How to get rid of roaches: The ultimate guide to dealing with an infestation

Key points

• A strategy to kill roaches includes deep cleaning, boric acid, caulking entryways and sticky cockroach bait.

• Leaky pipes and excess water near the kitchen sink will attract moisture-loving roaches.

• Signs of a roach infestation include droppings, egg casing and broken food packaging.

If you want to know how to get rid of roaches it’s likely out of necessity, not curiosity. Or perhaps you’re about to move to a new house and want to take preventive measures to keep roaches out of it. 

Thirteen percent of homeowners reported cockroaches as the last pest they dealt with — ants (35%) were the most common pest respondents recently encountered, according to our February 2024 survey. 

Not only are roaches gross, but they are also unsanitary pests. These insects travel around the house, eat human food and may leave bacteria wherever they step — which can lead to food poisoning and diseases such as salmonellosis, E. coli infections or even cholera, explained Nicole Carpenter of Black Pest Prevention, a pest control company that services North and South Carolina. Plus, roaches’ droppings and cast skins can trigger allergic reactions and asthma. 

You’ll want to get rid of roaches in your home immediately. A pest control service for roaches costs $206 on average, according to our survey of 1,000 homeowners who experienced a pest problem within the last two years.

What is a cockroach?

Roaches don’t refer to one common insect but thousands of species that fall under the order Blattodea. “While there are over 4,000 different species, there are three main species that we deal with regularly in our homes,” said James Agardy, Associate Certified Entomologist and technical and training manager of Viking Pest Control in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

These big three are German cockroaches, American cockroaches and oriental cockroaches. 

Roaches are characterized by long antennae, flattened bodies and spiny legs. They prefer to live in dark, damp areas with little or no air movement. The most common “domestic” species is the German roach. 

German roaches are a specific concern because of their fast life cycle and prolific breeding,” said Dave Lofquist, region technical training manager at Arrow Exterminators in Atlanta. Their favorite places include dumpsters, trash cans, sewers, pet droppings and sump pumps.

The American cockroach, a larger cockroach species, prefers darker, damper spaces in basements and sewers. The brown-banded cockroach can disperse more broadly throughout your home, making it a bit harder to pinpoint. The oriental cockroach is drawn to cool, damp places in basements or near drains, said Carpenter.

How does a roach infestation start?

Once cockroaches have the essentials — food, water and shelter — they have no plans to leave. But if you really want to discourage these intruders, you need to clean and organize. “Cluttered and poorly maintained homes are the most attractive to these insects,” Carpenter said. 

Poorly maintained buildings are also at risk of cockroach infestation since cockroaches typically come in through cracks in walls, windows, floors and the foundation.

The corrugations of cardboard boxes, for example, provide excellent hiding spots for roaches.

James Agardy

Experts say roach infestations can start in several ways and depend on the species. American and oriental roaches typically enter through cracks and crevices and plumbing, while German roaches are typically introduced into a home by hitching a ride on products and packages. 

Those planning to move should consider this, as that free box from the grocery store could be a roach wagon. “The corrugations of cardboard boxes, for example, provide excellent hiding spots for roaches,” said Agardy.

Delivered packages are not the only transportation method. Domestic cockroaches can also “hitchhike” into your home via infested appliances, furniture, electronics and contractors’ tool bags, added Lofquist. 

What’s more, cockroaches don’t limit themselves to one spot in your home. Once these scavengers are inside, they’re likely to spread out. 

You may be dealing with indoor-outdoor roaches if you see large roaches outside. Many roach species live in the wild and are not associated with man-made structures or cause problems for us; these are referred to as “wild” cockroaches, said Lofquist. 

Some species are pests of structures and live in proximity to humans both indoors and outdoors. They are referred to as peridomestic pest species and are quite large as adults. The Palmetto bug, or Florida Woods cockroach, is 11/2 to 2 inches long. You can see them scurrying along an outdoor deck or crawling from behind a box in the corner of the garage.

These pests find moist conditions favorable. Once these pest species are established in an urban or suburban landscape, they are an ever-present threat, said Lofquist.

How do you know if you have roaches?

These unwelcome houseguests let you know they’re present in several manners. Yes, you could turn on the lights and suddenly see one scuttle across the floor, but here are five more telltale signs you have a cockroach problem. 

Droppings

This is the most common sign of roaches beyond actually seeing them. German roach droppings resemble flecks of black pepper or coffee grounds and are usually found near cracks and gaps where the roaches hide. 

The signs of a peridomestic roach infestation include larger (coffee ground size) droppings and significant black stains from fecal smearing in the harborage area, usually found beneath outdoor decks, in garages, in crawlspaces and attics, added Lofquist. These can be accompanied by dark brown or black egg cases.

Discarded cast skins

“To grow, the roach must shed its old exoskeleton,” said Agardy. “The presence of these cast skins clearly indicates that roaches are present.” These unpleasant gifts are a sign that the roaches are molting.  

Egg casings

Lofquist said to look for tan-colored egg casings (oothecae). Like discarded skins and droppings, these egg casings are usually found in the cabinets nearest to the refrigerator, dishwasher and stove. Scan secluded spots such as behind furniture and small crevices of house structures for egg casings, advised Carpenter. 

Broken food packages

Roaches will give you the heebie-jeebies and force you to toss packaged food they infiltrate. If you have an infestation, you’ll likely find food packages with gnaw marks or holes. 

If the food packages are undamaged but you see roach droppings and egg cases, consider other food sources such as pet food. 

Odor

A musty smell is another sign you need an exterminator. “There is a distinct odor associated with a heavy German roach infestation; however, you will have seen many of them by the time the odor is established,” said Lofquist. 

What is the fastest way to get rid of roaches in your house?

In the event of a domestic German cockroach infestation, complete elimination is the goal. Yet prevention and control are key if you live in an area where the larger peridomestic cockroaches are common. To eliminate roaches from your home, you can use the do-it-yourself (DIY) route or bring in professional pest control experts.

Before you do anything, you need to identify what kind of roach you’re dealing with. Using this knowledge, you can develop a strategy tailored to the biology and habits of your particular pest, said Lofquist, who suggests using a high-quality flashlight, especially in your kitchen and bathrooms. “Don’t forget to check electronics such as computers, TVs, and gaming consoles,” he said. “The heat generated by these devices is attractive to the German roach.” 

DIY approach

You have several choices to eliminate roaches from your home without professional help. While any pest control effort should begin with deep cleaning, include combating crumbs, grease and spilled oils in particular. If you can, tackle hard-to-reach spots behind appliances. 

Sanitation alone will not solve a roach problem, however. Employ one or more of the methods below.

• Vacuum with a HEPA filter: The best DIY tool to start with is a vacuum with a HEPA filter, especially if you have German roaches. You can also try compressed air (the same product you’d use to clean a keyboard). “Roaches can be flushed out of hiding places with a can of compressed air,” Lofquist said.
• Boric acid: Boric acid has been used by homeowners and professionals alike for years and is effective, said Lofquist, with the caveat that most DIY folks over-apply it or use it incorrectly. Still, boric acid is less toxic for humans and pets than other options. Sprinkle boric acid in places where roaches are likely to hide. “It works by damaging the roach’s outer shell and disrupting its stomach, making it impossible for the roach to digest food, leading to starvation,” Carpenter said.
• Borax: Similar to boric acid (same family of compounds), borax powder is another popular product for roach control. “It can be brushed into the nooks and crannies where roaches hide,” said Agardy. “It is important to get this into the hiding places, as roaches will avoid it if it’s just spread out on surfaces.”
• Diatomaceous Earth: This powder penetrates the cockroach exoskeleton and absorbs moisture, leading to dehydration and death. Before using this product, check if the Diatomaceous Earth is dry because it loses its absorbing properties after exposure to water and becomes ineffective at eliminating cockroaches, said Carpenter. He also recommended using food-grade Diatomaceous Earth, which is safe for humans and pets. Spread Diatomaceous Earth evenly throughout the cockroaches’ activity area rather than making piles because cockroaches can avoid them, she added.
• Insect sticky traps: Some are enhanced with attractants and pheromones, but they don’t have to be. “When the roaches get stuck on these traps, they will naturally attract other roaches to do the same thing,” said Lofquist. Place the roach traps under the sink, near appliances, in corners of cabinets and near any other areas of activity, but be careful to place them out of the reach of pets and kids.

Professional pest control

If you’re dealing with an ongoing infestation despite DIY attempts to eradicate roaches from your home, it’s time to call the pros. 

Pest control pros will employ many tactics suggested in the DIY section, but they have advanced knowledge and ample experience to tailor the methods to your cockroach infestation. 

Pest management professionals often use a combination of bait stations, liquid and dust insecticides, insect growth regulator products and different application techniques as part of a roach control program. While there is no “one-size-fits-all” control program, their expertise allows for superior application of roach bait in harborage locations away from people and pets. 

“Cockroaches readily feed on the bait, allowing us to kill the roaches without the need to openly spray surfaces,” said Agardy. His company mixes liquid pesticides with insect growth regulator products to penetrate hiding spots. “This is an important step as growth regulators affect the insects by making them unable to reproduce, thus breaking the life cycle,” he added.

It’s not always a one-and-done situation. The frequency of service will depend on the type of roach, the structure type and customer preference. “Eliminating an existing infestation often requires multiple follow-up visits spaced approximately every two weeks until the problem is solved or under control,” said Lofquist, who recommends quarterly maintenance inspections and service for areas with peridomestic roach species.

How do you prevent a roach infestation?

Hone in on prevention and you may spare yourself from exterminating various types of cockroaches. Here are a few ways to prevent roaches from entering your abode in the first place:

• Keep your home spick and span: It goes without saying: Clean up your home. That means wiping down countertops, sweeping under appliances, picking up crumbs in kitchen cabinets and storing food in airtight containers. On that note, cleaning that pile of dirty dishes, scrubbing baseboard and taking out garbage cans should start now.
• Address plumbing issues: “Cockroaches are attracted to moisture, and even a small pipe or water heater leak can make the problem harder to solve,” said Carpenter. Use waterproof tape or sealant for minor leaks or have a professional plumber for more severe leaks, she advised. Wipe down the area around the faucet to deter these pests from returning to standing water.
• Focus on insulation: Insulation can help a lot, but specific insulation types work better than others, said Carpenter, citing the example of closed-cell spray foam insulation. “Homes with closed-cell spray foam insulation are more protected from cockroach infestation because this type of insulation not only seals cracks and crevices but also creates a barrier that is less penetrable by pests due to its dense, impermeable nature,” she said. 

What’s next?

Once professional exterminators have determined cockroaches’ hiding spots in your home, laid out roach bait and sealed off entry points, they should know how to get rid of roaches in your home more efficiently on each subsequent visit.

The frequency is situational, but in general, once every three to six months is a good place to start. If you live in a humid area, increase visits to once every one to two months. 

If you’re moving to a new home, you can inadvertently move the roaches as you relocate. “This is especially likely to happen if you transfer furniture from your old home to a new home,” Carpenter said. Inspect anything that was in storage to prevent roaches from infesting your new home.

Eggs of peridomestic species can attach to furniture and appliances stored in attics or basements, then hatch once they have been moved into the new home, said Lofquist.