used caulk on nearly every exposed crack. Just saw two adult GCs today. Managed to kill one. I will definitely look into the gel baits and if that doesn’t help, I’ll try the boric acid method. I’ve been holding off on the boric acid method because I have animals. I WANT THESE FILTHY CREATURES GONE FROM MY DWELLING!

    Reply
    • If you don’t want to miss it, killing one on the counter, take a piece of paper towel, soak it with little water (not too much), and tap on the bug. this way it will not be easy for the roach to find a free space away from your paper towel.

      Reply
  83. I recently moved into a apartment and after a few days started seeing bugs. one I knew had to be a adult German roach on my wall near the ceiling, the other I was not sure my son kept telling me it was a cereal bug. well I brought it up to land lord and they sent in two guys to look. of course they found nothing. well tonight I managed to catch one of the small ones and looked it up sure enough its a baby German cockroach. yesterday they just put some organic stuff down so any left walks through it there suppose to die and Monday they coming in to bait. I’m going to try the boric acid tomorrow crossing my fingers that it works.

    Reply
  84. I have used a product called Demon WP, it contains Cypermethrin that really works to kill the “crack” roaches. Before this product I tried many things and spent alot of $$$ and they seemed to be immune to everything. Once conquered with Demon then I used bait called DuPont Advion gel bait to keep the bugs at bay. With a little determination on your part, you will win this war. Look for these products online or at your local DYI Pest Control store. Remember spraying first to bring the mass down, then when you only see a few be sure to clean areas of spray where you are going to use bait. Dont forget to do areas such as behind outlet and switch plates, under counter tops, backsplash…..you get the idea, just dont over bait it only take a size of a pin head in each area. Happy Hunting!

    Reply
  85. I have spent over $4000.00 dollars in 5 years and been through 4 big name pest control companies programs. The last company tried for more then 2 years. They tented my house and after the tent was removed we walked in to find living roaches walking across the floor. They returned the next day to do a whole house treatment including the attic with all of the spays, powders, dust and baits (for the 4th or 5th time) then they came every two weeks for many months to spray the outside and retreat the inside again. They drilled holes and injected poison behind my wood siding. while doing all of this we were able to keep the roaches down to a low roar (At least they didn’t walk across the table while we were eating) but we have never been able to completely eradicate them and I’m tired of doling the money out for nothing. I have tried all of the methods listed above to no avail. I have permanently sealed all of my windows shut, almost quit cooking at home & I am currently raising Geckos with the intention of turning them lose in the house once they are large enough (ugh!!). If that doesn’t work I guess we’ll try tenting again or may be we’ll just have to gut the kitchen and bathes which I can’t afford to do. I’ve discussed this with many “experts” including one of the top entomologist from the University of Florida who has no explanation or suggestions. Go figure ???

    Reply
    • I can’t believe this,i had roaches too but i got ride of them,haven’t see one anymore
      go to amazon and but the gel bait Invict Gold Cockroach German Roach Control Gel Bait or
      Dupont Advion Cockroach Gel Bait ,there are lots out there but those ones really works!
      you can also buy your own insecticide as i did,you make 64 gallons from this bottle and you can spray as much as you want, get those and apply it right ,after a week there is no more roaches!

      Reply
      • Hi, thanks for sharing all info. want to confirm that Dupont Advion Cockroach Gel Bait
        is the effective one. How about what brand of insecticide? Please give detail. Beside of the above two things, what else should I buy? Please advise. Thanks so much.

        Reply
    • They drilled holes and injected poison behind my wood siding too. It was decided by the landlord for all apartments in our building. I think they put eggs of roaches when they drilled: I never had them before they drilled. After they drilled I got my kitchen infested. I will never let them in again. Do your own pest control. Don’t call anybody.

      Reply
  86. So the whole “don’t give them a place to nest” theory…..that doesn’t work for me. They are literally in EVERYTHING! Kitchen cabinets, fridge, stove/oven. But the worst part is things with heat. I have a Bath and Body Works plug-in in the wall for fragrance, and they have covered that thing! Those electric lightbulb tart warmers? They are all down in around that lightbulb! Extension cords, they hover around the plugs and in the unused plug holes! Which of course means they are in the light sockets too. They are in the digital display in my microwave, not in the cooking area. They even gathered around the extra lights at the bottom of one of my Christmas trees! I moved the tree skirt under my little 2ft tree and 20 of them came flying out. And last but not least my DVD and Blu-Ray player!

    Now, I can understand a messy kitchen being the breeding grounds for them (although my kitchen is fairly clean and they took over a spotless kitchen cabinet and were housed in the back corner…had to throw all the food away). But how in the world do I keep them out of electrical things?

    Is it possible that they are coming in due to the fact that #1 my roof/walls in the kitchen leak every time there is a heavy rain and/or #2 the sewer is backed up in the back yard? I have had problems with my landlord since I moved into this trailer. Leaky walls/windows, bathtubs that don’t drain, the sewer backed up in the back yard. He will not fix any of these things. I am pregnant, due the 27th of this month, and the dad left me, so I am alone without a job right now because I can’t work. I’m not sure if he’s not fixing these problems because I’m behind on rent or he’s just a bad landlord. I do not have the money to move, but I don’t want to bring a baby into this roach infested crap hole either. Does anyone have any pointers on how to get rid of these things? Especially in the plugs and the electronic things. I can’t stop using my DVD player just to make it stop producing heat.

    Reply
    • Roach Infested, you should submit the problems to your landlord in writing. Make a copy before you send it and keep dates of when things were sent to them. Tell them they have two weeks to do something about it (call in Orkin, repair leaks etc) or you will seek legal action. They are bound by law to do something about problems that are health related. That many roaches will make you sick and could cause problems to the baby. Once the baby is born he/she will have milk or drool on their clothing, face and neck. Roaches will be attracted to that as well and you’ll have to keep them off the baby too.

      It is not safe. That many roaches are a health risk. Write the letters and in the mean time get some Boric Acid ( Harris Roach Powder, Boric Acid, with Lure – 16 oz is $8 at ACE, Enoz Roach Away Boric Acid, 1 lb is under $3 at Walmart ) and mix with household sugar as bait. You can also mix some baking soda in with it. Keep everything as clean as you can. Use white vinegar and water to clean every surface. Don’t think this is a quick fix, it may still take 3-8 weeks to kill them all but keep things clean and change out bait weekly. It’s helped with my problem and hopefully it will help you too.

      Reply
  87. no more roaches here at least for now,i waste my money on stupid products
    the best way is to buy a high concentrate like this one
    Suspend Sc Insecticide -(1 Pint) Flea Tick Roaches Ant Professional Pest Control Product
    and you will make 4-5 gallons ,pest control uses this stuff,i believe that the best of everything i tried and mention on my previous reviews is acid boric and combat gel which is why now i order some maxforce gel from amazon
    just like combat it contains Fipronil,guys this is the best way to deal with roaches , youtube will show you how the pro use the maxforce gel i suggest you watch it and you will get hooked up lol,glad i fix my roach invasion for now and i doubt they gone come again anytime soon! i thought that that hot shot concentrate help my problem,maybe it did but now i realize that the Combat gel i apply was the one that had more effect over all so from now on i am going to use baits and there are few out there that have Fipronil on it which is why i want try the maxforce lol

    Reply
  88. hooray i find a cheap way to get ride of roaches,find bunch of them dead this morning lol
    i buy the 1.5 orthon gallon from home depot,yeah is weak even thought they say it protects up to 12 month lol
    then i buy the hot shot pest control concentrate which you can make up to 2 gallon when mix with water
    just mix it with the orthon stuff and it will be much much stronger then anything they sale on the shelf,take all cabinets out spray heavily inside ,go outside for lunch come back all dry and you’re set !
    tried allot crap out there this combination works the best for me,good luck with your roach problem.

    Reply
  89. Hi Donna 🙂
    Yes i live in big complex and they treat every week but my sister and she doesn’t
    want move everything so anyways this is an update to my previews review,after all i did
    i can still see 1 or 2 in the evening around the kitchen sink ,do note that this is my 10th day since i start my own treatment lol ,i am not happy with those hot shot max station bait so i got me combat ones,i put them on the floor on every corner and on the counter i put some of those hot shot liquid ,this 2 items i just mention are really good
    and i feel confident that they will do the job,i believe my roaches live under the counter and i so have some small cracks there,on the bottom boards i put some acid boric powder but around the counter i am thinking to get hot shot clear gel bait i have heard that works,i was thinking to get some fumigators but i have 2 chihuahuas and they are sensitive plus i read on amazon some reviews on those and they suck lol…i haven’t see a roach in last 2 days now so im waiting lol,what i did and is very easy i made my own “tea” and in the evening i clean the counters and make sure all dry then put on top on the sink my special tea,i mix 1 spoon of honey with 1 spoon of acid boric then mix them with bit of hot boiling water,they dissolve nicer and then trow some in the kitchen sink in the evening and let them come for a drink! I will post another review in couple days and let you guys how it goes but im confident this time im gone finish them off lol

    Reply
  90. Its funny how one solution can work in one house, but not another. I think if you live in a large complex with alot of apartments or condos, it might not be you that had pest. Who knows which apartment had the nest. It could be the one across the street. Good Luck!

    Reply
    • U Ms. Battle have hit on a very important and mostly overlooked point,each situation is diffrent what works for u may not work for me,example i moved here a year ago,initially all good starting in my eighth mo of residency they began showing up ,my next door neighbors been here over ten yrs,longest residency,all the maintenance people have commented on her uncleanliness and infestation,and again mngmnt doesnt exterminate,so my efforts will likely be ongoing until i relocate because she’ s made it clear she’s not
      I have observed them on the landing leaving her door to visit mine only three feet away ,and there’s lots of access the building was erected in 1950..so. all im saying is people dont get upset if a procedure didnt work 4 u because all the scenarios r diffrent…… John in Dallas

      Reply
  91. I leave in a nice building but the roaches problem seem to be everywhere since every neighbor i talk with has it,they come once a week and do for free but my sister doesn’t want leave the house and a mess to take everything out of the cabinets so i guess i got do something on my own lol…roaches seem to come up for last 2-3 weeks,every time i turn on the light in the kitchen i see 1 running on the counter,i buy some acid boric powder and i stuff on the cracks i have especially under my sink cabinet,is been few days since i do that,i start to see baby roaches for 2 days now again see some adults,i know one thing will not work so i have back up lol…i buy those tablets harris famous roach tablets and place then on every cabinet,noticed some are half and seen 2-3 roaches barely alive,so i make my own baits with flour,sugar,bit of water and of course couple spoons of acid boric,i place those smal balls around the cracks under the cabinets and to my surprise the next day they were gone!so i know that they are there ! today i buy one product from home depot is call ecosmart,i got exited to spray around and after i did a bit under the cabinet sink my sister start to whine…”what the fuck this smell” the ecosmart is organic but it smell so strong like eucalyptus
    give me headache and i own 2 chihuahuas too,long story short i return it back and now after so many hrs when i open the cabinet under sink it still smell so strong,i feel that this thing is really good but you must give some time to set ,i wont mind since is in the cabinets but again my sister worry about the dogs and i decide not to use it,i have a neighbor who told me he got ride of the roaches and he only spend 6 bucks,he said hes using the hot shot max baits so i got me one pack from wall-mart and cost me 5 bucks,i believe those will help allot but im still hoping the powder of acid boric i stuff in between the cracks will finish them off ,anyways long story short for those who can’t afford a professional terminator but as i heard from a lady neighbor she had done this and still have roaches…i think the best way to get ride of them is to clean the floor and counter /table and leave no food or nothing on it except the baits,you can make your on bait mix it with flour,peanut butter if you have whatever just be creative but don’t forget to add the acid boric on it,you can also mix acid boric or borax with some granulated sugar and hot boiling water mix it really good and put it on a sprayer and spray around they will come and lick that and
    die,im actually thinking to do that but put the mix “tea” in small plastic leads so that they come and drink,that will be their last drink lol…hope some of my tips help,one thing i forget to say…my mom give me one of those riddex plus repellent…looked over the reviews and watch some you tube videos where the roaches sits on it think those repellent bs is waste of time and money,so once again the most efficient and cheap is acid boric ,good luck and happy hunting lol

    Reply
  92. Ok I need ur help in answering this… Can roaches be immune to insect repellent?!? I sprayed one late last night n went about my day activities without clearing it… Before I left hm, saw that its dead n unmoving… 24 hrs ltr I reached hm n saw it kicking its leg n when I was lying in bed I heard a flapping sound… That little pest has flipped over n was moving ard… Unbelievable I went on to sprayed it n it’s still kicking its leg… I’m pissed n I can’t sleep in my room due to the strong chemical smell… Urghhhhh

    Reply
    • Yes they can become resistant to certain pesticides. The case in which you are talking about is the way a certain pesticide works. Some work as an immediate kill spray. Usually aerosols are in this class. Most liquid sprays and baits work as more drawn out process. They will die it just takes longer.

      Reply
      • Yeah i became fascinated by their resilency so i took extra time observing them, and as a species like (whatever that will smith movie title was were the insect aliens attacked us) oh yeah independence day, if those little critters were the size of say,a yorkie our #@%?#@¥&¤§ would be in a lotta trouble.

        John in Dallas

        Reply
        • I took the wheels off my parrots cage. Placed each one in a mason jar with water and boric acid, sealed it and shook the snot out of them. That’s where they were living. After an hour, they were still swimming in full sun. Added bleach to the water, some were still alive after an hour!
          Little bastards are truly resilient.
          Pressure cleaning and steaming cages every week. They are still here due to parrot food and water.
          maybe time to move and buy new cages! Damnit!

          Reply
          • I have a parrot which has been staying with my dog groomer. I just got the parrot(with cage) back and the cage has German roaches! How do I get rid of them without killing my parrot?

            Reply
    • Roaches breathe through there skin so if you kill it with spray remove it or else the spray wears off and the roach will live again!!

      Reply
      • It’s very untrue unfortunately.it takes over 40 minutes to drown them or suffocate them truly dawn dish soap and water spray it out a bottle doesn’t kill then.but outs them.in a coma like state I would flush dead roaches out of the actual home roaches are cannibals so u want to starve them.of any means including eachother

        Reply
    • Just so I understand you correctly…. You sprayed a roach with insecticide, then left it laying there (assumed it was dead), then notice it was not dead and sprayed it a second time…all the while still leaving it in the same place? And you can’t sleep because of the smell of the spray…. Did you ever think of squashing said roach and throwing it in trash or down drain? I am not trying to be a smart ass or anything…lord knows we’ve all seen enough of that on this forum….but it just seems to be common sense to kill it and toss it. Plus, why would you spray the bug and just leave it laying on your counter/floor/etc., for even 5 minutes let alone a whole day? To answer your original question though, about roaches being immune to sprays….Cock Roaches are extremely resilient creatures! I have heard they can build up a tolerance to most sprays and that sprays just make the roaches all hot and bothered to go make more babies and mostly just “chase” the roaches to a different area? I don’t know if this is fact… Just what I have been told. Also, reading all the comments on here, it appears that most people prefer the combat gel baits (these attract the roaches as they believe its food, they eat it and get it on their bodies and take the poison back to their nest, which poisons and kills more roaches.) I also read some trick with boric acid (I think it was?) and sugar or sugar water on this site too (scroll up the comments a ways past all the bullshit that has nothing to do with pest control and you’ll find it) haha …but I think you put the mixture in plates/bowls or on strips of cardboard and set them wherever you see them most and where you think they’re hiding and it kills them…its much cheaper than gel baits but I have no idea about how effective it is? I am going to try the gel baits…since they take the poison to the nest. Because these intruders can live not only in and under appliances and other hard to reach places but can also live inside your walls, TVs, furniture, pretty much EVERYWHERE….which I guess that and their rapid reproduction rate is why they’re so damn hard to get rid of!! Blugh!! Gives me the Heebie Jeebies!! Anyways…hope I was some help to you friend. 🙂 good luck to you and everyone on here looking for a solution to roaches…little turds are disgusting and no one should have to live with them!!
      -Kristin from Tennessee

      Reply
    • can you get ride of roaches with 5 dollars? yes you can! buy boric acid powder and then mix a bit with peanut butter or even better barbecue sauce,the suckers can’t resist the temptation this is an old school stuff i think everyone knows about it lol

      Reply
    • I had some roach activity in last 2 weeks,always see one the most 2 in the kitchen sink every time i go in the evening,i live in a big complex,they come do pest control for free ,is a mess to move out everything and then heard some neighbor saying pest control come 2x and they scare roaches away for few days then they back so i decide to do my own pest control !
      At 1st i start with acid boric,made baits then i waste money for crap they sale at grocery stores,out everything i try i only find one that actually works which is the combat gel bait…but i end up doing my pest the pro way! I buy my own pro insecticide Suspend SC from amazon,28$ a bottle but with it i can mix 64 gallon! I spray my house everywhere and i have plenty to spray every week if i want too,i also got the pro gel bait Maxforce magnum and want it to try the advion gel baits,pros use this! I also buy a foam sealing sprayer and i seal all the holes/cracks focused under the kitchen sink/cabinets and bathroom,i am roach free now and i have neighbors asking me how to get ride of them since pest control doesn’t do the job right! You need keep clean around especially kitchen ,no food on the counter etc and no dishes in the sink,sink must be clear,clean and dry out every night…that is how you get ride of the roaches,no mickey mouse games,do it the pro way like i did lol

      Reply
  93. An ex was living with me for about 3 years and is now gone for good but now my home is completely over run with German roaches! Please send me as many tips you can think of because my house and all of my belongings are completely infested!!! It has gotten to the point that when people leave my house their homes are infested which is so embarrassing and I’m disabled and on ssi so my mobility and money is limited at best…please help

    Reply
    • Go to do your own pest.com you will find commercial roach baits. They are the best! Baits do not chase them away like liquid pesticides. Use a little every couple days on cabinet hinges and under sink in pipe chases. Good luck

      Reply
    • Hello, I hate you are dealing with this. I own a pest control and hope this helps. Get a spray that states on the label it kills German roaches. Look for something with an insect growth regulator. The IGR will block receptors that allow the roaches to fully mature. This is birth control for roaches. Put out some cheap glue board and find out where your friends are coming from. Locate their area of comfort which is usually in hinges of cabinets, appliances with power to them, and under counter top edges. Bait those area where the bait is out of sight. The baits may stain is the reason it should be out of sight. CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN…Baiting should be the last thing you do. The baiting should only be done when you have cleaned and removed all the extra food. Wait 2-3 weeks and bait only the hot spots or anywhere you are still finding them. Roach fecal matter has been linked to childhood asthma along with other medical problem. So not having them as room mates is beneficial to you and your families health.

      Reply
        • Haaaaaaa. That made me laugh. You made your point well! The grammar does not matter as long as you communicate well. There were some comments so ghetto/wt that they can’t be understood. We left ffod on the grill. Totally forgot. We brought the grill grates in to soak and clean. I woke up in the middle of the night to get water and saw a single German running across the sink. Does that mean they are probably in garage hiding in grill or indoors but never have been seen??? Our house is clean, no clutter. I am still worried. ….

          Reply
      • A friend of mine gave me a small bottle of IGR, but it does not have any directions on the bottle.
        What are the directions for use?
        Want to get rid of German
        Cockroaches…

        Reply
      • This was posted a year ago so I hope you get it. We started having an issue about 5 months ago. I saw 3 of these creatures and called orkin immediately. We live in the city in an old home so hubby sprays the parameter a few times a year. I have two questions. One do you think the borax solution really works. Secondly, the orkin guy said we should not spray because it would interfere with his work. I will look at the birth control for roaches too. It is 5 month later and we still see about 6 a week maybe a few more. The orkin guy said that it was not too bad but said that in the beginning. It does not seem like it should take this long for a small infestation. Thanks

        Reply
        • Michelle, The best thing for roaches is the gel they sell at Walmart. Cheap & worked for us. They eat it and die. Sprays will just chase them around and get them a little high. Replace black gel baits on a regular basis. As a prevention method (my neighbor has them horribly) I leave under my covered porch, in the bottom of garbage can, under my car, and any covered placed outside. Another thing that works is dusting your kitchen/bathroom floors with Diatomaceous earth (food grade) or whereever you see them. Diatmoceous earth is added to our grains and other products to kill bugs. Google it and read all the benefits.

          Reply
        • I too had a huge problem with roaches at my old apt. The pest control Aldi told me not to spray or put out bait. Just be patient and his process will get the job done. We reluctantly let go and let him do his job and I have to say the remains year and a half that we lived there we should of just rename them Bigfoot cause we never saw another one again. After knowing how bad they infested our place they were truly gone. I kept looking and expected to see at least one. But nope. Good luck.

          Reply
    • get combat gel and bait strips…and the bait stations…you will see results right away start in your kitchen and bathrooms…it’s worth the $30-$40 dollar investment.

      Reply
      • I can attest that this works also. My neighbors home (abandoned their home and left food & roaches) had thousands and came in daylight through the lawn to my home. I was able to get rid of them with the gel baits but all my other neighbors keep spraying and their problems continue to get worse. I have been able to stop my home from getting reinfested by these nasty things. See my other post to stop them outdoors in warm weather.

        Reply
      • So true! Combat Gel is awesome! I also opened my silverware drawer one time and saw a roach crawling across the knives. It freaked me out! It was disgusting! I put just a little drop of combat gel in each corner of my silverware drawer and haven’t seen a roach in that drawer since! I am so glad, because I don’t ever want to have to wash every piece of silverware I own again, at one time! good luck everybody!

        Reply
  94. The best way to get rid of roaches forever is to use all methods at once!!! I’ve been living in an apartment for over 4 years and never had a roach problem until like 5 months ago. It made me question my cleanliness. I was so confused because I didn’t do anything different, but found out it was a new neighbor who brought the roaches. At first I didn’t know what to do and after weeks I Almost gave up. U have to be patient though it took time for them to get in andwill take time to get rid of them. So I did the obvious and fogged and sat out traps. This did not work they were traveling every whereno matter how much I cleaned. I also found that they were living under my deep freezer. So I almost got rid of that too. I did a lot of research online. I used a combination of things to permanently get rid of them. ATTENTION: I made sure everyday I cleaned kitchen and dinning room. Use bleach while cleaning everthing! If you have carpet in dinning area vaccum everytime you eat! Put down boric acid in corners on floor in all rooms in house and under door cracks! Fog every week it will get rid of some of them! Put down raid bait strips in their pathways! Get moth balls and don’t use too many your house will have a bad smell!!! Put one in each room! You will smell them at first but the smell will kind of fade over time if you donot use too many! Mix boric acid and sugar in little bowls or cups and place in desired areas around the house! Spray around your house in every room on the inside and outside, make sure to spray front and back doors and patios! Also keep a can of spray to kill them as you see them don’t wait for them to die if you see them KILL them then! Make sure all food is sealed and put away! If they are in appliances spray a durable trash bag place appliances in trash bag and seal for at least 48 hours! Seal cracks around the house! Pay special attention to their pathways and where they are coming from! Get rid of dead roaches when you see them! Clean, clean and clean everything everyday! If you do all these things eventually they will die and be gone forever!! Everyone’s situation is different so just be patient and be consistent and you will see results! Don’t slack off when they are gone because they will come back! MOST IMPORTANT PRAY AND BE PATIENT! REMEMBER the person who brought them will probably always have them so just make sure you don’t! They will come out at night! U will getrid of them before you know! I guarantee it!

    Reply
    • thank you so much tori for your response. I just moved in my apt and found out my apt was infested. I was pretty disappointed but I’m hoping that with all your tips and patient consistency I will get rid of them ! *FINGERS CROSSED*

      Reply
      • I just had the pest control guy from Plunketts in my apartment, because i found a roach and managed to kill it and keep its remains to show the office. Point being, if you live in an apartment building and pay rent, the owners are obligated to take care of the problem.

        Reply
          • My tenants had German roaches after living in the home for over 2 years. They were brought in by a new roommate a few months ago. Not my problem as a landlord, they brought them in – and are now having to pay exterminator (not me).

            Reply
        • Yes absolutely that us the stuff that I use on.top of boric acid…. also IF U HAVE THE CHANCE THIS AMAZING.PRODUCT WORKS WONDERS!!!!! Get Bengals Gold roach killing spray!!!!! It doesn’t exactly kill them.but thus is where it works magic this stuff spray along all corners doors Windows all edges period it prevents them.from having future generations but cryogenically freezing.their sex organs and causing permanent infertility especially.if caught at an early stage (nymph) also mix equal parts sugar and baking soda yes actual.baking soda always worked after water consumption a roach maybe hungry sugar attracts long story short roaches cannot fart or burp So they literally explode o but don’t.let that stop u if u poison it as well a perfect death trap I mix boric acid into it as well leave the dead remains I know disgusting but they eat the poisoned corpse take it to their next dies and chain reaction!!! Really hope this helps #deathtoallroaches

          Reply
    • My sis in law used foggers and bug bombs, and it was only afterward that her mom told her that using those only provide a “crack orgy in a nuclear environment” meaning that she basically got them high, horny, and the chemicals only deformed them. her infestation was worse afterwards!

      Reply
      • Lol I’ve done this same technic and yes its true they are coming out deformed and look to be all carry there eggs and now they seem to be day walkers. And brave little basterds now coming towards the bedrooms.

        Reply
          • They got spray that can kill the German roashes. You can do it yourself. I kelp a clean house they walked in my house took over . I did some research on them. Mine gone like they was never here. I had to really clean and paint my house on the inside but I know how to get ride of them.

            Reply
        • Yes the pest control did it in my apt. I had not had any of them but the landlord had to pest all apartments. They had to do mine among others. After the pest control visited my apartment, 5 days after I saw roaches every day. I dealt with it myself.

          Reply
      • Dont know what all that means precisely,lol, but i do have some ideas,i have to agree with her though,ive spent close to 60 bucks on various brands of foggers only to return after a few hours to find them critters “dirty dancin” and some of em doing michael jackson impersonations…party on. John in Dallas Tx.

        Reply
      • Yep, we treated one infested room with two bombs, two hours apart.
        thought we killed them…
        NOPE, little #! $÷! s
        we have a dropcam in the room, the roaches said FU
        after one day and proceeded to give us the antenna every night. So tired of this.
        my ex boyfriend brought these into my home.
        wish I would have paid the roaches to leave as much as I had to pay him.

        Reply
        • Although bombing may kill some or most you still need to keep in mind that the roaches in tight places get very little bomb but enuff to set them running out of the walls 3 days after bombing completely settles… Do Not waste your money @ any normal store on Boric Acid. Most Dollar Trees carry the same bottle of Boric and their other bugs sprays are amazing… I had a huge yellow jacket nest underground not visible until the lawnsmen would be mowing,clipping,and weeding. For 2 years the lawnsmen tried to rid it…. I got the flying insect spray(blue can) from the Dollar Tree pissed them off so they would come out and sprayed the dickens out of them and douched the nest and now the lawnsmen is sting free every time he does the yard… Not to mention that what took him 2 years tryn took me 2 minutes for a lifetime. These Dollar Tree sprays work on those roaches too. Shockingly

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      • I sure believe the whole orgy bit! We removed everything from the kitchen, and bombed with 2 bombs. Had everything open. Days later, it seems I seem even more than before! I am just now learning to only put down the lightest dusting of boric acid. I do kill every roach I can because I know if I do, I am eliminating the next generation from that source. My infestation started when I was clearing out my step dads house. I foolishly brought a bag of potatoes from there. I actually looked for roaches, found none. Brought them home, put them on the table. My son started hollering because he saw several pouring out of the bag! SO GROSS!!

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        • I used Advion (made by dupont ) in a rent house that was infested with thousands of roaches. In a matter of weeks they have disappeared. I was amazed. Mind you, there were no ppl or animals (xcept roaches) living in the house. Since then I put in gentrol which keeps the little buggers from multiplying. Poored Comet, pinesol or borax in the drains and toilet to contaminate the water. So far so good. It helps bunches that it isn’t occupied.

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  95. A very good way to keep your house and outdoors really clean and fresh, but not the way German roaches are killed. I tried everything until I found out about Boric Acid Powder (nontoxic to human). I mixed it with some condensed milk as was suggested, then I paced it on little strips of card board and put them in all the possible places where they trail, visit or hide.
    Keep setting new bait every week or so, keeping in mind that they had left unhatched eggs behind, so you want to get rid of these newly hatched roaches before they have a chance to lay any eggs. Once the cycle is terminated you will not see any more of those pesky guys in your house.
    Be vigilant and continue to set the bait randomly to make sure that they never have the chance to live with you again. By the way Boric Acic is sold at any Pharmacy and is very inexpensive, very much cheaper than sprays and commercial baits that don’t work.

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      • Oh yes Jenny,they dont often but yes they have functional wings,only for short distance if thats any consolation……John in Dallas,Tx

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        • My nest is in the door of my dishwasher. I cant spray as it is a custom machine and digital on top I guess they like the water and humidity. I did get the idea to put Boric acid in a large plastic bag wrap the door and seal it up. I have cleaned etc. It has a food chopper in the bottom, that’s how they got started, I think.. Has anyone had this problem? I called the appliance mfg. I was shocked to find out, very common. I just wanted to know if I could get the door off.

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          • I have an old fashioned hot water heater in my kitchen and it’s attracting them bad, it’s warm, damp and dark. I took a crow bar and ripped the counter top if it (it’s between the stove and wall) I have a strong chemical compound that takes 2 days to kill an infestation , e bay it’s called bifen I/T. I take two parts of the measured solution with 2 gallons water and spray the baseboards of the house. Two days later spray outside against the edges of the house. Do this every 3 mos. (: it’s so worth it.

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            • Ugh. They’re living/breeding in my gas stove, as the pilot light is always on & it’s always warm. I’ve tried Everything!

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              • There is a fantastic roach bait on Amazon called Advion Syngenta. Take a tube and put small (pea sized) dabs all around where you’ve seen them (on the outside of your stove). Dabs in cupboards, above door frames, etc. Do NOT put any in any low spots that children or pets can get to (if you have any). One tube will do your entire kitchen. In two days you will see bodies everywhere. Repeat every week for three to four weeks and they will be gone. Follow up with a sprinkling of boric acid in ALL cabinets, behind your stove (if you can), behind your fridge (if you can). This will stick to their bodies and dehydrate -any- that remain.

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                • Yes, yes…..Advion Syngenta is great! It is slow acting and roaches will take some back to their nests where it will kill even others….including ones who eat the provider once he/she dies. So one actually can help eliminate dozens living in areas you can’t access or even imagine them. Keep at it and you will prevail!

                  Reply
          • Yes!!! This happened to me! I did finally open up the door of my dishwasher (unscrew, remove cover and insulation). They were living, BREEDING in the circuit boards. It was disgusting!!! I tried to squash the runners and sprayed the boards til they were soaking with pesticide. (Make sure you turn off breaker first!). I saw a couple on the counters over the next days but think they were prob the runners that got away. Think my dishwasher problem is solved. Unfortunately, I’ve seen some recently running on the wall fehind my stove/oven. 🙁

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          • Should be screws lining the door on each side anywhere from 3 to 6 start at the bottom work your way up front panel should
            Just pop off or on some older ones the inner panel comes out

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          • Edna, that is where my problem is too! I open the door at night and they are all over the inside. I heard they like electricity too, found them behind my electrical outlets in the kitchen. Did you ever get rid of them with the boric acid?

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            • If you’re okay with using chemical method, I suggest using Bengal brand bug spray. It is a dry spray and safe for using in your electronics and outlets. I also used a recipe I was told about and it is working fantastically!
              2 Tablespoons peanut butter, 1 cup baking soda or boric acid, 1 cup sugar or honey, enough water added to make it a paste(looks like cookie dough mixed). You can make little balls out of it and place in cabinets and drawers. Also keep areas clean. Using a cleaning solution of half water and half white vinegar, a smell that detures them and dissinfects at the same time. Hope this helps!

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          • I have this problem now and they are in the control electric panel.
            It’s unbelievable since in this house 30 years and now this problem starts.,
            Any help appreciated

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            • I think this same problem is with me. I am in an apt building, and the superintendant decided to put pesticides in every apt of the building (in the kitchen cupboards and under the sink). I had never had roaches in my house, but we were told it’s a legal matter to refuse the pesticides.
              2 stranger looking men came in from one of the pest companies: One ran to the bathroom, and the other to the kitchen to put some kind of gels with pesticide in it.
              You won’t believe: After 4 to 5 days I began to see roaches in the kitchen counter’s cracks. So their pesticide or themselves brought roaches to my kitchen instead of solving a problem that does not exist.
              My friend fro the next building is in the same problem. Another friend works in a place where a company is enrolled for ever, and the roaches would never disappear there.
              I think this pest companies are creating more problems than solving them.

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          • I am staying in an extended stay place. I went through the hell of bedbug invasion. …..DIY was the only way to go.Their guy was useless….Now it’s roaches. I see them coming in and out of the electrical sockets. I’m thinking of sprinkling boric acid on tape,where the holes are,and not where the tape has to stick. Under the sink, along the crevices, but I don’t know what to do with the trails along the back of the sink, on cupboards, behind the refrigerator, etc….The bait traps haven’t done the job, my sister gave me electronic plugs that are supposed to give off a sonar type thing, I watched one crawl behind both of them to get in alongside where the things were plugged in. I’ve seen them walk in through the door, so I’ll have to boric aCid that, but behind the bookcase, and bulletin board, actually IN THE MICROWAVE, while its running for 2 minutes. Then it ran into one of the holes inside…it was a baby. We have light colored hairy ones, I call Trumps and shorter, fatter dark ones…..I have always washed every dish before ping to sleep, but I will dry sinks and tub w/ paper towels, as you said….so, I’m left with the ones that I have seen crawling behind things on the wall. How about cardboard squares w/ boric acid or DE UNDER the refrigerator and still, the walls behind the refrigerator, microwave, bookcase, back walls of cabinets, and the trails from kitChen area to bedroom area via wall, floor, ceiling. Any more suggestions?

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            • Mary! First of all I would never call a pest company guys, they are never helpful. I bought sticky pads from the dollar store, and put some bait in the middle of the pads: Mixing peanut butter with borax detergent, that I found in Highland. Sometimes I see Borax in No frills or Walmart too.
              The kitchen must be free of any food residue, so they will come to eat from the bait and they stick to the sticky pad.
              I mixed boric acid with sugar too, and place them everywhere under the sink, behind the fridge and the stove, in different size lids, and it helped.

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        • German roaches dont fly but american roaches another kinds of roaches fly . German roach live in building other kinds seem to big to not be notices so they stay outside.

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          • some species fly but i know for a fact they can jump like a grasshopper when on a wall and feel threatened, i recently moved into an apartment which to me was an infestation, luckily i had planty of DE from awhile back when i by the grace of God beat bed bugs with it, well anyhow they spray every so often that stunts their growth, birth here, but i pulled the refridgerator out and saw a box of cornflakes on the floor and behind and found roaches so i immediately panicked, cleaned it up thoroughly and bleached everything down sanitized the whole apartment then layed the DE down everywhere once dry and man was it worth it!! i was seeing at least 5-10 or more the first few nights after laying it and now they arent running like they were sure it will take a bit but it does the job pretty much everywhere is a death trap for them now im now starting to see results and im ocd when it comes to keeping a place clean just seen 2 so far tonight and the refridgerator is the hotspot, the rental company sprayed before i moved in and the ppl before me were obviously not the cleanest and maintenance didnt detail the apt like i did took A LOT of work but thank God i done it before setting my place up, baseboards are caulked and treated with the DE as well as under and behind the fridge and all the appliances wherever they try to go they have to walk through the DE to get to it and its working and was well worth it and the stuff gets to hard to reach places they will hide and stays good for years as long as it doesnt get wet, wasnt extremely infested but infested enough where i did let the company know but my DIY tactics has been working and will stay there til the day i move so im pretty much making my place a deathtrap for them and any bugs i dont know about 1 big 10$ bag of DE lasts and is effective and is non-toxic to ppl and pets although it is recommended to not breathe too much in when applying it and testing a little on your hand to make sure you wont be allergic because some ppl and pets have that possibility which is why by law they have to have warning labels on the bag but it works for bed bugs and cockroaches pretty much any bug with an exoskeleton, hope this helps for anyone dealing with any issue like this bug sprays are a waste of money this Diatomaceous Earth is natural and not a chemical it dehydrates and cuts them to death by sticking to them so since it isnt a chemical they wont build up immunities to DE as long as none gets wet it stays potent for years and will last so dont put any anywhere where it’ll get wet, once it settles after applying it it pretty much stays there! Hope this helps!!

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          • You don’t live in FL. German roaches most assuredly DO fly. I am a senior citizen and flying in when my 7 grandchildren visited is exactly how I got my present infestation of german roaches.
            CC

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        • We bought Invict which is a bait gel (looks likeep peanut butter). It poisons the one that eats it and as cockroaches are somewhat cannibalistic, also kills the ones that eat the carcass. Reviews were high and 3 weeks later, we have not seen a single bug! SO happy!

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          • The exterminator put that peanut butter gel around my kitchen cabinets, where we can not touch it, he said is human and pets safe even if we touch it. The same day we went out a couple hours, when we came back, it was a big roach dying close to the front door, maybe the same cockroach that I saw a day before, so that thing works quick

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        • They get into about anything electrical that produces heat like radios, etc. Also power strips and especially if these are on the floor. I can see them in the area and find roach fecal deposits on them. They seek out the heat. Just use ordinary plugs or put the strips up higher off the floor, and same for clock radios and telephones! They will get into about anything warm. Kill them all, search and destroy, take no prisoners!! Yeah!!

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          • Mine like to dive into our heater thermostat to access the inner walls. We see feces on a small shelf under it and it seems females like to hatch their eggs right there as we sometimes catch a whole batch of babies making a run for the thermostat that is behind the sink.
            I have a question, tho. The boric acid powder people have mentioned says on the label, it is toxic to human and animals. Not to allow to touch skin or of course ingest or get into mucous membranes. So, I am asking where I can put it direct from the bottle and also when mixed with baking soda, peanut butter, sugar or flour(cake mix is all I have like that), and water. I know some places, but afraid to use it inside top of stove where they run when lights come on. I live in a small trailer where everything is close together, and cannot be pulled trom walls. If I put bait in back corners along my kitchen counter behind appliances and lazy susan spice rack, will the roaches be likely to walk out into the open spaces and leave bait residue there? I wipe the counter many times a day, but do prepare food there. Maybe wash and use vinegar on that surface before food prep?
            One last question, please. Why doesn’t it tell you to eear gloves when handling this powder? I plan to mix baking soda with it in the bottle and in recipes. My bottle says only 64% orthoboric acid by volume. Will the baking soda help boost it’s effects? TY. for any help and soonest answer. I have the tools, just need to know how to use them! Roaches Begone!!

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                • On the 15th it will be one year to the day that I saw one huge roach they are the males and as I was going after it as I always do kill or be killed I say ..anyway as I went after it I saw two small on run away from him I scream at my son and his wife and they said I was seeing thing and to go back to bed…..They were moving in 2 days so I just walked away ..The da

                  The same day they left well actually at around 1am I went in to the kitchen and out of no where or I think they came from somewhere under my dryer and ran only half way across my kitchen like they went under the stove and I’m not talking on or two I’m talkin like a couple hunderd it was crazy so the kid the dog and the bird were bar all in his bedroom I was still in the kitchen freakin out you could hear them in the garbage bag everywhere then they were gone just as fast as they showed up except the huge ones were everywhere like 20 of them in the course of the night that nightI had the Orkin dude here by noon…I had all the dead ones outside on the dust pan cause you know I was spraying Real Kill it was killin them though I only saw one small one in the morning the big ones were dying in all my crystal bowl and falling from the ceiling CRAZY !!! ..?

                  The Orkin dude was tripping like I was he was like where are all the bugs ..? Don’t knowknow …like I said the were gone just as fast as they showed up ..oh I’m in California LA..by the beach but anywho ..after that I saw zombies walkin around for a couple weeks or so and he came back set paper traps and sprayed …mean while I was cleaning and throwing pretty much anything in my path that I thought they could hide and multiply in I was going crazy couldn’t sleep eat nothing my worst fear in that they would get in to our bedroom and on us …FREAKIN!!
                  So since then seen maybe4 small one in a year but about one big one a month. Till tonight I saw and killed QUICK a small one and well here I am not sleeping thinking we are gonna have a repeat of last year..we were having a crazy heat wave last year and it’s been pretty hot the past few weeks again coolong off now …well long story short I will be calling Orkin right away if there are anymore …the small ones are the females they are the ones that multiply the big ones mostly are a pipe and outside asshole….doesn’t matter clean and throw away everything in your path and keep it up worked for me the past year ..well we will so my horoscope said something will happen around the 15th that I’m not gonna believe what I saw ……freakin itching worried

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              • My husband and i live in Florida and he works for Massey as a lawn tech. Massey is reasonably priced and they really know their stuff. The house we rent was infested before we moved in, but we didn’t realize it right away. He told his boss and they sent a pest guy out and told us things we can do around the home. Pretty much everything in this article works plus the gel bait, sticky food traps, and sex traps (since the breed like crazy!) and we’re starting to see results, it just takes a little while.

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          • i bombed bombed & …..rebombed… over and over and over unplugged everything put raid heavy infestation bombs behind my fridge in cabients removed couch covers sat bombs on the couch. put bombs on counter top, then sit the coffee pot on top of a freshly spayed area . i would set off 5 or 6 in each room every day for 2 wks. use a mask to cover your face when setting them off. i used roach motels also …havent seen 1 in10 months, i dont put food in gabage can inside, i bleach the sink &counters every nite… roaches hate clean… just use a bomb or 2 in the areas where the heaviest infestation was every six months to make sure they dont come back ,, even if u dont see them…. i never had them ever until a friend moved in with an infested coffee pot & boom i was so freakin over run with those things , i thought i was gona have to burn my house down to get rid of them but i didget rid of them, i feel for ya…GOOD LUCK

            Reply
          • IKR? My bf gets so angry, but hard to dust this entire small space, 25×8, without it getting into the air or food stuff. The only place I don’t see them is in the overhead(couch) cabinets with can goods and well checked dry goods. Will be looking there soon to make sure after I wage war at floor and counter areas. Some are seen in dish cabinets over sink and counters, but I rewash any dishes or containers before using. Also, their little venture into my sink and dish drainer at night looking for food and water drive me crazy!

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        • Yes they do fly. Just because you havent seen it doesnt mean it doesnt happen.. Ive had one fly onto me once and I was talking to an exterminator and he said (they dont eat food and dont have moveable wings) Shows you how well he knows his job…… They infest everything and dont care if its food,drink,paper,fabric,wall sockets,fire detectors,electronics or glues…. Believe that….. When you are majorly infested ,your home will smell like a crate of old half melted crayons…. Believe that too…

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          • I have a “slow” roomate thaty digs through the neighborhood garbage all day and brings them in with him so I’m pretty pissed at the situation….

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          • They do not fly. I had this same argument with someone. I was wrong. I did hours of research. What you are seeing is an asian roach, first discovered in lakeland florida. Scientist came to seffner to research a claim of these so called flying german roaches. They are almost indistinguishable from a german roach. They are slightly lighter and have different stomach markings. They are a huge problem in east Hillsborough county, but there is no flying german roaches.

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        • Yes they will fly. I was caught off guard one day I thought they just crawled and one of them almost flew on me. Man did I freak out. Lol

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        • They absolutely do fly. I have seen it many times, as far as 30 feet. Go outside with a headlamp one night and look for some. They will definitely make you realize you’re wrong.

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        • I have seen them fly, but only a few times. They do use their wins like para-sails when they jump from higher heights. I have seen that many, too many, times.

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        • Yes they do fly. I was helping clean out a nasty apartment and opened a end table and some came flying out. I have found over many years that Boric Acid works best. I am fighting several now where I moved to. The roaches live in the walls between apartments and under appliances. I finally put out the Boric Acid. Normally when I move into a place I will fog the empty resident, then put Boric Acid in all cabinets and drawers, cover with news paper and then the rubbery shelf liners. After all of that I rarely if at all see a roach or anything.

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        • Oh yes they definitely fly. I had a big one fly across from my kitchen to living room but wasn’t able to gain much altitude due to a large dust ball attached to his butt lol. He crash landed in the hall where he was promptly squashed like a bug haha!

          Reply
          • That was a Palmetto bug GERMAN ROACHES DONT FLY! I live in florida and someone close to me has an infestation of GERMAN ROACHES i can assure ANYONE they DO NOT FLY

            Reply
        • Your humerus is not useless. It’s the upper arm bone. The reason it’s called the funny bone is because it’s named the humerus.

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      • I live in South East Texas and they do fly. They are roaches, German roaches and what we like to call wood roaches that are up to two inches long. The large ones do fly and love to land in your hair. I HATE ROACHES! I lived in Florida and these are different.

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    • Hi can someone help.. I moved into a house last week with roach infestation iam moving rite out next week i dont want to take them with me how to stop that??Also my father says they can get into my microwave and tvs how do i stop them from coming with me through them electronics??please help

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      • They say you can bomb them with an aerosol. I am not happy about chemicals but it seems the roaches are trying to make a comeback. People sometimes load their belongings in the moving truck and bomb away.

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        • The roaches can be hiding in those same belongings. You can kill 99% of them but that 1% breeds so fast rabbits can’t keep up. I usually clean like a madman, bomb so heavy the house can’t be entered for a couple of days. Problem I have is I have a pool and a wooded area in back… neon signs for them buggers

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          • You do realize that setting off to many “bombs” in your home can actually turn your home into a bomb itself. Something like a slight flicker from a light switch would actually make your house explode. Be careful my friend!

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      • Get some carmel as I call it….. Combat gell siringe. Place in screw wholes and air flow gaps or along the edges underneath your electronics and the roaches will feed and die, but in order to remove the dead you must take the electronics coverings off and shake and scrub,then add more little bitty balls of carmel as I call it to the guts of your electronics for consistant control and killing of these nasty things.

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      • Put your electronics in a BLACK garbage bag, tie it off and set it out on a black top for awhile. It’ll heat the air in the bag and cook the little fuckers but your electronics will be safe

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    • All of these methods do work after a fashion , i have tried most things believe me!
      But this method definitely did work for me. I used a small plastic bowl shaped empty yogurt pot, then i greased the sides with Vaseline but then instead of using food as bait i used fresh beer or lager!
      I filled the pot to about one third, and after 24 hours the pots had over 200/300 dead roaches.
      They all drowned themselves! the best thing about this is that [this a fact] roaches if they are about to lay an egg case they will try a ‘drop’ it if they threatened in anyway,
      so you not only have a tub full of dead roaches [both adult and especially babies]but also an awful lot of ‘spent’ egg cases which if hatched would have been the next generation as so it goes on ….
      I found that beer works by accident by leaving half empty beer cans lying about the house! LOL anyway this works if you keep repeating the process when needed……….

      Reply
      • Hello… I just recently moved into an apartment complex($750.00 month) ( roaches, obviously, are free)… Anyway, there must have already been a German Roach problem, before I moved in with my 9 year old son. The other night, we came home and noticed a night stand, outside my bedroom window, in the parking lot. I went to go look at it…it was covered in and out, with those nasty little (different sizes) roaches. They were crawling all over the wall outside my window, on window sill. I checked inside…and in my bedroom, they were crawling on my window will, on my walls, now the tiny ones have gotten in my living room. Last night, they even had one on my bed, a medium sized brown one. Now… I am not afraid of them…they just, piss me off. I have never lived with roaches( except, your occasional big cock roach)… Nor, do I want to live with any roaches…EVER !!! Please help me to get rid of these pests. I cannot spend every night, smashing roaches with my hands, or picking them up and flushing them. My son is scared to sleep in his new bedroom by himself and wants to sleep with me. Please, respond quickly, if you can. I am going to Walmart tonight after work, to buy something and don’t know exactly what to get. I live in the South. New Orleans, La. (Actually, Metairie, but didn’t think you heard of that city). HELP ME, PLEASE !!!!

        Reply
        • Hello… I just recently moved into an apartment complex($750.00 month) ( roaches, obviously, are free)… Anyway, there must have already been a German Roach problem, before I moved in with my 9 year old son. The other night, we came home and noticed a night stand, outside my bedroom window, in the parking lot. I went to go look at it…it was covered in and out, with those nasty little (different sizes) roaches. They were crawling all over the wall outside my window, on window sill. I checked inside…and in my bedroom, they were crawling on my window will, on my walls, now the tiny ones have gotten in my living room. Last night, they even had one on my bed, a medium sized brown one. Now… I am not afraid of them…they just, piss me off. I have never lived with roaches( except, your occasional big cock roach)… Nor, do I want to live with any roaches…EVER !!! Please help me to get rid of these pests. I cannot spend every night, smashing roaches with my hands, or picking them up and flushing them. My son is scared to sleep in his new bedroom by himself and wants to sleep with me. Please, respond quickly, if you can. I am going to Walmart tonight after work, to buy something and don’t know exactly what to get. I live in the South. New Orleans, La. (Actually, Metairie, but didn’t think you heard of that city). HELP ME, PLEASE !!!!

          Reply
          • Hi Pamela, I feel so bad that you and your son have to go through that nightmare. Get some boric acid and place it everywhere. It’s cheap u can find at Lowes. Also get anything sweet like sugar and coat it with boric acid and leave it where you know they’ll access it. And they’ll die. I’m having a problem with some frequent visitors myself. I poured boric acid around my garage and found 3 dead on their backs. But my problemis they keep coming back, so I need something they’ll take back to their nest like gel or bate. You want them to take the poison to their NEST that’s the key in prevention. Hope this helped. Good luck -joy

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        • I just moved to New Orleans and have the same exact problem!! They crawl between my sink and in my bathroom mainly. I actually found one in my toilet today!! Ive come across some of the huge ones when i first moved in. Luckily I was able to kill them. Any time I bombed Id find new big ones dead on my floor. I sprayed the perimeter of my apartment with a giant can of raid and bombed with those canned bug bomb foggers from walmart. It helped for a while. But now it seems like every day i find myself killing more and more of these things. The bug bombs work i just wish there was a more permanenet solution. Did you find anything out yet?

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          • You could always treat them like bed bugs… Heat house to 350 degrees. No bug can live through that even tho they claim a German roach can live through a nuclear bombing….

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          • Hey, I’ve been reading the posts here… Looking up natural remedies for a friend. I’ve managed to avoid them by treating any and all areas in and around my RV in south Texas. Never have I had a bug! Yet, I have no pets inside with me…
            Had a neighbor who was an exterminator… He said to use (of course..) boric acid food grade, diatomaceous earth food grade, and coco powder! Seams that they love the chocolate action…. Boric bloats them, DE dehydrates them, coco brings them to it…. And, won’t kill the family pet.

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            • be careful of using COCOA around pets. that will KILL dogs and cats. and it doesn’t take much cocoa to kill a good sized dog.

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          • To keep them out of toilet, mix petroleum jelly and mineral oil together, don’t know the portions but not to runny. Then coat the rim of the bowl and under the tank cover. Replace weekly.
            Put drain covers over all drains. Put steel wool in the sink overflow hole. Wipe down all water and put down LIGHT dusting of boric acid powder. An exterminator told me to put the powder in a dedicated coffee grinder to make it as fine as possible.

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          • I am in the New Orleans area as well and I haven’t had roaches in 10 years. I find treating the outside as well as the inside really works. I have also notice that if there is any construction going on in your area, they will run to a safe place which is your home. I get the outside treated twice a year by terminex. On the inside I wash down my kitchen as well as bathroom cabinets with bleach water. You have to remove any signs of these critters. If they leave poop behind bleach it get rid of it they usual can smell where they were. Keep a can of raid around. Certain trees in Louisiana keep large cockroaches in them. I found my neighbor pecan tree have tons of them in the summer months. Do not leave any standing water nor food. Get a spray bottle and keep everything cleaned. If you are soda drinkers, shake out the boxes before you bring them in your homes. They carry roaches sometimes. If you go to your local pest supply store they sell the boric acid. They ever have th gel forms of it. Hope this helps you

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          • I think living in Tampa Bay area . Our only choice is to control elimination is a losing battle? Moved from Iowa 6 months ago? This is their home? No winter here. Is what it is?

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        • Yeah actually I have, Metairie is a nice city and very damp so I can see the reason for the infestation. I have the same problem in south Texas. I used bait traps and boric acid powder on base boards and under large appliances ( don’t put the powder near areas where food is handled like countertops and tables). I placed bait traps in high infestation areas like the kitchen and bathrooms. Under cabinets and near water sources. This method may take some time. Change out the bait traps with other active ingredients every few months. Keep your home free from food crumbs and damp sinks and tubs. If you are living in an apt then spray base boards with a home spray (not the on contact spray) in your bedrooms and living areas. This should deter from other neighboring walls infested by other renters. Good luck!

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    • I set up baits today. I mix light corn syrup, milk, And BA. I have been using BA for a while but only sprinkling here and there hoping for roaches to step on it. Well, I got new neighbors and along came dozens of tiny roaches. I hope this helps. I have a dog and I want to stay away crop pesticides

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    • I heard that basil works great.but i don’t know for sure.Please if anyone knows about this,let me know. thank you.

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      • I grow basil and i see them all over it at night. I definitely dont think that’ll work. I would try advion gel. I use it inside and outside my house. Just find some cracks or heavy trails and squeeze some out. They take it back to the nest and it kills many others within the nest. Just follow instructions on package. I usually buy it from amazon or ebay, whichever is cheapest.

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    • I use mice traps, you know, thosr really extra sticky ones ? Put them around where evrr you see roaches cause they love thst fresh peanut butter smell !! These traps can catch hundreds of roaches big and small . Keep an eye on them and watch roaches get caught and die from exhaustion trying to escape the extra sticky peanut butter. It works!! It really does!! If it can catck a good size mouse then its certainly able to catch many roaches !!

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