How to Get Rid of German Cockroaches (4 Simple Steps)

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The German Cockroach is the most common and widespread cockroach found in the United States. These roaches can be difficult to control because they multiply rapidly, breeding at a rate of up to six generations per year.

The German Cockroach is about half an inch in length, light brown in color, and has two stripes behind its head. They are nocturnal, so they are most active at night. Seeing one during the day might indicate a heavy infestation.

German Cockroaches are typically found in kitchens and bathrooms inside wall voids, and behind cabinets and appliances. Use a flashlight and check under or behind refrigerators, ovens, microwaves, dishwashers, plumbing under sinks, and any cracks and crevices.

Look for roach droppings. This will be small, pepper-like material left behind on countertops or in cabinets.

Check for roach egg capsules, called oothecae. A single female will produce four to six oothecae during the course of their lives with each one containing thirty to forty eggs. These can usually be found in the same areas that droppings might be seen.

Also, If there is a large infestation, you might notice a mild, musty odor.

Before carrying out any kind of chemical control, it is important to first clean your home. Roaches need food, water, and shelter to survive, so properly sanitizing your home is a crucial first step in controlling German Cockroaches.

Clean your home, especially your kitchen, making sure no crumbs, grease, or oils are left behind. Regularly take out trash and vacuum. Remove water sources by keeping sinks dry and fixing any leaks in the plumbing. Seal off any holes, cracks or crevices to remove harborage areas.

Once the home is sanitized, you can then start chemical control. Use a combination of baits, spray, dust, and insect growth regulators to ensure total control. This multi-pronged approach should be used so if roaches are resistant to one method, they may be more responsive to another.

Use Apex Cockroach Gel Bait. This gel bait is a stomach poison that contains attractants that German roaches enjoy. They will feed on it, take it back to the colony and share it, creating a domino effect that will kill the colony. Place small beads of Apex gel every twelve to eighteen inches apart in cabinets, under sinks, and around appliances.

Next, use D-Fense Dust. This is a waterproof insecticidal dust that is great for applications to cracks and crevices where roaches will hide. Using a duster, apply the D-Fense Dust around appliances, voids, and even electrical outlets.

Use an insect growth regulator, or IGR, like Gentrol Point Source. An IGR will interrupt the life cycle of roaches. Any young roach, or nymph, that is exposed to the Gentrol Point Source will grow up sterilized, being unable to reproduce. First crush the ampule on the disc. The IGR will then wick into the cotton pad. Place the disk in cabinets and drawers where you know there is roach activity and away from the reach of children and pets.

Finally, use Novacide aerosol. Novacide is an insecticide that will kill roaches and many different pests. It also has an IGR mixed with it. Spray Novacide on baseboards and floors to take out any stragglers left behind by earlier treatments. Make sure not to spray where you applied the bait and stay off all treated areas until dry.

Once the roach population has been wiped out, discourage them from returning through preventative measures. Continue to clean your home regularly. Seal off any remaining or new cracks and crevices, and spray Novacide every six months for continued control.

And there you have it: The Solutions Pest and Lawn control plan tested and approved by professionals, and 100% guaranteed to get rid of German Cockroaches.

[Kooaid-]

That feeling when you walk into the kitchen at night, turn the light on and see roaches scattering all over the floor… horrible…

[ShroomStreamz]

I killed one today, then his buddies showed up to see what was poppin (apparently it was my shoe on their heads). Ended up with a 4.0 k/d by the time the killing spree was over.

[joshuajames]

Excellent video I'm so tired of seeing guys just spray baseboards and complain about how it doesn't work

[jackieforrester]

This stuff really works! We have tried everything even professional services and they might disappear for a day or two then be right back. Not with this stuff the ones you did see were dead and it's been 4 months and still no roaches. It's so nice not to have to worry about bugs getting in your food or crawling on you at night. This stuff works and very affordable. Thank you guys so much!!

[donkeykong]

Best method to fighting these roaches firstly completely empty the kitchen and clean it for any food and all their poop most important it cuts of their communcation they know its safe if there is poop around then apply gel-based bait. Also very important is water sink shouldnt have any water at night, should be completely wiped roaches need water daily also vaccum around the kitcken at night at random times. we saw a massive decline after 14 days.

[Luciferslittlespace]

Please keep in mind just cause someone struggles with roaches doesn't mean they are dirty people

My family is very clean we clean daily and clean big one a week and we are at war with them it's extremely hard

[dcbull]

For those who have children, stripped the kitchen until it was empty, used mainly bleach to clean everything, I used liquid bait killer in hard to reach places—behind appliances, I placed tablets on top of cabinets—I’m the back of cabinets, used gel in those hard to reach places, and the brown motels under couches and behind furniture where kids can’t reach

[Noscope-cgcz]

I had an exterminator spray for german roaches in my apartment a few months ago and they had to come the other day. Luckily I didn't have to pay for it. I've probably killed 10-20 in the past week. They're really getting on my nerves.

[FanaK-uhhj]

Cleaning and using all that may not be effective if my neighbors are unwilling to do the same

[tracyhouston]

Diatomaceous earth and boric acid is so far the best thing I've ever used when we moved in the neighbors had bombed which sent them scattering. When nothing else worked... Including this stuff in the video. Also glue traps of all sorts.. was the craziest thing. Also eugenol oil mixed in water. For on contact spray. And stay vigilant....

[eclectic]

Going to try this
My son came over and did his laundry about 4 weeks ago
Last week I saw 2 of these
Last few days I've seen a couple very tiny ones and 1 full grown. So they are just getting started I think.

[vilegore]

i literally bought a drawer and i didn’t know it had a huge roach infestation inside of it.

[DanklingBS]

My house has had an infestation ever since my little sister has gained consciousness. She leaves food everywhere, she doesn’t clean up after herself, and her parents don’t clean after her either. They also tell her nothing. If she has a full plate of food she’ll bring it to her bed and make a huge mess and my parents will not say a word (they dont care at all). Thats just to say that her room and kitchen are INFESTED with roaches and im ready to move out of here ASAP

[rubybrown]

i’ve been daily breakdowns because some how (genuinely no idea i’m a very clean individual) a few roaches got in and i keep seeing their babies and their teens running around and it’s just not helping my mental health honestly!! i’m stressed!!!

[breadrd]

Were renting a basement, hoping to find a new home, the first year in we never saw a roach at all during summer or winter. But now, they came out of nowhere when school started. I'm not sure where they came from, but I think they came from this huge void hole above our washing machines that have a pipe stretching to the hole. The owners of our house still live here, and never bothered to clean up the place or fix the cracks on the walls of floor OR THAT GIANT HOLE. Were tight on money so we can't afford anyone or anything to clean up this infestation. And these mf never wanna die, they die just for a moment and get up like nothing happened and go back to multiplying.

[tutsecret]

If you have dogs, cats, birds, you need to remove the food, feed the animals, clean the area and put away the food. With dog and cats would be easier to schedule the feeding. Now with birds, it's difficult, but at least at night, clean all the area, put away the bird food, and make sure early morning put back the food, the birds will wake up already hungry in the morning.

[KissMahGrits]

We just moved into this house in August. I found 4 baby roaches 3 under my coffee machine (now thrown out, hello coffee press), and 1 in the bathroom. I purchased bait, igr, lawn treatment (cuz why not), and apparently, need this powder to which you are referring.

[valentinahernandez]

Spraying that Novacide stuff all over your floors like that - wow, makes me a bit nervous. I have kids and dogs and somehow, I don't feel like that would be safe for anyone, especially them.

[happymonkeyfish]

Man the house we moved into had a couple but my dad was an exterminator so he came out and sprayed/used some bait and we thought we got them all, fast forward 6 months and they've started showing up in the kitchen at night and last night on my way home from work one crawled out of my cars Ac vent, I wanna cry

[shanb]

When we first looked at this house there wasn't a roach in sight. Upon moving in we saw a couple of dead ones in the cabinets. We cleaned them out then went on with our lives. Months go by and these little suckers are starting to make appearances here and there. It's horrible in the basement and in 1 of the upstairs bathrooms. You would think that the kitchen would be their hang out spot. The neighbor finally told us that the people before us had them in here pretty bad and the land lord said that he's not paying for an exterminator and there's nothing in the lease about pest control. Lease isn't up until next Feb😩😢