How to Keep Roaches Away and Get Rid of Them in Your Home

If you’ve ever walked into the kitchen at night, flipped on the light, and watched something brown and fast sprint under your fridge, you know a special kind of horror. Cockroaches aren’t just gross roommates — they can trigger allergies, worsen asthma, and spread germs around your home. The good news? You can absolutely kick them out and keep them away, without turning your house into a chemical war zone.

This guide walks you through how to keep roaches away and get rid of them in your home using smart, science-backed strategies: cleaning, sealing, targeted treatments, and a little patience. Think of it as a roach eviction notice, but with better planning.

Why Cockroaches Are More Than Just Gross

Roaches aren’t just “icky bugs.” They’re little walking allergen factories. Their droppings, shed skins, and body parts can become airborne and trigger allergy and asthma symptoms, especially in kids and people with breathing problems. Public health agencies note that cockroach allergens are a major indoor trigger for asthma attacks in sensitive individuals, especially in urban and low-income housing.

These pests can also carry bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella on their bodies as they crawl through drains, trash, and other dirty areas, and then over your counters and dishes. Add in the musty smell of a roach infestation, and you’ve got plenty of motivation to move them out ASAP.

One more reality check: even clean homes can get roaches. They’re looking for three things — food, water, and shelter. If your home has any of those (and unless you live in a vacuum, it does), you’re on their radar.

Step 1: Confirm You’re Dealing with Roaches

Before you go nuclear on every insect in sight, make sure you’re actually dealing with cockroaches. Here’s what to look for:

• Droppings: Tiny black specks (like coffee grounds or pepper) or small cylindrical pellets, often found in cabinet corners, under appliances, or along baseboards.
• Egg cases (oothecae): Brown, capsule-shaped cases that may be stuck to surfaces or hidden in cracks and clutter.
• Smear marks: In very humid areas, you may see dark, irregular smears along walls or near hiding spots.
• Musty odor: A larger or long-term infestation can create a faint, unpleasant, “old basement” smell.
• Live roaches: Seeing them during the day usually means the population is high — they’re being forced out of hiding.

If the signs are there, it’s time to move from “grossed out” to “game on.”

Step 2: Starve Them — Cut Off Food Sources

Roaches are scavengers. They don’t need a full buffet, just a steady drip of crumbs and spills. Your first mission in roach control is to cut off their food supply.

Clean the Kitchen Like a Roach Detective

• Wash dishes as soon as possible — don’t leave dirty dishes or greasy pans in the sink overnight.
• Wipe countertops, stove tops, and tables after cooking and eating to remove crumbs and oil.
• Sweep or vacuum kitchen floors daily, especially under the table and around appliances.
• Clean under and behind major appliances (stove, fridge, dishwasher) regularly — roaches love crumbs and grease in those hidden spots.

Store Food So Roaches Can’t Share Your Snacks

• Keep pantry items like cereal, flour, rice, and snacks in airtight containers instead of open boxes or thin plastic bags.
• Don’t leave food out on counters overnight — that includes fruits that are overripe.
• Wipe jars and bottles (especially honey, syrup, and condiments) that can get sticky and attract pests.

Don’t Forget Trash and Pet Food

• Use trash cans with tight-fitting lids, and empty them regularly — especially kitchen trash.
• Clean the inside of your trash bin every week or so; residue and spills inside the can itself can attract roaches even if you use bags.
• Avoid leaving pet food out all night. Feed pets in set meals, then pick up leftovers and wash bowls.

When you remove the free food buffet, roaches become more likely to take bait and more desperate to leave.

Step 3: Dry Them Out — Fix Moisture Problems

Roaches absolutely love moisture. Kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms are prime real estate because of leaks, condensation, and humidity.

• Fix leaks: Repair dripping faucets, sweating pipes, or leaky under-sink plumbing.
• Improve ventilation: Use bathroom exhaust fans and open windows when possible to reduce humidity.
• Use a dehumidifier: In damp basements or laundry areas, a small dehumidifier can make the environment less roach-friendly.
• Don’t leave standing water: Dry out sinks before bed, empty mop buckets, and don’t leave wet towels piled in dark corners.

Less water means fewer roaches — and the ones that stay are more likely to contact baits and treatments.

Step 4: Block Their Entry — Seal Cracks and Gaps

Roaches are experts at squeezing through tiny spaces. Some species can flatten their bodies and fit through cracks less than 1/8 inch wide. That’s smaller than your phone charger cable.

To keep roaches out (and prevent neighbors’ roaches from visiting your place in multi-unit buildings), focus on “exclusion” — sealing their entry points:

• Seal gaps around baseboards, window frames, and door frames with high-quality caulk.
• Use weather stripping on exterior doors to close gaps at the bottom and sides.
• Fill gaps around pipes (under sinks, behind toilets, around laundry hookups) with caulk, foam, or steel wool plus caulk.
• Install or repair screens on windows, vents, and floor drains where appropriate.
• In apartments or condos, seal openings around utility lines that connect to neighboring units.

This doesn’t just slow down roaches — it also helps with other pests and can even improve your home’s energy efficiency. Roach control with a side of lower utility bills? Yes, please.

Step 5: Use Smart, Targeted Roach Treatments

Once you’ve cleaned, dried, and sealed, it’s time to take direct aim at the roach population. The most effective long-term approach is usually a mix of monitoring and targeted treatments, not random bug-bombing.

Monitor with Sticky Traps

Place sticky roach traps (glue boards) along walls, behind appliances, in cabinets, and near suspected hiding spots. These traps:

• Help confirm where roaches are most active.
• Let you track whether your treatment plan is working over time.
• Catch some roaches outright, reducing the population a bit.

Gel Baits: The Workhorses of Roach Control

Professional pest control companies often rely on gel baits, and for good reason: roaches eat the bait, return to their hiding spots, and spread the poison to others through droppings and contact. To use baits effectively:

• Apply small pea-sized drops of bait in cracks, crevices, and hidden areas where you see activity.
• Don’t put bait where you use heavy cleaners or sprays — strong chemicals can repel roaches from the bait.
• Keep baits away from kids and pets; follow the label instructions carefully.
• Be patient — baits often take days to weeks to dramatically reduce an infestation.

Boric Acid and Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

Boric acid and food-grade diatomaceous earth are popular options for homeowners who want lower-toxicity tools. Both work best when applied correctly and sparingly.

• Boric acid: Lightly dust in wall voids, behind appliances, and along cracks where roaches travel. Heavy piles won’t work — roaches will walk around them.
• Diatomaceous earth: A very thin layer near entry points and around baseboards can damage roaches’ exoskeletons and dehydrate them over time.

Always check labels and precautions, especially if you have pets or small children. “Natural” doesn’t automatically mean “totally safe if misused.”

When to Call a Professional

If you’re seeing a lot of roaches during the day, or you’ve tried cleaning and baiting with little progress, you may be dealing with a serious infestation. Multi-unit buildings, older homes with lots of voids, and German cockroach infestations often need professional help.

A licensed pest control pro can:

• Identify the roach species and hiding spots.
• Use professional-grade baits, dusts, and targeted sprays safely.
• Help you set up an integrated pest management (IPM) plan that focuses on prevention, not just spraying.

Natural & DIY Roach Remedies: What Works, What Doesn’t

The internet is full of “magic” roach hacks: bay leaves in the pantry, leaving the lights on, ultrasonic plug-ins that “scare” roaches away. Most of these are myths or have very limited effects at best.

Here’s a quick reality check:

• Essential oils: Some plant-based oils (like certain citrus or peppermint oils) can repel roaches in small, localized areas for a short time. They’re not a stand-alone strategy, but they may help support other methods.
• Bay leaves and coffee grounds: These are more “internet legend” than real solution. They might slightly discourage roaches in one spot, but they won’t clear an infestation.
• Ultrasonic devices: Research and field experience don’t support them as effective roach control tools.
• Leaving lights on: Roaches may prefer the dark, but if there’s food, water, and shelter, they’ll happily work the night shift and the day shift.

Bottom line: focus on proven tactics — sanitation, sealing, baits, and, if needed, professional help. Natural tools like DE can be useful, but they need to be part of a bigger plan, not the entire strategy.

Roach Control in Apartments vs. Houses

If you live in a single-family home, your main job is to keep roaches out and remove the ones inside. In apartments, you’re sometimes fighting your neighbors’ roaches, too.

Extra Tips for Apartments and Multi-Unit Buildings

• Report leaks, gaps, and recurring roach sightings to your landlord or property manager.
• Ask if they use building-wide pest control or IPM; individual units treating alone may not be enough.
• Seal any cracks around pipes, baseboards, and outlets that connect to adjoining units.
• Be cautious with items from hallways, storage rooms, or dumpsters — roaches can hitchhike in cardboard boxes and used furniture.

Cooperation in multi-unit housing is huge. If one unit is spotless and the one next door is a roach paradise, the bugs will keep commuting through the walls like tiny, unwanted neighbors.

A Simple Weekly Roach-Prevention Checklist

Once you’ve done the heavy lifting (cleaning, sealing, treating), staying roach-free is about maintenance. Here’s a quick weekly routine:

• Wipe kitchen counters and stove top thoroughly after cooking.
• Sweep or vacuum kitchen floors and dining areas.
• Empty and wipe the inside of the kitchen trash can if needed.
• Check under the sink for leaks or dampness.
• Look at your sticky traps — any new roach activity?
• Do a quick scan for new cracks or gaps and seal as needed.

Five to ten minutes a week beats spending a weekend battling a full-blown infestation.

Real-Life Lessons: Experiences Getting Rid of Roaches at Home

Advice is great, but how does roach control play out in real life? Here are a few common “journeys” people go through when they’re learning how to keep roaches away and finally get them out of the house.

The “But My House Is Clean!” Wake-Up Call

Many people’s first reaction to seeing a roach is denial: “That can’t be right. I clean all the time!” And honestly, sometimes they really do. The catch? Roaches don’t need a mess; they just need opportunity.

Picture someone who wipes down their counters daily, but never checks behind the stove. Over the years, a little grease here, a few crumbs there, maybe a splash of sauce that dripped down the side — it all adds up. The front-of-house looks spotless, but behind the appliances? That’s the roach buffet.

Once they pull out the stove for a deep clean, vacuum under the fridge, and seal a small gap in the baseboard, the situation changes. Their “I swear I’m clean” home finally matches what roaches experience. Add a few discreet gel bait placements in crack and crevice areas, and within a few weeks, sightings drop dramatically.

The Apartment Dweller vs. the Hallway Roaches

In multi-unit buildings, one person’s clutter can become everyone’s problem. Imagine someone who keeps their unit tidy but constantly sees roaches near the front door or in the kitchen, especially along walls shared with the hallway.

They start tracking where and when they see roaches. Most show up near the entry door, around a gap in the door frame, or near plumbing that runs through a shared wall. Instead of just spraying randomly, they take three practical steps:

1. Seal the gap around the door frame and add weather stripping at the bottom of the door.
2. Use small gel bait placements near roach traffic areas inside their unit, but not out in the hallway where kids or pets might access them.
3. Talk to building management, who then schedule a building-wide inspection and treatment.

The result isn’t instant, but over a month or two, the number of roach encounters drops sharply. The key lesson? When roaches have multiple units to choose from, you need both personal prevention and building-level cooperation.

The “I Tried Everything on TikTok” Experiment

Plenty of people start with internet hacks: bay leaves taped to cabinets, bowls of vinegar, mystery oil sprays, jars of coffee grounds, and ultrasonic devices blinking away in wall outlets. For a while, it might feel like something is happening — fewer roaches in one spot, maybe, or a slight shift in where they hang out.

But without the basics — sanitation, sealing, and real baits — the population doesn’t truly shrink. After a few weeks of chasing social media tricks, many people eventually pivot to a more structured approach:

• Declutter and deep-clean the kitchen and bathroom.
• Use sticky traps to confirm where the roaches are most active.
• Place gel baits in those specific areas and stop using strong sprays that repel roaches away from the bait.
• Apply a light dusting of boric acid or DE in hidden gaps for long-term pressure.

Within a month or so, they go from seeing roaches daily to maybe spotting one straggler every now and then — and even that often fades over time. The big takeaway: trending hacks aren’t substitutes for integrated pest management. Roaches didn’t read the life hack threads.

The Long Game: Staying Roach-Free

Once people finally win the roach battle, they often develop new habits that quietly keep their homes protected. They might start:

• Checking groceries and packages for hitchhiking bugs before bringing them inside.
• Storing long-term items in plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes.
• Inspecting used furniture carefully before it crosses the threshold.
• Doing a quick weekly “roach patrol” with a flashlight under the sink and around appliances.

These little routines don’t take much time, but they make your home a lot less interesting to roaches. And that’s the real goal: not just killing the ones you see today, but making your space so unwelcoming that new roaches decide to live literally anywhere else.

Conclusion: Kick Roaches Out and Keep Them Out

Getting rid of roaches in your home isn’t about one miracle spray or a single deep-clean weekend. It’s about a layered strategy: starve them by removing food sources, dry them out by fixing moisture problems, block their entry by sealing cracks and gaps, and hit them smartly with baits, traps, and targeted treatments.

Whether you live in a studio apartment or a big family home, a roach-free life is possible. With consistent habits and a bit of detective work, you can stop sharing your kitchen, bathroom, and midnight snack runs with uninvited six-legged guests.