What to Do If You Have Cockroaches: A Step-by-Step Plan to Get Rid of Them

TL;DR

• Stay calm, skip the bug bomb and find where they hide. Foggers often don't reach the cracks where roaches hide, and sprays can scatter roaches to other parts of the building (UC IPM).
• If you rent, tell your landlord right away, and don't use store-bought chemicals yourself: they can spread roaches to other units (Government of Manitoba).
• Cut off food, water and shelter: store food in sealed plastic or glass containers, take the garbage out daily, fix leaky taps and pipes, and recycle cardboard and paper piles.
• Make baits your main tool. Put many small placements close to where roaches hide and travel, and don't spray or clean near them. Check the label for a PCP number (Health Canada).
• Be patient. UC IPM says it may take 7 days or longer to see fewer roaches, and often about two weeks to see results. Sticky traps checked weekly show whether it's working.
• Need help? Get a quote from a recommended local exterminator through Pest Agent's referral form.

Knowing what to do if you have cockroaches is mostly a test of patience, which is hard to find when one darts across the kitchen floor at midnight. The methods that actually end an infestation, slow-acting baits paired with a serious cleanup, take days to weeks before the numbers visibly drop, while the options that feel fast mostly move roaches somewhere else.

The order of the steps matters as much as the steps themselves. Baits work far better once crumbs, grease and open food are gone and the roaches have nothing else to eat, and a clean but cluttered home can still shelter them behind cardboard and paper piles.

The very first move, made in the minutes after a sighting, is where many households go wrong.

What Should You Do First If You Have Cockroaches?

If you have cockroaches, the first thing to do is stay calm, skip the bug bomb and find out where they are hiding. These first steps decide whether your treatment works or simply pushes the roaches deeper into your walls.

Don't Panic

Seeing a cockroach is unpleasant, but it is a problem you can solve, especially if you act early. The New York State IPM Program at Cornell notes that roach problems usually start small, but roaches can reproduce quickly, so early action is often the best approach. Health Canada also notes that having cockroaches does not necessarily mean your home is dirty. They are most active at night, which is why a population can grow for a while before you notice it.

Don't Set Off a Fogger

Foggers, also called bug bombs, are the reflex many people reach for, and they usually make things worse. According to UC IPM, foggers and aerosols do not reach the cracks where cockroaches hide, and sprays can scatter roaches to other parts of the building. Penn State Extension adds that foggers may scatter the roaches and make control "difficult and lengthy". Put the fogger back on the shelf.

Confirm How Big the Problem Is

A cockroach infestation leaves clues: dark specks or smears of droppings, shed skins, egg cases and live or dead roaches. To judge what you are dealing with, read about the signs of a cockroach infestation and how many cockroaches is an infestation. If you suddenly see a lot of them, the page on why there are suddenly so many cockroaches explains the usual causes.

Find Their Hiding Places

Finding where cockroaches hide tells you where to clean and where to put baits. The NYS IPM Program suggests quietly entering a dark room and turning on the light to see where they may run, then using a flashlight and a small mirror to look behind and under cabinets, appliances, sinks and toilets. In kitchens, check under and behind the stove and fridge and inside cabinet frames. For a room-by-room checklist, see how to find cockroaches and their hiding spots.

Tell Your Landlord

If you rent, tell your landlord right away. The Government of Manitoba says that once the landlord knows, they are generally responsible for making sure the unit is pest-free, and tenants are expected to cooperate with the treatment plan. Manitoba also advises tenants not to use store-bought chemicals themselves, because they can make the problem worse and spread cockroaches to other units. Rules vary by province, so check your local tenancy rules too.

Which Cockroach Do You Have?

The cockroach you have decides where you place baits and how hard it will be to get rid of. Four species usually cause most problems in Canadian homes, and you can often tell them apart by size, colour and where you find them.

German Cockroach

The German cockroach is one of the most common household cockroaches, and it is the one you are most likely to find in a Canadian kitchen. According to Health Canada, adults are about 1.3 cm to 1.6 cm long, tan to light brown, with two dark stripes running from the head toward the wings. They have wings but cannot fly. They favour warm, humid spots near food and water, such as kitchens and bathrooms, and each egg case holds about 30 young (UC IPM).

Brown-Banded Cockroach

The brown-banded cockroach is about the same size as the German cockroach, about 0.5 inch (about 1.3 cm), with light bands across its body. Males are golden tan and females darker brown (UC IPM). Unlike German cockroaches, they prefer higher spots: closets, under furniture, and inside or near electrical appliances. They often glue their egg cases to ceilings and the undersides of furniture. UC IPM notes they are especially hard to control with baits.

Oriental Cockroach

The Oriental cockroach is larger and almost black. It usually lives in cool, dark, damp places such as basements, crawl spaces and floor drains (UC IPM). If you see shiny dark roaches near a basement drain, this is the likely culprit. The guide on how to stop cockroaches from coming up the drain covers that entry point.

American Cockroach

The American cockroach is the largest of the four, up to about 2 inches (about 5 cm), and reddish brown. It tends to prefer warm, humid places and often comes from sewers and storm drains, so you usually find it in basements and near drains. For photos and side-by-side features, use the cockroach identifier.

How Do You Get Rid of Cockroaches?

Getting rid of cockroaches takes two things together, according to Health Canada: intensive cleaning and the right pesticide. Cleaning takes away the food, water and shelter that keep roaches alive, and it makes baits far more attractive because they become the easiest meal around. Follow these steps in order.

Remove Food Sources

Removing food sources starves cockroaches and pushes them toward your baits. Health Canada recommends cleaning up spills right away, storing food in tightly sealed plastic or glass containers instead of paper or cardboard, keeping garbage in sealed containers and taking it out daily, and not leaving dirty dishes overnight. Do not leave pet food and water out 24 hours a day. Pay special attention to the kitchen floor under and behind the stove and fridge, where grease and crumbs collect.

Remove Water Sources

Removing water sources matters as much as food, especially for Oriental and American cockroaches. Repair leaky taps and pipes, ventilate the bathroom and use a dehumidifier in damp areas such as basements (Health Canada). The NYS IPM Program also suggests hanging dishrags and bath mats to dry, wiping up puddles, and not letting water sit in plant saucers or the drip pan under the fridge.

Clear Clutter

Clearing clutter takes away the places where cockroaches hide and breed. The NYS IPM Program warns that "a clean but cluttered home may still harbor roaches." Recycle stacks of newspapers, magazines, paper bags and cardboard boxes, and do not store them on the floor or wedged between appliances. Cardboard is a favourite hiding spot.

Vacuum Roaches and Droppings

Vacuuming gives you a quick, chemical-free way to cut numbers. Use the hose attachment on roaches, droppings, shed skins and egg cases in cracks and corners. UC IPM recommends a vacuum with a HEPA filter, because shed skins and droppings can become airborne and trigger allergies. When you finish, remove the bag, seal it inside another bag and throw both out (NYS IPM). Wipe up droppings with a disposable cloth too, because they contain a scent that attracts other roaches.

Cockroach Baits

Cockroach baits are the main tool for getting rid of an infestation. UC IPM calls baits the primary pesticide for cockroach infestations. Baits come as gel in a syringe or as small plastic bait stations. Roaches eat the bait and return to their hiding spots, and according to the NYS IPM Program, other roaches can be poisoned when they feed on those roaches or their droppings, as the University of Kentucky also describes. That is how baits reach roaches you never see. Before you buy, check that the label lists cockroaches and shows a PCP number, which means Health Canada has registered the product. For tested options, see the picks for the best cockroach killer.

Bait Placement

Bait placement decides whether baits work, because baits do not attract cockroaches from far away (UC IPM). Put many small placements close to where roaches hide and travel, not out in the open:

• For German and brown-banded cockroaches, set bait stations against walls and flush in corners, under appliances, inside cabinets and next to droppings (NYS IPM, UC IPM, University of Kentucky).
• Apply gel as small dabs in cracks and crevices, and add more as it dries out (UC IPM).
• For Oriental and American cockroaches, place baits in the basement near floor drains and in damp crawl spaces (NYS IPM), where the University of Kentucky notes they often congregate.
• Do not spray insecticides or use cleaning products near baits, because they can repel roaches from the bait (NYS IPM).

Boric Acid Dust

Boric acid dust is a slow, long-lasting option for hidden spaces, but in Canada it is now registered only for professional use: Health Canada cancelled home-use dusts, with sales ending on July 22, 2018. UC IPM explains that it is not repellent and keeps working for a long time if it stays dry and undisturbed. A professional uses a very light touch, puffing a thin film into cracks, wall voids and behind the kick panels under cabinets, because thick piles cake up and roaches walk around them. Penn State Extension notes that heavy deposits may repel cockroaches and that boric acid can be hazardous to children, so keep it out of reach and away from food. If it gets wet, clean it up and reapply.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a fine powder (silicon dioxide) that kills insects by drying them out. Health Canada says it stays active while dry and is non-toxic to humans and pets, but you should avoid breathing the dust. Like boric acid, use it as a thin layer in voids and out-of-the-way places, not in open areas where it gets kicked up.

Why Sprays Make Roaches Scatter

Sprays make cockroaches scatter instead of solving the problem. UC IPM explains that sprays may knock roaches down for a while but do not give long-term control, they can drive roaches into other parts of the building, and many roaches are now resistant to common sprays. The NYS IPM Program adds that roaches learn to avoid treated surfaces and that pesticides do not affect the eggs inside the egg case. If you do use a registered crack-and-crevice product, follow the label exactly and keep it away from your baits.

Product Safety Around Kids and Pets

Cockroach products are safest when you follow the label to the letter. Health Canada asks you to read the label, confirm the product is meant for cockroaches and look for the PCP number. Choose enclosed, tamper-resistant bait stations in homes with children or pets, place gel and dust where small hands and paws cannot reach, and keep every product away from food, dishes and pet bowls.

How Long Does It Take to Get Rid of Roaches?

Getting rid of roaches usually takes a few weeks, because baits are slow by design. Slow is good: a roach that survives long enough to go back to its hiding spot spreads the bait to others.

Bait Timeline

Bait timelines are measured in days for each roach and weeks for the whole population. Health Canada says bait stations kill insects about 48 to 96 hours after they eat the active ingredient. UC IPM warns that it may take 7 days or longer before you see fewer cockroaches, the NYS IPM Program says to expect about two weeks, and the University of Kentucky says a substantial reduction should show within a few weeks. Replace baits as they are eaten or dry out, and keep going until you stop seeing roaches. Professional programs may plan two to three visits over about four to six weeks, according to Orkin Canada.

Sticky Traps to Track Progress

Sticky traps are the best way to know whether your plan is working. UC IPM recommends placing them where floors meet walls, in room corners, behind large appliances and inside cabinets, then numbering each trap and recording the catches. Penn State Extension notes that one week of trapping at ten or more spots usually gives a clear picture. Write the date on each trap, check it weekly and compare the counts over time: falling numbers mean you are winning. Traps are a monitoring tool, not a cure on their own.

When Baits Stop Working

Baits that stop working usually need to be moved or changed, not abandoned. If roaches persist, UC IPM suggests moving the stations, adding more stations or bait, or trying a different product. Researchers at NC State have found that some German cockroach populations have an aversion to glucose, a sugar often used to attract them in baits, so those roaches may simply skip the bait. If roaches walk past your bait, try a product with a different formula.

When Should You Call a Pest Control Professional?

Calling a licensed pest control professional makes sense when the infestation is serious, spread across several rooms or units, or still active after a few weeks of careful baiting. UC IPM notes that professional pest control is often needed for serious indoor infestations, and the NYS IPM Program says hiring a professional is a reasonable choice, especially for a severe problem.

What a Professional Treatment Involves

A professional cockroach treatment usually starts with an inspection to identify the species and find hiding spots, followed by a plan that combines baits, insect growth regulators (products that stop roaches from developing and reproducing), dusts and targeted residual products, then follow-up visits. Licensed technicians can often use products that are not sold to the public (Government of Manitoba). To know what to expect, read the guide to hiring a cockroach exterminator. When you are ready, you can get a quote from a recommended local exterminator through Pest Agent's referral form. Prices vary by company, species and home size.

Apartments and Condos

Apartments and condos need a building-wide approach, because cockroaches can spread from one unit to the next (Government of Manitoba). Tell your landlord or property manager, cooperate with the treatment plan and ask whether neighbouring units are being treated too. The NYS IPM Program suggests that contacting your local health department may help if the building's response is not satisfactory.

How Do You Keep Cockroaches From Coming Back?

Keeping cockroaches from coming back means keeping up the habits that starved them out and closing the ways in. Keep storing food in sealed containers, taking out the garbage daily and fixing leaks as soon as they appear. The full checklist is in the guide on how to prevent cockroaches.

Sealing Cracks and Gaps

Sealing cracks and gaps removes hiding spots and entry routes. Health Canada recommends caulking cracks, crevices and openings around pipes, and covering vents, open pipes and drains with fine mesh screen. The NYS IPM Program suggests using heat-tolerant caulk around hot water and heating pipes where possible, and paying special attention to walls shared with other units in apartments.

Checking What You Bring Home

Checking what you bring home stops new roaches from hitching a ride. Health Canada notes that cockroaches and their egg cases can arrive in used furniture, food items, bottles and shipping cartons. Inspect boxes, bags and second-hand furniture before they come inside, and unpack deliveries outdoors or in the garage when you can. Learn more about where cockroaches come from, or browse every guide in the cockroach section.