Cockroach Control

Updated November 6, 2026

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Safety

Keep children and pets out of treated areas until sprays and dusts have dried or settled, and follow any re-entry interval provided by the technician. Avoid spraying store-bought repellents or aerosol bug spray over professional gel baits, since repellent residues can drive roaches away from bait stations. Ventilate kitchens and bathrooms after treatment, wash food-preparation surfaces before cooking, store food in sealed containers, and never place baits or gels on surfaces where food is handled.

Before the visit

Before a scheduled visit, clean up crumbs and grease, wash dishes, and take out the trash. Empty the cabinets under sinks, pull stored items away from baseboards, and clear access to the stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, and bathroom plumbing. Vacuum or sweep floors, secure pet food, fix obvious water leaks if possible, and note where roaches have been seen so the inspection can focus on those areas. Skip aerosol sprays beforehand, because residues can interfere with bait treatments.

Repair vs replace

Repair leaky pipes, dripping faucets, and condensation on plumbing once treatment is underway, since moisture is a primary attractant. Seal cracks around pipe penetrations, caulk gaps along baseboards and cabinet seams, patch torn window screens, and install door sweeps after a technician confirms which entry points and harborage areas matter most for the property.

When to replace

Replace items that roaches have contaminated or used as harborage: discard infested cardboard boxes and paper bags, throw out food packages with gnaw marks or droppings, remove water-damaged cabinet panels, peeling wallpaper, or delaminated shelving that can hide egg cases, and swap worn weather stripping or door sweeps that no longer seal gaps.

Common issues

Symptom	Likely causes	Safe check	Stop when
Small, dark droppings that resemble coffee grounds or black pepper along baseboards, inside cabinets, or under the sink.	Roaches feed at night and leave droppings near food, water, and travel paths; heavy droppings often indicate a well-established population.	Wearing gloves, wipe a suspected spot with a damp paper towel; droppings smear dark brown or black, while dirt or mold does not leave the same streak.	Droppings appear in multiple rooms, near food-preparation surfaces, or inside appliances, or anyone in the household experiences worsening allergy or asthma symptoms.
A persistent musty or oily odor in the kitchen, bathroom, or basement.	Aggregation pheromones and secretions from a large roach population produce a noticeable smell that grows stronger as numbers increase.	Air out the room and clean surfaces; if the odor returns within a day or two without another source, roach activity is a likely cause.	The smell is strong enough to notice upon entering a room, or it is accompanied by droppings, egg cases, or live roaches.
Live roaches seen during daytime hours.	Daylight sightings usually signal overcrowding, meaning hiding spots are full and roaches are forced to forage at all hours.	Note the location, time, and approximate size of each sighting; a flashlight check under sinks and behind appliances after dark can confirm activity without spraying.	Multiple roaches appear in one evening, roaches show up in bedrooms or food storage areas, or sightings continue despite cleaning and bait placement.
Oval, brown egg cases (oothecae) tucked into cabinets, behind appliances, or in cluttered storage.	Female roaches deposit egg cases in protected, hidden spots; each case can hold dozens of nymphs, so finding one suggests breeding is underway.	Photograph the case without crushing it, then seal it in a plastic bag for disposal; check nearby cracks, hinges, and appliance seams for additional cases.	Egg cases are found in more than one location, or new cases appear after an initial cleanup.
Smear marks, shed skins, or papery brown casings in dark, damp areas.	Roaches molt several times before reaching adulthood and leave brown smears where they travel along walls and floors in humid conditions.	Shine a flashlight along baseboards, under the refrigerator, and inside the dishwasher kick plate; shed skins are hollow and papery, unlike food debris.	Shed skins or smears show up near sleeping areas, inside electronics, or in increasing quantities week over week.
Chewed packaging, gnaw marks on soap or book bindings, or unexplained damage to stored food.	Roaches feed on starches, glue, and grease, damaging cardboard boxes, paper goods, and loosely sealed containers overnight.	Transfer remaining food into sealed glass or hard plastic containers and inspect pantry shelves the next morning for fresh marks or droppings.	Damage spreads to multiple pantry items, or droppings are found inside food storage cabinets.