How to Get Rid of German Cockroaches

One of the smallest species of roaches, the German cockroach can be found nearly everywhere humans live, from the North Pole to southern Patagonia. Not only is it excellent at adapting to many climates and environments, but it’s also resistant to many common pesticides. A huge German cockroach infestation can result from just a few eggs, so it’s important to be thorough and consistent in treating these pests.

Because these cockroaches can be so difficult to eliminate, it’s often a good idea to hire a professional pest control provider to truly get rid of German cockroach populations. Pest management experts will know the right methods to use to get rid of the infestation at its source. However, if your roach problem is small or you want to try DIY methods first, we’ll show you how to get rid of German roaches on your own. We’ll also share our recommendations for the best pest control professionals for the job.

Unfortunately, German cockroaches can enter your home from nearly any opening. Although they can adapt to many environments, they can’t survive in severe cold, so they can only survive inside human dwellings in colder climates. Once inside, they can hide in cracks and crevices nearly too small for you to see.

These pests come indoors seeking warmth, food, and water. They like to hide around wiring, under sinks, in walls, and around water-using appliances. Leaky pipes and drains provide easy water sources, and they can feed on nearly any kind of human or pet food as well as non-edibles like soap and furniture glue.

German cockroaches can vary in color from light brown to tan, and they’re usually no more than 1.5 centimeters or 0.6 inches long. Since these insects are nocturnal and prefer to hide, the first signs you see may be droppings that look like coffee grinds, oval-shaped egg cases, or a musty smell. If you see live roaches during the day, it means the problem is already substantial.

First, some good news: German cockroaches aren’t aggressive and don’t bite, nor are they venomous. However, they are dangerous because of the bacteria and other disease vectors they carry around and can leave behind.

As they crawl through sewers and other filthy places, they can pick up pathogens and allergens and then deposit them when they go searching for food in your kitchen. Additionally, some people are allergic to cockroaches’ exoskeletons, which crumble to powder after they shed.

To rid your home of German cockroaches, follow these five steps.

1. Identify the Problem

Although many roach control methods are effective against most cockroach varieties, it’s always a good idea to confirm exactly what kind of insect you’re dealing with. You’ll also want to see if you can identify the hot spots in your home. German cockroaches don’t create a central nest or hive, but they will be more active around heat, water, and food sources.

You can conduct an inspection by walking from room to room with a flashlight, looking in cracks and along baseboards for evidence of roach activity. Although you may not see live roaches during the daytime, you may see droppings, shed skins, or dead roaches. Look closely in kitchens and bathrooms, especially inside kitchen cabinets and behind appliances and furniture where roaches may hide.

If you can’t stomach the idea of such a close inspection, you can use sticky traps instead. Place these under sinks, in corners, behind appliances, and near trash cans. Although these will only catch and kill a few roaches and are ineffective against a larger infestation, they will give you a good idea of where roach activity is highest. Then, you’ll know the specific areas of your home to target in the next step.

2. Clean Areas of High Roach Activity

The idea here is to get rid of competing for food and water sources so the bait you lay for the cockroaches will be more enticing. However, don’t use any harsh or strong-smelling chemicals. Vacuum crumbs and debris, clear away clutter, package food in airtight containers, and wipe down surfaces with dish soap. Additionally, if you end up vacuuming any live roaches or eggs, make sure to seal and dispose of your vacuum bag or place it in the freezer for a few hours to kill anything living inside it.

3. Set Out Bait

There are two main methods of chemical cockroach control: sprays and bait stations. Sprays either repel cockroaches or kill them on contact. Bait stations and gel baits lure cockroaches in with poisoned food and get them to take the bait back to their nests. Gel baits can be squeezed into smaller cracks where bait stations can’t fit. The slow-acting insecticide will allow the cockroaches to infect others, hopefully eliminating most or all of the roach infestation.

We recommend this method over using sprays. Repellent sprays will only succeed in driving the roaches back into hiding, allowing them to continue to reproduce. Contact insecticides will only kill the roaches that you see or that step on the areas you spray, which won’t stop the problem at its source. In particular, don’t use sprays after laying down bait, since the roaches that take the bait need to survive long enough to spread it.

4. Determine Whether More Insecticide Is Necessary

Although sprays and bait are most common, there are other types of cockroach control that you can try if bait stations aren’t sufficient. Insecticide dust like diatomaceous earth, boric acid, or synthetic formulas can get into cracks and crevices that even gel bait can’t reach. However, if you’re still using bait, make sure not to apply the dust around the bait stations, as you’ll be working at cross-purposes.

Additionally, a product called insect growth regulator (IGR) can actually stop roaches from reproducing. This substance is a liquid or aerosol foam that stops cockroach nymphs from shedding their exoskeletons and reaching reproductive maturity, breaking the breeding cycle. This is a slower-acting form of insecticide that works best in conjunction with bait.

5. Prevent The Cockroaches From Coming Back

Once you’re confident that you’ve eliminated the bulk of the infestation, it’s important to get rid of the conditions that made your home roach-friendly. When you’re getting rid of German cockroaches, you can’t be too clean.

If you prefer to use bleach or ammonia—though never at the same time—to clean hard surfaces, now’s the time to do it. Give your kitchen and bathrooms the deepest cleaning treatment, making sure to also double-check that all food sources are sealed.

As you go along, make sure you fix any leaks or drips that leave behind standing water. Seal cracks and crevices along windows, doors, and utility pipes with caulk or other sealants to prevent roaches from getting in. Switch to a trash can with a tight-fitting lid for food waste. Air out or dehumidify basements or crawl spaces to keep moisture from building.

You also may need to make some adjustments to your cleaning schedule. For example, make sure you take care of dirty dishes as soon as possible and wipe down countertops to clean away food or beverage spills immediately. Clean out refrigerators regularly, and take the trash out whenever there’s food waste inside. Vacuum frequently to get rid of crumbs as well as any stray cockroach eggs. In general, try to keep clutter to a minimum, as this can give roaches more places to hide.

If you’ve followed the above steps and your home still isn’t roach-free, it’s time to call a professional exterminator. German cockroaches reproduce so rapidly and efficiently that it’s often difficult to kill them all without help. Fortunately, pest control professionals will have the training to find the sources of the infestation and the equipment and products to eliminate the problem. If the infestation is large and well-established, you’ll likely save time by calling an exterminator as your first step.

Our Top Picks for Professional Cockroach Control

Fortunately, there are plenty of reliable, affordable pest control companies that are well-equipped to kill German cockroaches. Terminix is a well-known nationwide pest control provider that can eliminate all varieties of cockroaches using baits, dusts, and aerosols. With 300 locations around the country that offer 24/7 customer support, Terminix is one of the most accessible options in pest control. Call 866-569-4035 or fill out this quick form to get a free estimate for the company’s services.

Alternatively, Orkin is another excellent option that prides itself on giving its technicians ongoing training in the latest pest control techniques and methods. Orkin also offers free estimates, which you can receive by calling 877-868-1416 or visiting the company’s website.

The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our pest control recommendations with a detailed rating methodology that we use to objectively score each provider. We review pest control plans, navigate the provider website, speak with customer service representatives by phone and online chat (if available), request quotes, and analyze customer reviews for each provider. We then score the provider against our review standards for plan options, additional benefits and convenience factors, availability, trustworthiness, and customer service to arrive at a final score out of 100.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.