How to control cockroaches in the home (German, American, Oriental)?

Apply pea-sized dots of gel bait in cracks, crevices, and hidden areas where cockroaches hide — cabinet corners, behind toilets, under sinks, inside drawer tracks, behind refrigerators, and near plumbing penetrations. Space dots every 12-18 inches in heavily infested areas.

Apply Gentrol (hydroprene) IGR spray in cockroach harborage areas — under sinks, behind appliances, along baseboards, and in cabinet voids. One application lasts 3-4 months. Follow label directions for dilution rates.

Using a bulb duster, apply a thin layer of food-grade diatomaceous earth in dry crevices, behind baseboards, under appliances, and in wall voids accessed through electrical outlet plates. Keep the layer barely visible — cockroaches avoid heavy deposits.

Call a licensed pest control professional when you see cockroaches during daytime (indicates severe overcrowding), when DIY baiting has failed after 30 days, when you live in a multi-unit building with shared infestations, or when hundreds of roaches are visible.

Do not use bug bombs (foggers) or spray insecticides along baseboards for cockroach control. These are the most common DIY mistakes and actually make infestations worse.

Switch gel bait brands and active ingredients every 30 days. If using Advion (indoxacarb), rotate to Vendetta Nitro (abamectin) or Maxforce (fipronil) the following month. Track which products you use and when.

Pull out the refrigerator, stove, and dishwasher. Clean underneath and behind them thoroughly, removing grease, crumbs, and moisture. Clean under and behind the microwave, toaster, and any small countertop appliances. Repeat monthly during active infestations.

Caulk cracks around plumbing penetrations, baseboards, and cabinets. Seal gaps around pipes entering walls. Install door sweeps. Screen floor drains (important for American and Oriental cockroaches entering from sewers). Fix all water leaks and eliminate condensation.

Place cardboard sticky traps (glue boards) behind refrigerators, under sinks, near plumbing penetrations, and along baseboards in kitchens and bathrooms. Check traps weekly and record catch numbers to track the infestation over time.

Using a bulb duster, apply a thin, barely visible layer of boric acid powder in hidden areas where cockroaches harbor — behind refrigerators, under stoves, inside wall voids through outlet plates, under sinks, and in cabinet crevices. The layer must be fine enough that roaches walk through it…