Living in a multifamily building has its challenges. Cockroaches are one of them. Here are the best roach killers for apartments.
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What’s the Best Roach Killer for an Apartment? We Tested 6 of the Strongest Sprays
Updated on Sep. 19, 2024
Cockroaches are some of the most adaptable creatures on earth, which makes controlling and eliminating an infestation a major challenge.
“These nocturnal pests can hide in a myriad of places in the home and breed very quickly,” says Jim Fredericks, Ph.D, an entomology and wildlife ecology specialist for the National Pest Management Association.
Apartment building infestations are particularly problematic because apartments share not only walls but also floors, pipes and vents, which allows roaches to spread quickly from unit to unit.
“Plus, pests are sneaky and can enter through open windows or sliding glass doors, through ventilation slats for AC units, under doors lacking door sweeps and around windows without proper weather stripping,” Fredericks says.
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Best Spray Roach Killer
Raid Ant & Roach Killer 26
Raid Ant & Roach Killer 26 eliminates cockroaches the minute they touch sprayed surfaces, for up to four weeks. Plus, the fragrance-free spray is a game changer, especially for those living in tight spaces.
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Best Gel Roach Killer
Advion Roach Killer Bait Gel
One problem with aerosol insecticides: It can be difficult to control the spray. Not so with Advion Roach Killer Bait Gel. To target and eliminate roaches, just poke the tip into holes or cracks and press the plunger (included). The high-performing and potent bait attracts and kills tough German, American and other brown-banded cockroach species.
Safety note: This gel contains arsenic and is not suitable for use around kids and pets.
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Best Powder Roach Killer
Terro Roach Bait Powder
Terro Roach Bait Powder is a dry poison that comes in a bottle with an applicator. Each bottle contains up to 150 bait placements. This ready-to-use roach killer may be applied inside the apartment or outside on the patio or balcony.
The puffer applicator shoots small amounts of powdered pesticide-laced bait into cracks and crevices. Roaches are attracted to the bait, ingest it and spread it to their roach friends. Spray the bait from any angle, even upside down.
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Best Roach Egg Killer
Bengal Gold Roach Spray
To keep eggs from hatching into little cockroach nymphs, Bengal Gold Roach Spray is a solution you can administer yourself.
The dry aerosol agent gets into places where roaches hide, drives them out and kills them for up to an hour. Better yet, it contains a chemical growth regulator that disrupts their reproductive system, preventing females from laying eggs in the first place. It’s guaranteed to stop roach infestations for up to six months or your money back.
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Best Motel-Style Sticky Trap
Black Flag Roach Motel Traps
If you live in an apartment with pets or children, the pesticide-free Black Flag Roach Motel Traps won’t expose your family to toxic substances or odors.
Each box features an adhesive that attracts cockroaches. Once inside, their feet stick, and in three to four days they’re dead. Place the motels all around the apartment — in corners, inside cupboards, under the sink and behind appliances. When they fill up with dead bugs, toss the whole thing in the garbage.
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Best Eco-Friendly Roach Killer
EcoSmart Ant and Roach Killer
If you care about the environment as much as you hate cockroaches, EcoSmart Ant and Roach Killer is for you.
Employing all-natural plant oils instead of harsh chemicals, the 100% organic product won’t contaminate groundwater or hurt animals, birds or fish. Non-staining and pleasant smelling, it’s safe enough to use inside apartments yet still strong enough to kill roaches.
Five-star Amazon reviewer Kindle Customer writes, “This spray works great to kill roaches and leaves a nice minty smell. I like that it is safe to use around pets and myself.”
What to Consider When Buying Roach Killer for Apartments
Here are the key things to consider when buying roach killers for apartments:
- Safety: Roach killers often contain harmful chemicals. So if you have kids or pets, baits, traps and dusting powders that go into voids and cracks are safer than sprays. They’re also a better choice for those suffering from respiratory problems because they don’t leave airborne residue. Note: Whenever using pesticides, read and follow directions on the product label.
- Effectiveness: Roach sprays can exterminate bugs fast, but relying on pesticide sprays alone may provide only temporary relief. As part of an integrated approach, Rachel Maccini, an urban entomologist and pesticide safety education program coordinator at the University of New Hampshire Extension, recommends a combination of traps, desiccants (substances like diatomaceous earth that dry roaches out) and insect growth regulators, all easily available and effective.
- Ease of use: Setting out baits and traps is less messy than using sprays, gels or powders.
- Cost: If you’re a renter, eliminating a minor roach problem with store-bought pesticides offers an affordable and immediate solution, especially since landlords aren’t always as responsive as they should be. However, it’s important to notify your landlord, apartment manager or building superintendent at the first signs of roaches. Odds are that if you have cockroaches in your apartment, others living near you probably do, too. In that case, your landlord may want to call a professional exterminator.
Best DIY Roach Home Remedies
Food-based organically derived compounds like baking soda, boric acid and diatomaceous earth are popular DIY ingredients to combat roaches without man-made chemicals.
Make and spread diatomaceous earth or a mixture of baking soda and sugar in thin layers where cockroaches like to hide, such as behind or between cabinets, under appliances and along floorboards. When ingested, these substances dehydrate roaches and damage their exoskeleton, which is important to their survival.
You can also create a dough combining boric acid, powdered sugar, flour and a small amount of water. Roll the dough into little balls and place them around the apartment, especially in kitchens and bathrooms where roaches like to gather. Lured by the sweet-tasting marbles, they feed on the boric acid, which attacks their nervous systems and kills them.
Prevention
When all is said and done, cockroach control starts with prevention.
“The first thing a person and/or company should do before reaching for a pesticide is to reduce water and food and eliminate harborage (cracks, crevices, clutter) for cockroaches,” says Maccini. This means following good sanitation practices — vacuuming, removing garbage frequently and wiping up food spills and messes as soon as they happen.
How We Found the Best Roach Killers for Apartments
To ensure I’ve given a complete picture of the roach killer options on the market, I started by casting a wide net—searching for various pest management solutions across various brands, budgets and more. Then, using my personal experience and the guidance of professionals and consumers alike, took a look at the roach killers’ effectiveness (both immediate and over time), as well as their approachability, safety, environmental impact, etc. Finally, I narrowed it down to only the top options available while still trying to provide various options across styles and prices.
Why You Should Trust Us
I’m a longtime journalist in the home improvement and DIY space—with my work appearing in trusted publications, including The Telegraph, Fodor’s, Italy Magazine, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, and Orvieto or Bust (as well as Family Handyman, of course). My experience, both personal and professional, gives me an edge when it comes to pest management (including roaches), and I can confidently say I’d use any of the solutions presented here in my own residence.
For this article, I contacted Rachel Maccini, an urban entomologist and pesticide safety education program coordinator at the University of New Hampshire Extension. Her abundance of clinical and professional knowledge regarding pest control helps add a deeper, more scientific edge to the roach-killing solutions you see here.
I also spoke with Jim Fredericks, Ph. D., an entomology and wildlife ecology specialist for the National Pest Management Association. Before his role with the NPMA, Jim spent 11 years as technical director with Home Paramount Pest Control, where he was responsible for product selection, treatment protocol development, service quality assurance and technical training.
FAQ
How do I permanently get rid of roaches in my house?
Prevention is always going to be the best defense against roaches. Roach killers, like those found on this list, are reactive and not proactive solutions. Your best bet for permanently removing roaches is keeping your space clean as a whistle. If roaches have nothing to eat, they’re unlikely to stick around. Unfortunately, this can be a problem in apartment buildings, as you’re also beholden to the units around you. If there is a persistent problem, we recommend contacting your landlord and/or property management to find a more permanent, sweeping solution.
What smells keep roaches away?
Regarding holistic, non-toxic solutions, roaches are repelled by the smells of peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, citronella and cedarwood oils. However, applying these to your home is merely a temporary solution (and not a guaranteed one). Depending on the circumstances of the infestation, using these to get rid of roaches might not work at all.
What is the main cause of roaches?
Food, food scraps and grime tend to draw roaches to your home. As mentioned, your best defense is proactive cleaning—but it’s important to remember that food scraps can end up in hard-to-reach spaces you might not normally look, like under and behind appliances. You’ll want to be very thorough to have the greatest chance of success.
