Said It Here

How to get rid of German roaches once and for all?

German roach infestations rapidly multiply in kitchens and often survive standard initial spraying, leaving lingering nymphs and medium-sized bugs behind. This persistent survival makes it difficult to completely eradicate them, causing ongoing frustration even after prolonged professional pest control treatments.

Overview
People affected28 accounts across 3 forums
Workarounds found79 items attempted
Community agreement47 total upvotes

What the numbers show

Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count

  • People have been saying this in most months since September 2026.
  • This comes up 42.0× more often in r/Pestcontrol than across the site as a whole.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

79 items+ Contribute

Found another way around this?

Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.

  1. 1
    Hiring professional exterminators
    2 people mentioned
    Did this help you?
  2. 2
    using glue traps
    2 people mentioned
    Did this help you?
  3. 3
    Spraying Raid everywhere to kill adult roaches
    Did this help you?
  4. 4
    Finding and targeting where they have been hiding
    Did this help you?
  5. 5
    Waiting out long-term treatments
    Did this help you?
  6. 6
    Trashing appliances and electronics instead of moving them
    Did this help you?
  7. 7
    packaging away food in plastic containers
    Did this help you?
  8. 8
    stopping cooking for a while
    Did this help you?
  9. 9
    setting up sticky traps in sink cabinets
    Did this help you?
  10. 10
    putting all dirty dishes in the fridge
    Did this help you?
  11. 11
    sanitizing the area with vinegar, dish soap, and water
    Did this help you?
  12. 12
    Using professional-grade pest control equipment following the label
    Did this help you?
  13. 13
    Doing a room-by-room deep clean starting with laundry, dishes, decluttering, dusting, cleaning surfaces, and floors.
    Did this help you?
  14. 14
    Using basic cleaning products like Dawn dish soap, all-purpose cleaner, and disinfectant instead of expensive specialized supplies.
    Did this help you?
  15. 15
    Using Advion bait and sticky traps
    Did this help you?
  16. 16
    Doing deep cleaning
    Did this help you?
  17. 17
    Looking for holes and plugging them up with caulking, silicon, and polychloroprene seal
    Did this help you?
  18. 18
    Using diatomaceous earth
    Did this help you?
  19. 19
    Bought advion roach gel, Roach motels, and ordered Gentrol
    Did this help you?
  20. 20
    Planning on spraying the outside of the house
    Did this help you?
  21. 21
    Using advion gel in bb-sized placements where roaches live and hide
    Did this help you?
  22. 22
    Putting out sticky traps by the stove
    Did this help you?
  23. 23
    Using Advion gel bait along the counter against the wall
    Did this help you?
  24. 24
    Trying other treatment methods
    Did this help you?
  25. 25
    Keeping the place clean, avoiding leaving food out or dirty dishes in the sink, and plugging the drains
    Did this help you?
  26. 26
    Cleaning out the entire pantry and kitchen cabinets
    Did this help you?
  27. 27
    Professional air duct and vent cleaning
    Did this help you?
  28. 28
    Vacuuming multiple times a day
    Did this help you?
  29. 29
    Professional pest control
    Did this help you?
  30. 30
    Applying boric acid and diatomaceous earth
    Did this help you?
  31. 31
    Drilling holes into walls and stairs to inspect with a camera
    Did this help you?
  32. 32
    Using pesticides
    Did this help you?
  33. 33
    using aerosol treatments like shockwave in cracks and crevices
    Did this help you?
  34. 34
    deploying sticky traps and dry flowable bait alongside Alpine and an IGR
    Did this help you?
  35. 35
    switching to Alpine and Gentrol applied heavily underneath appliances and racks monthly
    Did this help you?
  36. 36
    Regular professional pest-control treatments through the apartment community
    Did this help you?
  37. 37
    Using gel bait and numerous glue monitors or traps throughout the apartment
    Did this help you?
  38. 38
    Maintenance sealing and caulking baseboard and wall gaps
    Did this help you?
  39. 39
    Cleaning drains and keeping the apartment clean without leaving food out
    Did this help you?
  40. 40
    spraying alpine wsg along exterior baseboards
    Did this help you?
  41. 41
    baited the bathroom
    Did this help you?
  42. 42
    having an exterminator spray
    Did this help you?
  43. 43
    Spraying Raid
    Did this help you?
  44. 44
    Cleaning down everything to cut off food supply
    Did this help you?
  45. 45
    Placing peppermint oil as a deterrent
    Did this help you?
  46. 46
    Using traps that attract and poison them
    Did this help you?
  47. 47
    Asking for alternative or more thorough treatments like gel baits
    Did this help you?
  48. 48
    Inspecting for cracks and having management fill them in
    Did this help you?
  49. 49
    Waiting patiently through a multi-treatment cycle
    Did this help you?
  50. 50
    realizing the infestation might be unintentionally brought along when moving from place to place
    Did this help you?
  51. 51
    getting the apartment sprayed
    Did this help you?
  52. 52
    cleaning behind the fridge and stove
    Did this help you?
  53. 53
    getting rid of cardboard boxes
    Did this help you?
  54. 54
    Using pheromone traps
    Did this help you?
  55. 55
    Buying parasitic wasps
    Did this help you?
  56. 56
    Swatting them down with rags
    Did this help you?
  57. 57
    Killing them with hands and stomping on them
    Did this help you?
  58. 58
    Planning to hire an exterminator to spray pesticides
    Did this help you?
  59. 59
    Kicking out the roommate immediately
    Did this help you?
  60. 60
    Using sticky traps to monitor and catch roaches
    Did this help you?
  61. 61
    Throwing out cardboard boxes and personal belongings
    Did this help you?
  62. 62
    Applying gel baits and nonrepellent sprays
    Did this help you?
  63. 63
    Trying various commercial baits and sprays like combat, bengal, and hot shot
    Did this help you?
  64. 64
    Considering mixing professional-grade products like alpine wsg and gentrol IGR concentrate in a pump sprayer
    Did this help you?
  65. 65
    calling pest control multiple times
    Did this help you?
  66. 66
    trying to tackle it yourself with gel baits or IGR products
    Did this help you?
  67. 67
    Hiring a professional pest control company for IGR and insecticide treatments
    Did this help you?
  68. 68
    Applying extra DIY pesticides and traps over the professional treatment
    Did this help you?
  69. 69
    Trashing all cardboard and paper products
    Did this help you?
  70. 70
    Vacuuming daily and transferring all pantry food into sealed containers
    Did this help you?
  71. 71
    Drying and plugging sinks and showers at night, and emptying pet water bowls
    Did this help you?
  72. 72
    Hiring professional fumigation companies
    Did this help you?
  73. 73
    Caulking every crevice in the kitchen
    Did this help you?
  74. 74
    Applying cockroach bait gels
    Did this help you?
  75. 75
    Sealing vents with foil or plastic wrap
    Did this help you?
  76. 76
    Using residual sprays, gel baits, and glue monitors
    Did this help you?
  77. 77
    Sealing off all cracks, crevices, and tiny openings
    Did this help you?
  78. 78
    Adding airborne insect growth regulator discs to supplement liquid sprays in tight spaces.
    Did this help you?
  79. 79
    putting diatomaceous earth around baseboards and under sinks to dry out the pests
    Did this help you?
Tried another approach not listed above?+ Share your workaround ↑

In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.

r/Pestcontrol24 people · September 2026 – November 2026

“Bought this because they’ve become immune to everything else. The infestation is so bad and it’s embarrassing to have friends over.”source ↗

imbadatgrammar · r/Pestcontrol · 5 upvotes

“We have been battling them for three months now.”source ↗

“I’m losing my mind and ready to rip up the entire kitchen.”source ↗

Cheddabossy · r/Pestcontrol · 5 upvotes

“I think this is a baby cockroach stuck in a glue trap, but we're seeing a lot of these in the apartment.”source ↗

“We've called pest control multiple times, but is there anything we can do ourselves? What should we buy besides glue traps?”source ↗

Jsycke6436 · r/Pestcontrol · 5 upvotes

“I did similar thing in my apartment few years ago, but I sealed the vent with plastic wrap cause foil was making weird noise every time the air moved. The caulking part took me two weekends”source ↗

Waste-Baseball-5707 · r/Pestcontrol · 3 upvotes

“I live in an apartment and started seeing maybe 1 roach (I’m like 90% sure they’re German?) every few days coming from behind the stove/oven so I put out sticky traps right by each side of the stove with Advion gel bait along the counter against the wall and after a full week, there’s NOTHING in the traps.”source ↗

deathbunnyii · r/Pestcontrol · 2 upvotes

“this is a brand new apartment ugh, i saw a baby german the other day and i think it is one because of the stripes. i feel like im going crazy, no matter how much i keep clean this has been a problem at every apartment i've had in this town.”source ↗

Geeofsee · r/Pestcontrol · 2 upvotes

“I just moved into a monthly rate motel. I already paid for the month, and can't afford to go anywhere else.”source ↗

“I know since the neighbors have them too, I cant get rid of them 100%. But I have to get rid of as many as I can.”source ↗

“They're so bad, i dont see how people live like this. They're american and German cockroaches.”source ↗

SprinklesMundane6705 · r/Pestcontrol · 2 upvotes

“I dont know how or why these German roaches are in my kitchen but its a lot of them and felt like they just started really multiplying the last week or so. I need them out as im getting grossed out now and would love to hear some solutions.”source ↗

“Is there anything I can do to kill them all once and for all?”source ↗

Unlikely-Capital-683 · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“I’m so so SO scared of taking them with us.”source ↗

“How do I move? Do I take the fridge , washer and dryer, kitchen electronics, tv’s??? I’ve read they can live in all of these, do I need to trash it all????”source ↗

KnownCranberry4128 · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“I f*cked up - saw a live cockroach the size of half my finger (2 inches) and failed to kill it.”source ↗

“Then discovered this dead bug floating in the sink. Checked our sticky traps and found the following.”source ↗

“Just missed it and it got away after crawling under the microwave.”source ↗

SoFrickinHungry · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“So I just moved into my home in May and it's a brand new build in a subdivision and I have seen and killed 4 German Roaches in my house.”source ↗

“I'm freaking out and I have no idea where they're coming from!”source ↗

“I can't afford a professional right now so I need advice... I really don't want to deal with Cockroaches 😭”source ↗

ThrowRA33i · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“The fact that I’m seeing them more than once has been weighing on me to the point I can hardly sleep.”source ↗

deathbunnyii · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“We can’t find where their larvae is :(”source ↗

Cheddabossy · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“cockroaches have been an ongoing issue to some degree, particularly during the warmer/rainier months, but lately the situation has become much more frustrating because I’m seeing live roaches and nymphs despite a lot of treatment and maintenance work.”source ↗

“What I’m struggling with is the repeated pattern, the nymphs, the bathroom exhaust vent, and the consistent activity around certain parts of the apartment.”source ↗

Fearless-Sentence-40 · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“im stressing tf out and thinking of breaking the lease. i lived in a horribly infested dorm a few years ago and it traumatized me. i cant do that mental warfare again.”source ↗

AdOne7971 · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“Since the 1st treatment, we have still seen quite a few in the kitchen and honestly I'm doubting if its working at all.”source ↗

“As my ENTIRE flat block is infested, I think sprays might not be doing much at all as I haven't seen a decrease in numbers .”source ↗

“I've also seen a few of them lay on their back for a while then completely recover.”source ↗

SnooCheesecakes7855 · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“recently we’ve been seeing a baby roach or two every few days?”source ↗

“Is it possible that they’re from old eggs that were laid while the adults were still here? Or maybe coming in from a nest in a neighboring apartment?”source ↗

“Lastly, how can we prevent them turning into adults and mating in our apartment?”source ↗

_angelite · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“I have been battling through my entire house for 3 years.”source ↗

“I really don't know what else to do.”source ↗

Landaizms-5300 · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“I live in an apartment and it’s been a back and forth battle with my German cockroach problem and my landlord won’t do anything since it’s a condo and not an apartment.”source ↗

“I tried using combat baits which didnt work because they avoided it, bengal which doesn’t work because German cockroaches are resistant to pyrethoid insecticides and hot shot baits which didn’t do anything.”source ↗

Sirius2349 · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“If the pest control is simply spraying and putting glue traps, this won’t do anything but slow it down.”source ↗

SilverBallsOnMyChest · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“Unfortunately a new victim of the German Roach.”source ↗

“I haven't seen any in 10 days but I feel like there is no way this could be resolved that quickly.”source ↗

“I am willing to do literally anything to deal with this as quickly and swiftly as I can.”source ↗

WorkingRespond9557 · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“I’ve fogged the place a few times whenever we cleaned the entire house and we’re still getting roaches!”source ↗

“They are underneath the tile in the kitchen on the counter.”source ↗

Apprehensive-Seat460 · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“Have seen a few nymphs In my upstairs bath.”source ↗

“I am wondering if it is beneficial for me to add some some Gentrol discs in the bathroom and the kitchen below to make sure these babies don’t reach maturation.”source ↗

“I understand the nygard is an igr, but being sprayed wouldn’t they have to cross the barrier to be affected?”source ↗

Diligent-Clue8205 · r/Pestcontrol · 1 upvotes

“been hiring orkin for almost 2 years, still could found silverfish indoor…..I’m so sick of it now..”source ↗

Far-Dust-8485 · r/Pestcontrol

“ive been having issues with 2 bakery's. Owner is getting upset, ive used Advion Gel Bait, Phantom with Gentrol IGR. Point sources, Advion Gel Bait Arenas, they continue having issues, any other suggestions or products to use???”source ↗

bigbroangelo · r/Pestcontrol

“Professional fumigation companies have come repeatedly with no lasting results. Roaches keep returning.”source ↗

HuckleberryKey6901 · r/Pestcontrol
r/homeowners2 people · October 2026

“jesus that's a nightmare scenario. the friend not saying anything for 5 whole days while unpacking roach-infested stuff into your house is just... what was the plan there exactly?”source ↗

ShallowAuspices48 · r/homeowners · 3 upvotes

“Well wouldn’t you know, 3 nights ago I went to the bathroom at 12AM and there was a roach in my fucking bathroom!”source ↗

“I’ve thrown out 1/2 of my house at this point. I feel like shit is crawling on me constantly.”source ↗

GuiltyName7169 · r/homeowners
r/CleaningTips2 people · September 2026

“i think infestation just start or low infestation, since i often see 1-2 cockroach every night sometimes i see opened egg and droppings. Thats whyi need to get rid of it ASAP since cockroach infestation worst than mice infestation i encounter....”source ↗

ZookeepergameDry1866 · r/CleaningTips · 1 upvotes

“sadly in my country getting that only for middle to upper class, getting examinators quiete expensive and wouldn't mind spend single penny there unless its very very cheapp”source ↗

ZookeepergameDry1866 · r/CleaningTips · 1 upvotes

“As a middle poor family, iam dealing with these bs cockroach what do i do?”source ↗

“we couldn't afford pest control easily and iam man of the house now, i am only the one who can eliminate and fix these by only myself. What do i do?”source ↗

“i often see cockroach every night since rainy days starts many these annoying cockroach appearing out my sight also many pests appearing in my house too.”source ↗

“I can do pesticides spray but i think it's not enough since they hide in narrow space...”source ↗

ZookeepergameDry1866 · r/CleaningTips · 1 upvotes

“This summer, my family has been struggling with roaches.”source ↗

“I'm wondering if there are any solutions at all to decrease their population or get rid of them completely without having to call an exterminator.”source ↗

pink_spider_lily · r/CleaningTips · 1 upvotes

Where this came up

People with this problem also raised