Cockroaches are one of the most resilient pests that can infest homes and businesses. Their ability to survive harsh conditions and reproduce rapidly can make them very difficult to get rid of. However, with diligence and persistence, it is possible to eliminate a cockroach infestation.
Why are cockroaches so hard to get rid of?
There are several reasons why cockroaches are able to thrive and be so challenging to eradicate:
- Fast reproduction – A female cockroach can produce up to 50 offspring every 3 months. This allows populations to rebound quickly.
- Hardy physiology – Cockroaches can survive for up to a month without food and over a week without water. They can even continue living headless for several days.
- Small size – Their flat bodies allow them to squeeze into tiny cracks and crevices where it’s hard to reach them with insecticides.
- Avoidance behaviors – Cockroaches tend to scatter and hide when sensing threats, making it hard to get them all in one treatment.
These natural abilities equip cockroaches to endure most control attempts. But while they may be hardy, they’re not invincible.
Effective techniques for eliminating cockroaches
Getting rid of cockroaches requires an integrated pest management (IPM) approach using multiple techniques and persistence. Key tactics include:
- Sanitation – Eliminate food sources by keeping areas clean. Remove clutter and vacuum/sweep regularly.
- Sealing – Caulk cracks and crevices to deny entry and hiding spots. Use screens, seals, weatherstripping.
- Traps – Use roach bait stations and sticky traps to monitor and reduce numbers.
- Insecticides – Apply residual sprays and dusts into spaces and harborage areas.
- Heat treatments – Kill cockroaches with heat applied by professionals.
- Boric acid – Apply boric acid powder into wall voids and secluded spaces.
Combining multiple methods and being thorough is key. Attacking just the adult roaches you see will not work. You need to eliminate eggs and juvenile stages in their hiding places too.
Sanitation
Good sanitation is the foundation of cockroach control. Without access to food and water, cockroaches cannot survive. Focus sanitation efforts on the kitchen, bathrooms, and any areas where food or drinks are prepared or consumed:
- Store food in sealed containers. Never leave food out.
- Clean dirty dishes immediately. Don’t let them sit in the sink.
- Take out trash and recycling regularly.
- Fix water leaks and don’t let water accumulate.
- Clean up spills and crumbs right away.
- Regularly clean cabinets, counters, floors and appliances.
By practicing diligent sanitation, you’ll eliminate the conditions cockroaches need to thrive. This will force them to come out into the open looking for food, making them more vulnerable.
Sealing Entry Points
Cockroaches are expert hitchhikers, finding their way into homes in grocery bags, deliveries, luggage, and more. They can also crawl in through tiny cracks and crevices.
Seal any points of entry, no matter how small. Use caulk, weatherstripping, screens, and other barriers to close gaps around:
- Doors
- Windows
- Vents
- Pipes
- Electrical openings
- Foundations
- Cracks in walls
This forces cockroaches to stay outside and limits access if some do make it inside. Check seals regularly to ensure gaps haven’t reopened.
Traps
Traps can help monitor cockroach populations and reduce their numbers. Sticky traps placed in key areas capture roaches seeking food or water. Look for droppings and torn off legs to confirm cockroaches were caught:
- Under appliances
- In cabinets and pantries
- Behind and under refrigerators
- Near pipes and drains
- Around pet food and water bowls
Replace sticky traps frequently until captures decline. Then use them to continue monitoring for resurgences.
For a more lethal option, use roach bait traps containing insecticide. These provide a food source laced with a slow-acting poison. The roaches are killed when they consume the bait and return to the nest to die.
Focus bait placement in areas with excessive droppings, grease smears, or damage. But also place them in suspected harborage areas and entry points.
Insecticide Application
Applying insecticides directly into cockroach hiding spots treats them where traps can’t reach. Treat all possible access points and harborage areas in hard to reach spaces:
- Inside wall voids and hollow areas
- Cracks and crevices in walls, floors, ceilings
- Corners of cabinets and closets
- Under and behind appliances
- Under sinks
- Inside furniture
Use cockroach gels, powders, or sprays depending on the location. Apply dusts in wall voids and powders in hard to spray areas. Use spraying insecticides or baits to treat large open areas.
Reapply insecticides every 1-3 months since cockroaches may avoid treated areas at first. Over time, the chemical residues break down and cockroaches gain confidence to enter again.
Heat Treatments
Heat treatments by pest control professionals kill cockroaches by raising temperatures to around 135°F throughout infested areas. The high heat kills cockroaches in all life stages, including egg cases:
- Adults – Killed within minutes of exposure
- Nymphs – Die within 20-30 minutes
- Eggs – Take at least 90 minutes of sustained heat to die
For effective treatment, temperatures need to be raised high enough, and dwell times long enough, to penetrate insulating materials like wood and insulation where cockroaches hide. Professional heat equipment is designed specifically for this.
The advantage of heat is it kills cockroaches in hard to reach areas and leaves no chemical residue. But it does not provide any lasting control on its own. Follow up with insecticides in case any eggs survived.
Boric Acid
Boric acid is a stomach poison that cockroaches ingest when they groom the powder off their legs and body. Apply it into wall voids and other inaccessible spaces by drilling small holes and puffing in the boric acid:
- Under and behind kitchen cabinets
- Into openings around bathtubs
- Inside hollow table legs
- Behind electrical outlets and switch plates
- Around the perimeter of appliances
The fine particles will stick to the cockroaches’ bodies and get transported back to the nesting areas when they return. Boric acid has low toxicity to people and pets but can provide effective population control when applied properly in cockroach harborages.
Is it possible to fully exterminate cockroaches?
Completely eliminating an established cockroach population is challenging but certainly possible with diligence. The keys are:
- Attacking all life stages – Adult cockroaches account for only 30% of the population. Eggs and juveniles in hiding must also be eliminated.
- Repeating treatments – It often takes multiple insecticide applications into their hiding spots to get all the cockroaches.
- Ongoing prevention – Sealing, traps, sanitation and excluding cockroaches is needed to prevent reinfestation after treatment.
With persistence using proven IPM techniques, even severe cockroach infestations can be eradicated. Monitor closely afterward and repeat treatment if needed to knock out any remaining holdouts.
How long does it take to get rid of cockroaches?
When using an effective IPM approach, most cockroach infestations can be controlled within 3-6 weeks. Severe infestations may take longer, around 2-3 months.
After thorough treatment, you should see a decline in sightings and trap captures within a couple weeks. If counts decrease and then plateau, additional treatment is needed to eliminate any remaining pockets of cockroaches.
Here is a general timeline of what to expect when treating a cockroach infestation:
- Week 1 – Clean and apply insecticides in key areas. Deploy traps for monitoring.
- Week 2 – Retreat persistent areas if needed. Continue sanitation and trapping.
- Weeks 3-4 – Monitor traps weekly. Retreat areas with ongoing activity.
- Weeks 5-6 – If normalized, monitor traps monthly to detect any resurgence.
Once the infestation appears knocked out, continue diligent sanitation and monitoring to prevent the cockroaches from returning.
Preventing future cockroach infestations
Once you get rid of cockroaches, you want to keep them out long-term. Preventive measures include:
- Sealing – Caulk and seal entry points to prevent access.
- Sanitation – Eliminate clutter and food sources by keeping areas clean.
- Traps – Use sticky traps and bait stations to monitor for signs of cockroaches.
- Exclusion – Install screens and weatherstripping to keep cockroaches outside.
Inspect vulnerable areas regularly for potential entry points or conditions that may allow cockroaches to establish again. Taking preventive steps makes it much less likely you’ll have to deal with recurring infestations in the future.
When to call a professional exterminator
While it’s possible to get rid of cockroaches yourself, professional pest control may be needed in some situations:
- Severe infestations covering a large area
- High risk accounts like restaurants and food processing facilities
- Sensitive accounts such as healthcare facilities and schools
- Difficult buildings with extensive clutter or unsanitary conditions
- Failed DIY attempts using multiple products
Professional exterminators have access to specialized tools and insecticides that allow them to reach cockroaches in areas that are hard to access. They also have the experience to know which products and methods work best for tough infestations.
Get a professional inspection if you are unsure of the extent of the infestation or have been unable to control cockroaches on your own.
Conclusion
Cockroaches are resilient pests notorious for being difficult to eliminate. Their biology and behaviors allow them to survive repeated control attempts. However, using an integrated pest management approach targeting all life stages can provide long-term control and even full eradication.
The keys are patience and persistence. Combine sanitation, sealing, traps, insecticides and exclusion methods. Retreat problematic areas and monitor closely. With continued diligence, you can get rid of cockroaches or any recurring infestation.