Are you out of your wits trying to eliminate cockroaches in your apartment?
I hear you.
Cockroaches make us feel unsafe and uncomfortable in our own home.
They are also stubborn pests that seem to come back stronger and multiply every time you try to kill them.
But don’t worry. Roaches are not invincible. And there are quite a bit roach killers in the market that you can use.
In this post, we’ll go over the latest and greatest roach killers for apartments. So you can finally get your home back from these pesky bugs.
Let’s dive in!
Top 5 best Apartment Roach Killers
Are you short on time?
Here is a quick guide to the top 5 best apartment roach killers.
If you want to learn more about each product continue reading and we will tell you everything you need to know.
- Syngenta Advion Gel Bait – Best Gel Bait
- Catch Master Glue Trap – Best Glue Board
- Harris Diatomaceous Earth – Best Dust Treatment
- Gentrol Point Source IGR – Best IGR
1.Syngenta Advion Cockroach Gel Bait – Best Gel Bait
Pros
Horizontal transfer is very effective
Easy to apply in small crevices
Extremely effective
Cons
Toxic to other insects as well
If you don’t have cockroaches – gel bait can attract them
Hardens quickly
Hard to keep track of where it’s placed
Key Details
- Active Ingredient: Indoxacarb
- How Fast Does It Work: 2-3 Days
- How Long Does It Last: 2-4 Weeks
- For Use: Indoors & Outdoors
How Does It Work?
Gel bait is one of the most effective ways to eliminate cockroach infestations.
This control method is highly effective because it implements tertiary kills.
Here’s what I mean.
Gel baits turn cockroach feces into poison.
When a cockroach ingests gel bait, they don’t die right away.
Because juvenile roaches (nymphs) rely on feces to survive, the toxic wastes will kill them.
Once they die, other cockroaches that eat their bodies become poisoned too.
How To Apply It?
Gel baits are easy to apply because they come inside a syringe.
The syringe makes it easy to apply gel bait into small crevices that cockroaches hide in.
Apply gel bait to small crevices around your kitchen to ensure that you infect as many roaches as possible.
Some other great places for application include inside your cabinets, floorboards, and under your appliances.
Apply a pea-sized drop of gel bait about every two feet.
Doing so will allow the roaches easy access to the bait.
To keep track of where you place your gel bait, place it on a 2×2 inch wax paper.
The wax paper wrap will also make it easy to put bait in hard-to-treat places (e.g., within stacks of clutter).
After two weeks, wipe down or remove the wax paper and apply some more.
Syngenta Advion Gel Bait Review
Advion is one of the most well-respected cockroach baits on the market.
This is the roach bait often used by pest control professionals to treat cockroaches.
This is an extremely effective bait that you can use to get expert results at home.
Another great thing is that the syringes are easy to use and apply.
In addition, you get plenty of bait to treat your entire home several times.
Also, for a professional product, the price is reasonable.
In one package you get 4 syringes for $32 which is only $8 for each syringe.
2.Catch Master Glue Trap – Best Glue Trap
Pros
Easy to apply
Fits in small hiding places
Highly effective when cockroaches walk over it
Comes in several different quantity options
Cons
Do not eliminate entire infestations
Only kills on contact
No residual effect
Unsightly
Key Details
- Active Ingredient: Adhesive
- How Fast Does It Work: Immediately
- How Long Does It Last: Sticky for 1 year
- For Use: Indoors & Outdoors
- Works On: All pests including rats and raccoons
How Does It work?
Glue boards are quite simple. They are one of the easiest and common ways of treating cockroaches inside your home.
When cockroaches walk over the trap the adhesive traps them on it and they can’t move.
Eventually, they will die or you can discard the trap.
Remember to fold the trap before placing it.
Traps that are safe for pets will fold and only have a small opening that allows cockroaches to walk through.
These holes make will prevent animals or pets from getting stuck on the carpet.
For the safes results place glue traps where your pets can access them such as under appliances or behind cabinets.
How To Apply It?
Applying cockroach traps is very easy.
First, you need to look for signs of cockroaches around your home.
Some common hiding spots for cockroaches include:
- Under the kitchen and bathroom sink
- Inside, under and on top of Cabinets
- Under and behind appliances.
- Inside or behinds shelves
- Around the toilet
- In the bathtub
- Near or around drains
Check your traps daily.
Try to place cockroach traps near or around these hiding spots.
Common places to place cockroaches traps include:
- Under appliances
- In gaps between furniture
- Guidelines and Edges
- Other areas you might have seen cockroaches.
Catch Master Glue Trap Review
Glue traps are one of the most common ways people resort to killing cockroaches.
Catchmaster is one of the most well-respected brands and often used by pest control professionals as well.
The glue traps are well built and easy to set up.
They remain effective for one year before they begin to harden and lose their stickiness.
The 1-year longevity is truly unmatched and one of the great things about this glue trap.
In addition, it has a peanut butter scent that is designed to attract cockroaches.
It does not use any harmful chemicals that could be dangerous to your pets or other animals in your home.
3. Harris Diatomaceous Earth – Best Dust
Pros
No Odor.
100% natural diatomaceous earth.
Comes with a dusting bulb.
Safe for both humans and animals.
Fits inside small crevices.
Cons
Gets messy
Dust in the air can be harmful.
The application must be methodical.
Key Details
- Active Ingredient: Silica
- How Fast Does It work: 60% mortality after 24 hours and 100% after one week.
- How Long Does It Last: Effective as long it remains dry.
- For Use: Indoors & Outdoors
- Works On: All insect invertebrates such as cockroaches, bed bugs, termites, beetles, etc.
How Does It Work?
Diatomaceous earth kills insects by destroying their exoskeletons.
This happens in two steps.
- DE absorbs the oily and waxy outer cuticle layer found on a cockroaches exoskeleton.
- Once the outer layer is destroyed, cockroaches lose water and die from dehydration.
Although to humans DE is just like any other powder, to insect, it has microscopic, razor-sharp edges.
Two things determine how effective DE is on insects.
- Cockroaches must make contact with DE for it to work.
- DE must be dry for it to remain effective on cockroaches.
How To Apply?
For Diatomaceous earth to remain safe for pets is best to keep it out of their reach or access.
To do this, you need to follow a few steps.
1. Clean and Dry
Clean and dry the area you will be applying DE. This will make DE more effective.
2. Spread A Thin Layer In Small Crevices
Using a dusting bulb apply DE to any small crevices where there are signs of bed bugs or frequent.
It is essential that you only apply a thin layer that is slightly visible.
Thick layers will seem daunting to cockroaches, and they will avoid the DE all together.
This includes:
- Under Appliances
- Wall voids
- Gaps between cabinets and other furniture.
- Baseboards
- Behind cabinets
Harris Diatomaceous Earth Review
Diatomaceous Earth is a great natural product that is both safe for pets and humans.
The key to keeping DE safe for pets is only applying it to small crevices inside your home.
This will prevent DE from getting airborne and causing any damage to the respiratory tract when
This will keep DE out of reach from any pets you have in your home.
To Keep DE as safe as possible, use food grade DE. This DE is safe to consume in large small amounts.
It is used in certain household products and food products.
DE is highly effective when properly placed. DE can eliminate 100% of bed bugs after only one week in light to moderate infestations.
Remember to keep DE out of wet or damp areas for the best results.
4. Gentrol Point Source IGR – Best IGR
Pros
Stops the reproduction cycle.
No spray required.
Easy to activate.
Safe for pets, humans, and children.
Cons
Only one size.
Large and disruptive.
Small holder for dead bugs.
Only one lure method – UV lights.
Key Details
- Active Ingredient: Hydroprene
- How Fast Does It work: 3-14 days to begin taking effect.
- How Long Does It Last: 3 months.
- For Use: Indoors & Outdoors
- Works On: All insect invertebrates such as cockroaches, bed bugs, termites, beetles, etc.
How It Works?
IGRs act as a final resort to kill any remaining eggs and baby cockroaches.
Since eggs, female, and baby cockroaches don’t move as often as adult cockroaches they don’t always come in contact with gel bait.
Often pregnant females and nymphs do not forage for food but depend on the feces from other adult roaches.
To prevent your cockroach infestation from growing, use insect growth regulators or IGRs.
IGRs are a useful tool that helps break the rapid life cycle of cockroaches.
To do this, IGRs mimic the juvenile hormone that naturally occurs in an insect and disrupts the nymph’s growth cycle.
As a result, IGRs prevent the normal development of baby cockroaches so they cannot produce viable eggs as adults or die during the molting process.
How To Apply?
Applying IGR packets is the easiest way to use IGR inside your apartment.
Most IGR applications require spraying.
This method is time-consuming and difficult for amateurs.
To activate IGR packets break the pack.
You will hear a snap and this is how you know the IGR packets is active.
The next step is to place the IGR packets in your home.
Packets only cover around 75 square feet so you will need to apply to your house accordingly.
For most apartments, the most important places to target include the kitchen, dining room, living room, and restroom.
Gentrol Point Source IGR Review
Gentrol IGR is a one of the most effective and easiest IGR’s to use.
This IGR combines the effectiveness of the powerful IGR chemical hydroprene without the need to spray your apartment.
The best part is that it’s easy to use. With a quick snap of the IGR packet, it is active.
The other benefit of this product is that for only $40 you get 12 packets which are less than $3.35 per packet.
What Is The Most Effective Way To Kill Cockroaches?
Using one product is not the best way to kill all the cockroaches in your home.
The best way to do this involves attacking cockroaches using different application methods.
To do this you will need to:
- Use Glue traps to help you identify the type of cockroaches you have.
- Use gel bait in high traffic areas.
- Apply dust bait into hard to reach crevices.
- Use insect growth regulators to stop the reproduction cycle.
Here are the products you will need to eliminate cockroaches from your apartment.
- Glue Traps
- Gel Bait
- Dust Powder
- Insect Growth Regulators (IGR’s)
Types of Roach Killers
There are several types of roach killers you can use.
In fact, choosing one is overwhelming.
The best approach to treating cockroaches is using several different roach killers.
1. Insecticide Spray
One of the most common types of cockroach killers is sprays.
Cockroach sprays include insecticide sprays such as raid or hotshot.
Insecticide sprays are ideal because they provide instant kills and have some residual effect.
The disadvantage of insecticide sprays is that they contaminate your home with toxic chemicals.
2.Cockroach Bait
Bait is one of the most effective ways to treat cockroaches.
This is because it delivers tertiary kills.
Tertiary kills allow you to target a large number of cockroaches even if they are not eating the bait itself.
For example, the cockroach that eats the bait, any babies that eat the adult feces, and any cockroaches that eat infected cockroaches will also die.
The bait comes in two forms:
- Syringes
- Bait Stations
Bait stations are safe and easy to apply.
Simply open the box and place them where you expect cockroach activity.
Syringes are great because you can easily apply bait to small crevices and hard to reach areas.
3. Dust
Another common method of treating cockroaches is using dust.
Two of the most common dust applications are:
- Diatomaceous Earth
- Boric Acid
These are typically applied with a small hand pump or tube.
Use these devices to apply dust bait to high traffic areas or small crevices that are hard to reach with gel bait.
The layer of dust you apply should be very light and barely visible to the naked eye.
When cockroaches come into contact with the dust, it will either destroy their exoskeleton or they will eat it and die.
4. Insect Growth Regulators (IGR’s)
Insect growth regulators don’t kill cockroaches in the traditional sense.
IGR’s target baby cockroaches and eggs using hormones.
IGRs prevent the normal development of baby cockroaches so they cannot produce viable eggs as adults or die during the molting process.
This will stop the reproduction process of any cockroaches in your home.
IGR’s can be applied using a spray treatment or pheromone packs.
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