How to keep palmetto bugs from coming upstairs from the attic
Large roaches and palmetto bugs often bypass a clean house by traveling from the attic or exterior entry points directly into second-story bathrooms and living spaces. Proofing the upper levels and sealing entry routes stops them from wandering out of the attic and into bedrooms.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 34.6× 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.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Trying interior pest control treatmentsDid this help you?
- 2Attempting to pest-proof or seal attic spacesDid this help you?
- 3Catching roaches on sticky trapsDid this help you?
- 4Treating the area with Alpine WSG insecticide and sealing gaps between the floor and wallDid this help you?
- 5Placing glue pads under appliances like the fridge to check for broader presenceDid this help you?
- 6Deep cleaning the bathroomDid this help you?
- 7Putting advion bait in corners and around pipesDid this help you?
- 8Dusting the floor with diatomaceous earthDid this help you?
- 9Using sticky trapsDid this help you?
- 10Using roach baitDid this help you?
- 11killing them with sprayDid this help you?
- 12putting down glue trapsDid this help you?
- 13having the property manager spray the outside of the apartmentDid this help you?
- 14staying away from the apartment due to fearDid this help you?
- 15Caulking inside windows and outside gapsDid this help you?
- 16Spraying gaps every 4 months with water based Talstar PDid this help you?
- 17Closing sink drains and plugging the bathtubDid this help you?
- 18Requesting professional pest control sprays from the apartment complexDid this help you?
- 19Buying glue traps, ortho defense, and raidDid this help you?
- 20Taking insects outside manuallyDid this help you?
- 21Filling joints with fill sand and sweeping it inDid this help you?
- 22Putting backer rod down and using polyurethane joint fillerDid this help you?
- 23Waiting for slower-acting exterminator spray to take effectDid this help you?
- 24Relying on others to be present when entering the kitchenDid this help you?
- 25Using glue boards and sticky traps under cabinets and behind appliancesDid this help you?
- 26Using gel baits instead of broad sprays or foggers to avoid harming pet insects.Did this help you?
- 27Sealing cracks, gaps between pipes, and holes with silicone or spray foam.Did this help you?
- 28Spraying a mix of Alpine WSG and Tekko pro in every crevice, baseboard, and under appliances.Did this help you?
- 29changing exterior lightbulbs to less attractive spectrumsDid this help you?
- 30setting up toad houses to encourage natural predatorsDid this help you?
- 31sprinkling diatomaceous earth around the foundationDid this help you?
- 32applying perimeter insect spraysDid this help you?
- 33Applying residual sprays like Demand CS to rooflines and upper thresholdsDid this help you?
- 34Treating attic vents, siding corners, and soffitsDid this help you?
- 35Spraying around the inside of window tracks and sillsDid this help you?
- 36Putting a cat litter box near the suspected entry point so the smell deters themDid this help you?
- 37Stuffing a sock in the vent and placing a heavy object on topDid this help you?
- 38Playing loud music or using speaker vibrations to scare them awayDid this help you?
- 39Soaking a rag in strong-smelling liquids like vinegar, polish, or mintDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“We always have lady bugs, flies, stink bugs and lately a few wasps getting into our house. I caulked the inside windows (the person who put them in did not) but should we caulk the outside gaps too?”source ↗
“Every morning I wake up, open my front door, and there's a new dead cricket/grasshopper right in front of the door.”source ↗
“until the frost killed them I felt I was crossing a land mind field filled with all kinds of horrible insects.”source ↗
“Theyre all over my siding. Crickets, boxelder bugs, lady bugs, stink bugs, etc...”source ↗
“We've been getting these huge roach bugs all over our bathroom and bedroom! Sometimes the living room and kitchen floor.”source ↗
“I've been finding a far larger amount the past couple of weeks than we did in earlier months since moving in.”source ↗
“We've been using sticky traps and roach bait but it clearly isn't working.”source ↗
“I have seen a few cockroaches in my bathroom the past few days and I’m starting to get scared there’s an infestation.”source ↗
“I have a big fear of cockroaches and I’m really nervous this is a serious infestation.”source ↗
“Is there anything I can do to prevent the roaches getting to other areas in my apartment? I live in a small studio and am genuinely terrified of an infestation.”source ↗
“I’m currently looking for some advice regarding American roaches.”source ↗
“the past 2 weeks I’ve seen about 3-4 American roaches in my apartment.”source ↗
“I haven’t even been sleeping in my apartment as I am extremely paranoid of them and the idea of them crawling on me when I sleep is genuinely making me tweak out.”source ↗
“I keep having trouble with palmetto bugs in my attic and therefore they’re coming into my second story floor bathroom.”source ↗
“Is there a way to proof the attic to reduce their presence??”source ↗
“So tired of them coming in and I know it’s not typical. My house is clean :P”source ↗
“To start I am terrified of bugs.”source ↗
“What I cant live with, is roaches.”source ↗
“I have never before seen a roach, led alone in my house.”source ↗
“I am 99% sure its the same type of roach, although i wasn't able to see it clearly.”source ↗
“I know this might sound funny to some of you, i am Genuinely debating moving out, i have no idea on what to do, any help is greatly appreciated.”source ↗
“I’m pretty sure one is trying to break into my room upstairs by climbing up the unfinished areas, pipes or whatever in the basement”source ↗
“I literally just need to keep it away for tonight 😭”source ↗
“Roach issue in my bedroom”source ↗
“caught 9 little ones on 3 sticky matts in 3 days”source ↗
“Really confused why I'm only seeing little guys”source ↗
“I havent seen any in my kitchen but I will definitely put some pads down tonight”source ↗
“It seems like I’ve seen an increase in roaches in the past month or so, but I’ve only just started tracking.”source ↗
“I’m starting to feel uncomfortable in my own home especially when it becomes night.”source ↗
“I really would like to prevent them from leaving the kitchen area as much as possible due to my phobia.”source ↗
“I’m looking for DIY recommendations for something I could set up where the yellow highlight is to prevent them from crossing into the rest of my apartment.”source ↗
“I can only go into my kitchen when someone else is here for me so I’m petrified of finding one in my living room.”source ↗
“I've spotted the first roach in summer. Since then I've seen them a couple more times. Today I brought a bag of old rags from the storage on the back balcony... and since then I found 3 more roaches! It can't be a coincidence. They're definitely outside.”source ↗
“I had a similar situation in an old apartment and it turned out the building next door was being renovated which stirred up a whole nest. those things will travel through the walls like it's nothing.”source ↗
“Doesn't help that our apartment block is from 1920-30s and our flat has a full selection of landlord specials with plenty of gaps between pipes, in the walls, under bathtub where they couldn't even bother to connect the tiles properly”source ↗
“Every fall I get tons of (what I assume) are Asian Lady beetles in one room, likely from one large bay window.”source ↗
“I’ve checked everything with the window and can’t find any way they can get in.”source ↗
“I know in a few days when the temps start to drop I’ll starts seeing dozens a day.”source ↗
“I’ve got a large gap running long between my front patio and house.”source ↗
“I think this gap is causing insects such as woodlice, spiders and various others to crawl into my living room via the floorboards.”source ↗
“I’m continually taking them outside but they keep coming in.”source ↗
“It’s full of insects crawling in.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3Keeping squirrels from breaking back into the roof
- 3How to keep spiders off your porch without killing them
- 2How to keep bugs away from front porch light
- 7How to make sure roaches don't move with you
- 28How to get rid of German roaches once and for all?
- 17How to stop chipmunks from digging holes near your foundation