Maybe you have been living alone for quite some time or are finally old enough to move out of your parent’s home. Once you move in, you keep your house nice and tidy, only to find signs of cockroaches in your midst!
You look up everything possible to eliminate these pests, but there is only so much you can do because you do not own the apartment building. After weighing your options, you might wonder how on earth you can get rid of roaches in apartment buildings!
There are quite a few ways you can kill cockroaches in your apartment, but the most important thing you should do is make sure your landlord knows of the issue.
This article discusses all options you can take to get rid of roaches in your apartment and how to take action. Keep reading to learn what to do next!
Option 1: Call Building Management
Building management should take any report of pests seriously like they should take other things that might destroy the building. Cockroach infestations can spread throughout the entire building if they are not careful enough.
In many cases, your landlord will take care of the issue by scheduling treatments, sealing certain areas of the building, or other similar actions. For example, if apartment dwellers report a cockroach infestation in Missouri, building management has roughly 14 days to take care of the issue.
However, if your landlord does not take care of the issue after the initial 14 days, you, as the tenant, may be able to eliminate roaches yourself. Still, these rules may vary from state to state or by region.
If you suspect these nasty creatures in your midst, look up what action you can take before assuming it all falls on the building manager.
Option 2: Set Bait Stations
Setting bait stations is a relatively easy way to get rid of cockroaches. The bait comes in syringes, freeing your home from any powders you need to clean up later.
Bait stations are slow to kill and allow the roaches time to bring some back to their colony and share with the rest of their family members. If a poisoned roach dies and other roaches eat its body, it will cause them to become poisoned.
To use this method, place a pea-sized amount of gel bait on an index card and set a few in spots where you know the most cockroach activity is occurring. These places might be in kitchen cabinets, under sinks, behind toilets, under large appliances, or where they find food sources.
Make sure to check the area every week or so and replace what was lost if there is no more cockroach activity. Doing so may take roughly 3 to 5 days to see results, but it is highly effective.
Option 3: Set Jar Traps
Setting homemade jar traps is an excellent way of depopulating a roach infestation. Place a bait like apple slices, bananas, or raw potato slices on the bottom of the jar, then put a slight coating of petroleum jelly inside the rim.
Once the roaches consume the bait, they cannot escape this trap due to the petroleum jelly and will eventually die.
The main downside of this method is that you will need to replace the baits and discard the dead bodies afterward. The jar technique can also be unsightly, so set these traps under your kitchen or bathroom sinks or where you see a lot of roach activity.
Read More: How to Get Rid of Cockroaches in the Kitchen
Option 4: Check Crevices with Compressed Air
This option requires a can of compressed air and a vacuum cleaner. Your goal is to lure cockroaches away from hard-to-reach areas and go to town with the vacuum. You can do this in cracks, under sinks, or inside cabinets.
Make sure to immediately throw the vacuum bag away in another sealed bag to ensure the roaches do not get out and come back.
Option 5: Set Glue Traps
Glue traps are a cost-effective way to eliminate these pests. Sticky traps come in small cardboard boxes that open on both ends and have adhesive material inside. If you place them where cockroaches go the most, they will walk on them and get stuck.
You can place sticky traps anywhere around your home, especially where you see a lot of cockroaches. However, the downside to using this method is that you need to replace them every so often, so make sure to check them continuously. Still, glue traps are safe for households with pets and children.
Option 6: Hire a Professional Exterminator
If your DIY steps aren’t working out and you want to get rid of the roaches quickly, you should hire an exterminator to eliminate cockroaches. Pest control knows precisely where the cockroaches hide and provide a well-thought-out plan to help you eliminate these bugs. The professionals might give tips to ensure you do everything you can to keep them away.
Are Roaches Common in Apartment Buildings?
Yes, roaches are very common in apartment buildings. Roughly 10% to 30% of apartments contain cockroaches. To put that in retrospect, approximately 2.9 million Americans reported roaches in their homes.
Cockroaches are resourceful and will attempt to go live in your neighbor’s home if you do not catch the issue soon enough.
Still, suppose you recently moved into the area and noticed cockroaches shortly after. In that case, one of your neighbors may already have them, or the entire building might have a cockroach problem.
Another aspect to consider is the area. Many Texas or Tennessee apartment dwellers will see more roaches than in Alaska. This is likely due to the excessive amount of moisture and heat.
Read More: The Most Common Types of Cockroaches in Texas
What Causes Roaches to Enter Your Apartment?
Roaches enter your apartment in their search for food, shelter, and water. Suppose you have a crack under your door or by the window. This gives them an easy entrance into your apartment. In that case, you would want to seal all entry points a cockroach might have.
However, another reason could simply be due to excessive amounts of clutter, dirty dishes, and food crumbs on the floor. Consider cleaning your home.
If things get too overwhelming, consider hiring a professional organizer or cleaning service to help you.
Why Are Roaches in Your Clean Apartment?
Roaches are in your clean apartment because you have an excessive amount of moisture. For example, cockroaches will drink water from there if you shower, and it takes a long time for your bathroom to dry up (even with the bathroom fan on). It is also wise to look for leaky pipes as well.
In addition, if someone in your building happens to have cockroaches, they might travel through the sewage system or air ducts, allowing them to go into the entire building without being noticed.
Read More: What Causes Roaches?
Ways to Prevent Cockroaches in Your Apartment
There are quite a few ways to prevent cockroaches from entering your apartment.
Seal Your Food
Cockroaches will gladly get into anything you have out. Consider using tightly sealed containers or small plastic containers to ensure they stay out.
Clean Your Apartment
As mentioned above, keeping your apartment clean is one of the best ways to deter roaches. Do not leave dirty dishes in your sink overnight, vacuum regularly, clear the clutter, etc.
Eliminate Indoor Plants
Plants attract roaches because they provide moisture, warmth, and shelter. Consider eliminating indoor plants or placing them outside.
Cover the Drains
Cockroaches love living inside drain pipes because they contain moisture, so cover all drains when you are not using them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Smells Keep Roaches Away?
Peppermint oil, bleach, ammonia, and lemon juice are the biggest smells that keep roaches away.
You can use some natural remedies like essential oils to deter cockroaches from your apartment. Here are some listed below:
- Bay leaves – place them inside cabinets, under the fridge, dishwasher, behind the toilet, etc.
- Citronella oil – place the oil on paper towels and blot areas where you notice the most roach activity.
- Catnip – make tea with catnip to deter roaches by boiling the water, allowing it to cool, and the place it in a spray bottle to spray in affected areas.
- Coffee grounds – place old coffee grounds in a small bowl, then put it near windows, in cabinets, under sinks, etc.
- Garlic powder – sprinkle garlic powder around your home. However, make sure it smells good.
Where Do Roaches Nest in Apartments?
Roaches nest in kitchens, bathrooms, and under furniture in apartments. These critters prefer to be in dark, warm, and humid places. If you wish to find their nesting grounds, use a flashlight and thoroughly search the area.
Still, roaches are sometimes hard to find because they might hide in the walls. If this is the case, we highly advise you to call your property manager or pest control to help with this issue.
How Long Does it Take to Get Rid of a Roach Problem in an Apartment?
It may take a few days to a couple of weeks to get rid of a roach problem in an apartment. Knowing exactly how long could be tricky because you might need to deal with more than just your apartment in this kind of cockroach infestation.
However, once a cockroach consumes the bait you placed down for them, it will die within a day. Make sure to clean up any dead bodies you might find. Otherwise, it might attract more to your home.
