Pest guide
Cockroach Guides
Tell which roach you have, use gel bait and traps the right way, cut off water and hiding spots, and skip bombs and sprays that make it worse.
19 guides · Updated Oct 11, 2026
Cockroaches overview
How to identify cockroaches
Most indoor problems are the German cockroach: about ½ inch, light brown to tan, with two dark stripes on the shield behind the head, living in kitchens and bathrooms near warmth, water and food. The American cockroach is much bigger, about 1½ inches and reddish brown, and the oriental cockroach is shiny dark brown to black; both favor basements, drains and crawl spaces (UC IPM, University of Kentucky). Pepper-like droppings along cabinets are often the first sign; see signs of roaches.
Why they’re in your house
Roaches need food, water and hiding places, and they find all three even in homes cleaned regularly (NC State Extension). They come in with grocery bags, drink cartons and secondhand furniture, or from a neighboring apartment.
Where to start
Start with how to get rid of roaches, the step-by-step plan: identify the species, cut off food and water, set sticky traps, then bait where they hide. For the small kitchen roach, how to get rid of German roaches covers bait rotation, and roach gel bait shows how much to use and where.
How to keep them out
Keep food and water out of reach: no dishes left overnight, lids on trash cans, pet food sealed and bowls picked up at night, leaks fixed and stacked cardboard recycled (NC State). Seal cracks around cabinets, backsplashes, pipes and wires with silicone caulk, screening or copper mesh (NPIC). Sealing rarely wipes out German roaches already inside, but in apartments it slows roaches moving between units through shared walls and pipes, and NPIC advises working with neighbors and the landlord. Check grocery bags and secondhand furniture before they come in.
When to call a pro
Call a professional if your sticky traps still catch roaches after two rounds of baiting, if they have spread beyond the kitchen and bathroom, or if they keep coming in from a neighboring apartment.
Sources: UC IPM: Cockroaches (Pest Notes 7467); University of Kentucky: Cockroach Elimination in Homes and Apartments (ENTFACT-614); NC State Extension: German Cockroach Surveillance and Management; NC State: “Bug Bombs” Are Ineffective
Identify
9 guidesWork out what you’re dealing with from droppings, damage and sightings.
How Long Do Cockroaches Live? Lifespan by Species
A German cockroach lives about 3 to 9 months as an adult; an American cockroach can live over a year. How fast each breeds, how long they last without food, water or a head, and why bait beats spray.
Updated Oct 11, 2026 · 6 min read
What Do Cockroaches Eat? The Foods Feeding Roaches in Your Home
Cockroaches eat almost any organic matter: crumbs, grease, sweets, pet food, paper, glue, hair, even their own droppings. Water matters more than food. Here is what to clear away first.
Updated Oct 11, 2026 · 7 min read
Cockroach Poop: What Roach Droppings Look Like
Cockroach poop is pepper-like specks from small roaches or ¼-inch dark pellets with flat ends and ridges from big ones. Wipe it up with hot soapy water, then set sticky traps to see if roaches are still active.
Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 9 min read
Signs of Roach Infestation: How to Tell If You Have Roaches
Pepper-like droppings, egg cases, shed skins, a strong odor and roaches out in daylight. One adult on a sticky trap usually means a newcomer; nymphs of several sizes mean an established infestation.
Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 8 min read
Water Bug vs Cockroach: How to Tell Which One You Have
Most "water bugs" in a house are oriental or American cockroaches from drains and damp basements. A true water bug lives in ponds, has pincer-like front legs and tiny antennae, and doesn’t breed indoors.
Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 9 min read
Baby Cockroach: What Nymphs Look Like and What to Do
A baby cockroach is a wingless nymph, 1/8 to 9/16 inch, usually dark with a pale stripe down its back. It usually means roaches are breeding indoors. Confirm with $10–20 of sticky traps, then bait.
Updated Oct 8, 2026 · 9 min read
Roach Eggs: What They Look Like and How to Kill Them
Roach eggs sit inside a brown, bean-shaped case ¼ to ⅜ inch long, with a dozen to 40-plus eggs. Sprays can’t get through it: vacuum up every case, then bait the hatchlings for a month.
Updated Oct 11, 2026 · 9 min read
What Do Roaches Smell Like? How to Find the Source
Roaches smell musty and oily, from droppings and secretions, and you usually notice it only in a large infestation. Trace it with $10 of sticky traps, then bait and scrub.
Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 8 min read
Wood Roach: What It Looks Like and Why It Won't Infest Homes
A wood roach is a native outdoor roach, ¾ to 1 inch, with pale edges behind the head. It can’t breed indoors and dies within days, so pick it up and toss it. No spray or exterminator needed.
Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 9 min read
Get Rid of Pests
5 guidesStep-by-step plans for pests already in the house.
Do Roach Bombs Work? Why Foggers Fail on Cockroaches
No. In an NC State study, roach bombs didn’t reduce cockroaches at all, while similarly priced gel bait did. Skip the fogger; about $54 of bait, sticky traps and caulk does the job.
Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 11 min read
Does Baking Soda Kill Roaches? What the Evidence Shows
Not well enough to end an infestation. One small study found baking soda and sugar killed more roaches stuck in jar traps, but extension experts say it does little. A $9 tube of gel bait works better.
Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 10 min read
How to Get Rid of German Roaches: A Bait-Rotation Plan
Bait, don’t spray: many pea-sized dabs of gel where German roaches hide, sticky traps to count them, and a new active ingredient when counts stall. Supplies run about $54; shared quotes for a full pro treatment run $450–$1,500.
Updated Oct 8, 2026 · 12 min read
How to Get Rid of Roaches in Your Car: A DIY Plan
Vacuum the car, then set sticky traps and roach bait stations under the seats and in the trunk. Never bomb a car. Supplies run about $36, and a month of empty traps means they’re gone.
Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 8 min read
Boric Acid for Roaches: How to Use It So It Works
Boric acid kills roaches, but slowly: puff a barely visible film into cracks and voids, never piles in the open, add gel bait, and expect results after a week or more. A pound costs about $19.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · 11 min read
Traps & Baits
2 guidesChoose, bait and place traps so they actually catch.
Roach Bait: How to Use Gel Bait So It Actually Works
Yes, roach bait works: many pea-sized gel dots in cracks where roaches hide, no spray nearby, fresh bait every week or two. A $27 box of four tubes vs. about $300 for a single pro visit.
Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 11 min read
Roach Traps: Which Kind Works, Where to Put Them
Sticky roach traps rarely wipe out roaches; they show where to bait and whether it worked. A 12-pack runs about $10, and a bit of beer-soaked bread makes each trap catch far more.
Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 10 min read
Repellents
1 guideWhat the evidence says about scents, sprays and gadgets.
Mouse guides that also cover cockroaches
1 guideWritten mainly about mice, with advice that applies to cockroaches too.
Identify the species
Pictures, size and look-alikes in the Pest Library.
German cockroachBlattella germanicaIndoor breeder
American cockroachPeriplaneta americanaComes in from drains
Oriental cockroachBlatta orientalisDamp-area roach
Brown-banded cockroachSupella longipalpaIndoor breeder
Smokybrown cockroachPeriplaneta fuliginosaOutdoor roach
Wood cockroachParcoblatta speciesHarmless visitor
Not a cockroach?
Guides for other pests.
- Mouse Control Guides44 guides
- Rat Control Guides34 guides
- Pantry Moth Guides2 guides
- Pantry Beetle and Weevil Guides2 guides
- Clothes Moth Guides2 guides
- Carpet Beetle Guides6 guides
- Silverfish Guides3 guides
- Springtail Guides2 guides
- Fly and Gnat Guides6 guides
- Stink Bug Guides2 guides
- Fall Invader Guides7 guides
Cockroach questions
What is the fastest way to get rid of roaches?
Gel bait placed where roaches hide, with food and water removed so they eat the bait. Expect fewer roaches after about a week; you are done when sticky traps catch nothing for a month.
Do roach bombs work?
No. In an NC State study, roach bombs didn’t reduce cockroaches at all, while similarly priced gel bait did. Spraying near bait also makes baits fail.
See Do roach bombs work?.
Does having roaches mean my house is dirty?
No. Roaches find food and water even in homes cleaned regularly, and they often arrive in grocery bags, boxes or from next door.