How To Get Rid Of Roaches In An Apartment

This page is an expert guide on getting rid of cockroach infestations in your apartment using the products and methods our experienced pest control specialists suggested. Follow this guide and use the recommended products, and we guarantee 100% control of cockroaches in your apartment.

Cockroaches infesting a home can be a tough problem to deal with, but if you live in an apartment, getting rid of an infestation may seem like a battle that cannot be won.

No matter how clean and tidy you try to be in your apartment, you may still encounter roaches because you can't control how your neighbors behave. Couple this with cockroaches in apartment buildings can easily travel from unit to unit; even if roaches are gone for some time, they can just as quickly make a return.

All hope is not lost if you have a roach problem in your apartment. There are measures you can take to eliminate cockroaches and prevent them from infesting your unit. Read on to learn the tips for permanently getting rid of roaches and the top product recommendations that our experts have put together for apartment roach control.

Identification

Before proceeding with a treatment program, you must be sure you are dealing with a cockroach infestation and not some other pest. Misidentification can lead to using the wrong products for the job, wasting time and money. 

• Cockroaches are quick-moving, sneaky, and adaptable pests that love to infest human dwellings. They are normally brown and have flat bodies, six legs, and a pair of antennae.
• While 4000 species of cockroaches are found worldwide, the most common species that infest indoor structures and apartment buildings are German cockroaches, which range between 5/8 of an inch to half an inch long.
• Cockroaches rest in the daytime and are active at night. They like to stay in warm and moist places, so they lurk and hide inside apartments with plenty of areas to congregate, lay eggs, and feed.
• In addition to their ability to multiply and reproduce rapidly, cockroaches are also carriers of diseases and allergens because they crawl over dirty areas and pass along filth on their legs.

Use the image and description above to help you identify cockroaches in your apartment. If you are not totally sure, contact us, and we will have one of our pros assist you with correct identification.

Inspection

If you have identified cockroaches in your apartment, you must inspect to see how severe an infestation you have on your hands. To do this, you must scan for signs of cockroach infestation.

Where To Look 

Cockroaches prefer areas where there is warmth, seclusion, and moisture. They also like being close to a food source. Because of this, focus your inspection on your kitchen and bathrooms. Check cabinets, drawers, and other such secluded areas. Cockroaches may even be near your electronics because of the warmth they give off.

What To Look For 

Look for gatherings of cockroaches in the areas we mentioned. Aside from this, it would be best to look around for roach droppings. These will look like black pepper and are usually scattered around your system's power supply or wire ports. You may also notice a strong, musty odor with many droppings. Another sign of an infestation to watch for is the little brown oval-shaped egg capsules roaches leave behind.

Treatment

To treat cockroaches in your apartment and get rid of them permanently, use a combination of products rather than just one product for the best chance of control. Cockroaches are adaptable, so a multi-pronged approach is used; if one treatment method doesn't get them, another will.

Our top cockroach treatment products are Apex Cockroach Gel Bait, Gentrol Point Source, Novacide Aerosol, and D-Fense Dust. Apex is used to kill adult cockroaches and will kill a significant amount of the infestation via bait transfer. Novacide Aerosol and Gentrol Point Source will hinder the reproductive development of cockroaches, so eggs don't hatch and nymphs don't reach adulthood. Finally, D-Fense dust is useful for treating hard-to-reach areas that cockroaches hide or travel through, such as wall voids, electrical outlets, cracks, and crevices.

Step 1: Bait Placement with Apex Gel Bait

Apex Cockroach Gel Bait contains a variety of irresistible cockroach attractants. It is a slow-killing bait, allowing the roaches time to ingest it and return to their nest, spreading the bait's poison to the rest of the population. A poisoned roach will die, and other roaches will feed on its dead body, also becoming poisoned. The bait also comes in a convenient syringe for easy and precise baiting.

Apply a pea-sized amount of bait on index cards, then place the cards in the hot spots you noted during the inspection. The index card makes for easy application and cleanup. Be sure to place the card in an area that is out of sight from children and pets.

Apply Apex in small beads around cracks and crevices in cabinets, shelves, pantries, cupboards, under the fridge and microwave, behind your toilet, around your plumbing, and in other common areas. It will take 3 to 5 days to see a reduction in activity using bait alone. Check the areas after 1 or 2 weeks and replenish until there is no further cockroach activity.

Step 2: Apply Gentrol Point Source

After you have baited, use Gentrol Point Source to address cockroach eggs and nymphs. Gentrol Point Source is an IGR (insect growth regulator) that interrupts the life cycle of the cockroaches so they won't be able to multiply and grow their population. Gentrol Point Source comes in plastic disks that can cover a 75-square-foot area and have a residual of up to 3 months. The product comes in increments of 20, so you can get good coverage around prime areas where roaches may be.

To use, first crush the ampule on the disk with your thumb to cause the IGR to wick into the cotton pad. Then, place the disc in cabinets and drawers, either horizontally or vertically, at least 3 feet away from exposed food.

Step 3: Residual Spray with Novacide

After several days pass, apply Novacide Aerosol to address a heavy infestation. This residual spray can be applied to floor surfaces and baseboards and will aid in halting the rapid reproduction of the cockroach population.

This will kill adult cockroaches with contact and contains an insect growth regulator (IGR). An IGR interferes with roaches' life cycle and reproductive abilities. It disturbs the egg-laying of adult roaches and prevents egg-hatching and earlier stages of roaches from growing into adults. This is key to eliminating a cockroach infestation because roaches multiply rapidly, and it prevents a new generation of cockroaches from adding to the infestation.

Spray in a downward sweeping motion in areas around your baseboards and floors and the internal perimeter of your home. Stay off the treated areas and allow your home to ventilate after spraying. Novacide creates a deadly barrier, and its IGR can last for up to 7 months. Avoid spraying Novacide onto or into the appliances.

Step 4: Apply D-Fense Dust

D-Fense Dust is a waterproof insecticidal dust great for treating hard-to-treat cracks, crevices, and wall voids. Because it is dust rather than liquid, you can safely apply it to sensitive areas like behind electrical outlets and under appliances.

Add D-Fense Dust to a handheld pesticide duster and apply it around appliances, under the fridge, voids, around plumbing, and into electrical outlets after unscrewing the plastic plate. A small puff of dust is enough, and it carries a long residual that will remain effective months after application.

Prevention

After the cockroach problem has been eliminated, you can't rest easy. Unfortunately, roaches can easily return because you live in an apartment. Here are some preventative measures you can take to limit or prevent re-infestation.

Sealing Points of Entry and Fixing Leaks

As mentioned earlier, roaches have flat bodies perfect for sneaking through tiny openings, so find all the cracks, holes, and openings in your home and seal them with caulk.

Also, address any moisture issues in your home and fix all the leaks in your plumbing pipes, sinks, faucets, and other areas that might have leakage. 

Consistent Apartment Cleaning

Remove all the clutter from your apartment and dispose of material you don’t need. Keep your trash can clean before reusing it, and use a proper garbage bag and trash can with a tight lid. Throw the garbage promptly and dispose of it immediately outside in a sealed bag. After every meal, make sure to clean up the dishes and dry them. The table should be cleared up, and crumbs should be swept and vacuumed up to limit the consumption of cockroach food.

Make sure the sinks are clean and dry, your washroom is clean, dry, and free from mildew and mold, and your drain is clean as well. 

Reapplication of Novacide

As mentioned earlier, Novacide Aerosol has a residual effect that lasts up to seven months. For continued control, reapply Novacide every seven months or so to prevent reinfestations.

Key Takeaways

How Common are Roaches in Apartments?

• Cockroaches can be a frustrating problem for apartment residents because they tend to travel between units.

How to Get Rid of Roaches in an Apartment Permanently

• To treat cockroaches, you will need to carry out a multi-pronged treatment approach with Apex Cockroach Bait, Gentrol Point Source, D-Fense Dust, and Novacide to address all stages of the cockroach life cycle.

Preventing Cockroach Reinfestation in Your Apartment

• After the cockroaches have died, maintain cleanliness and prevent reinfestation by fixing leaks, sealing off possible points of entry, and reapplying Novacide Aerosol every seven months.